One of the things I’ve always wanted to try making is bone broth or stock to use in various soup and stew recipes. Now that I’ve started my Paleo diet, this is something that is actually encouraged to drink on a daily basis and use in homemade soups. The diet I’m following says to drink 1/2 to 1 cup of bone broth daily. I don’t know if I’ll keep up with it daily, but since it can be frozen, I’ll definitely make up batches to keep on hand in the freezer to make soup quickly.

The recipe I used is salt-free, so if you’re following a low-salt or no-salt diet, this is perfect for you. I will say that the next time I make this I’ll be adding salt to help bring out the flavors. That said, if you decide to salt yours, keep in mind that as the broth simmers, the flavors will concentrate—and this means the salt intensity will increase, so be sure to start low with your amounts. You can always add more later on.

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Make sure you have plenty of time when you set out to make bone broth. I was in a bit of a hurry, and I should have let my bones roast in the oven longer than I did. The recipe said to roast for 15 minutes, and I went for 25 minutes, but I do think it should have roasted longer to achieve that nice dark brown color and flavor you get from long roasting. However, it still is tasty, but I know it will be better next time when I really roast everything before I start simmering it on the stove top.

My recipe comes from The Paleo Cure by Chris Kresser, one of my clients who inspired me to take charge of my health and get started on this Paleo diet. It really is easy to throw together. Once everything is in the pot, you just keep an eye on it and let it do its thing.

Paleo Bone Broth

4 pounds beef bones, preferably marrow and knuckle bones

2 onions, peeled and halved

4 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

4 cloves garlic, peeled

4 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

1 cup fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the bones, onion, and carrots in a roasting pan. Add about 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the pan so the drippings don’t burn and stick to the pan.

Roast for 15 minutes or until very well browned.

When everything is nicely roasted, add everything from the roasting pan (scraping the bottom) into a large stockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients, and add enough cold water to completely cover everything.

Cover, and bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for at least 3 hours.

Strain the stock.

When the stock is completely cold, pour it into 1-quart Mason jars, and refrigerate it for later use. It should last about a week in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it in bulk or in individual portions in freezer-safe containers.

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