When it comes to warming comfort foods that pack a nutritional punch, homemade bone broth reigns supreme. Store bought bone broth can’t hold a candle to the best bone broth made at home. Even the most basic homemade broth recipe has a superior flavor and nutrient density that store-bought just can’t beat.
When you add a mix of medicinal herbs to the pot, it takes it to the next level. Herbal-infused bone broth not only packs more protein, collagen, and minerals, but it also packs in a bunch of herbal properties. Herbal-infused bone broth supports your immune system, gut health, skin and hair, cardiovascular system, and more.
Let’s talk about how to create the ultimate herbal bone broth and why it’s worth the effort.
Homemade Bone Broth Beats Store-Bought Every Time
Making bone broth at home ensures you’re getting the most nutrient-dense broth possible. When it’s made right, it creates a gel as it cools. Those who aren’t familiar with this process, or those who are new to making bone broth, often think a gel is bad. That perhaps it “went bad”. The gel you see in properly made cooled broth is a good thing! In fact, it’s great!
It means that your broth is packed with collagen, which supports connective tissue, and healthy skin, and can relieve joint pain over time. Store-bought bone broth, on the other hand, does not have this gel and is watered down with way fewer nutrients. Not to mention, homemade bone broth uses organic bones, fresh herbs, and veggie scraps to deliver a flavor-rich and nutritious stock you simply can’t replicate from a carton. Let’s compare…
Nutritional Comparison: Store-Bought vs. Homemade Bone Broth
| Nutrient | Store-Bought Bone Broth | Homemade Bone Broth |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 5-7g per cup | 10-15g per cup |
| Collagen | Minimal | High (visible gel) |
| Minerals (Calcium) | 10-20mg | 30-50mg |
| Amino Acids (glycine) | Minimal | Significant amounts |
| Additives | Often added salt, flavoring | None (fully customizable) |
Ingredients
- Bones: Use beef bones, chicken bones, rabbit or pork bones. Any animal carcass will do. Knuckle bones, marrow bones, and chicken feet are great options for added collagen. In fact, chicken feet are the best for creating a good gel in your finished product.
- Vegetable Scraps: Toss in veggie scraps like carrots, celery, onions, sweet potato skins, and garlic for a flavor boost.
- Aromatic Herbs: Add bay leaves, black pepper, and a splash of apple cider vinegar to draw out minerals.
- Herbs: Choose culinary herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme for flavor, and medicinal herbs for added health benefits (more on those below).
- Water: Cover the bones and scraps with cold water, leaving room for the water level to rise as it cooks.
- Salt: Salt is important here. A high quality salt contains most of the minerals that the human body needs to survive. Celtic sea salt is the best for this. It’s like a multipurpose electrolyte.
Step-by-Step Process
Roast the Bones:
Place bones in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at high heat (400°F) for 30-45 minutes. This enhances the flavor and creates a rich base for your broth.Add to a Stockpot:
Transfer the roasted bones to a large stockpot, crock pot, roasting pan, or instant pot. Add veggie scraps, herbs, and water.Simmer:
Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a slow simmer for 24-36 hours. A pressure cooker can reduce the time significantly, but the slow cooking process extracts the most nutrients.Strain:
Use a fine mesh strainer to remove solids, then pour the broth into mason jars or freeze in ice cube trays for future use.
Herbs to Add for a Nutrient-Packed Broth
Adding herbs to your bone broth transforms it into an herbal-infused broth with even greater health benefits. The herbs you can use are completely customizable.
If you want to improve your gut health, add marshmallow root, dandelion root, burdock root, milk thistle, and any other herbs that would support your gut health goals. Need to decrease inflammation? Stinging nettle, turmeric, black pepper, oregano, frankincense, and anti-inflammatory herbs that specifically target your issues.
Here are some powerful herbs I include in my homemade bone broth recipe to support my family’s guts, immune systems, inflammation levels, and nervous systems:
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
- Properties: Antigalactagogue, antiseptic, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, nervine
- Benefits: Sage helps combat upper respiratory infections, soothes sore throats, helps with laryngitis, improves digestion, and helps you handle stress.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
- Properties: Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, aromatic, carminative, decongestant, stimulant
- Benefits: Thyme supports the immune system, and protects against viral infections, especially in the lungs and gut.
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
- Properties: Antidepressant, antioxidant, antirheumatic, antiseptic, carminative, expectorant, brain tonic
- Benefits: Rosemary supports healthy memory function and concentration, supports healthy immune response, and digestive function.
Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale)
- Properties: Alterative, bitter, cholagogue, diuretic, hepatoprotective
- Benefits: Dandelion root promotes healthy liver function supports the body’s natural detox pathways, and stimulates bile flow. The aerial parts are an excellent diuretic.
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
- Properties: Antiallergenic, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, diuretic, kidney tonic, mast cell stabilizer, mineralizer
- Benefits: Early spring nettles are highly nutritive and super high in iron and calcium. An excellent option for those dealing with iron that is difficult to treat. Nettle nourishes the mucous membranes and supports sinus health, making it a natural remedy for seasonal allergies. It’s also one of the best anti-inflammatory herbs and helps decrease systemic inflammation.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
- Properties: Anticoagulant, galactagogue, mineralizer, nutritive
- Benefits: Alfalfa strengthens bones and promotes gut health and is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals.
Milky Oats (Avena sativa)
- Properties: Laxative, mineralizer, nerve tonic
- Benefits: Milky oats calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and restore balance, helpful with mental and physical exhaustion from high stress situations.
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)
- Properties: Antiseptic, carminative, stimulant
- Benefits: In addition to adding a lovely flavor, it is also stimulating to the digestive system, eases bloating, and helps anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric absorb in the gut.
Herbal Bone Broth Recipe
Basic Herbal Bone Broth
Ingredients:
- 2-3 lbs of beef bones or chicken carcasses
- Veggie scraps (onion, carrot, celery)
- 2-3 sprigs each of sage, thyme, and rosemary
- 2 tbsp dandelion root
- 2 tbsp nettle leaf
- 2 tbsp alfalfa
- 2 tbsp milky oats
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- Salt to taste (use a quality salt like Celtic sea salt)
- Cold water to cover
- A splash of apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
- Roast the bones in the oven at 400°F for 30 minutes.
- Place bones, veggie scraps, herbs, and water in a slow cooker or stockpot.
- Simmer for 24-36 hours. Strain and store.
Benefits of Adding Herbs
Adding medicinal herbs to your broth amplifies the nutritional benefits and turns it into a functional and bioavailable food. The combination of deep nutritional benefits from the animal bones and herbal properties from the plants creates one of the most nutrient dense and healing superfoods that supports the immune system and soothes the digestive tract.
Making herbal bone broth is a great way to stock your pantry and nourish your body. From joint pain relief to improved gut health, a good nutrient-dense broth packed with fresh herbs just can’t be beat. Grab the biggest pot you have and start simmering. You’ll thank yourself with every warm, comforting sip. Here’s to health, warmth, and the best broth you’ve ever made!
