Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef Bone Broth

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. grass fed, grass-finished beef bone (knuckle, marrow)
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 gallon of water (or more if needed to cover all contents when in pot)
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 medium onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• herbs and spices to taste (ex. bay leaves, thyme, parsley, ect.)

Instructions:

1. If using raw bones it improves flavor to roast them in the oven first. I place them in a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes at 450°F.
2. Place the bones in a large stock pot or the Instant Pot.
3. Pour cool filtered water and the vinegar over the bones. Let sit for 20-30 minutes in the cool water. The acid helps make the nutrients in the bones more available.
4. Rough chop and add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot.
5. Add any salt, pepper, spices, or herbs, if using.
6. Cook the broth using the method of preference. I prefer to use the instant pot for convenience and time. Cook at high pressure for 2 hours, followed by either a quick release or natural pressure release. Either is fine. Refer to the notes below to see the stove top and crockpot directions.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard all solids. Strain the remainder through a colander.
8. After straining, let broth cool to room temperature (add some ice cubes to quicken this process if you want), cover and chill.
9. Place in the refrigerator and allow to completely cool. A few hours later, you can use a spoon or fork to remove the top layer of fat.
10. When cool enough, store in a gallon size glass jar in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for later use in a freezer safe container.
11. You can pressure can it at 10 lbs. of pressure (adjust to elevation) for 20 minutes (pint jars) or 25 minutes (quart jars). Please review proper canning techniques and process before trying this.

Notes:
Stove Top

• Bring the broth to a boil. Once it has reached a vigorous boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until done.
• During the first few hours of simmering, you'll need to remove the impurities that float to the surface. A frothy/foamy layer will form and it can be easily scooped off with a big spoon. Throw this part away. I typically check it every 20 minutes for the first 2 hours to remove this.
• Simmer for 24 hours for chicken or 48 hours for beef. If you're doing on your stovetop, do not keep in on the flame overnight. Instead, remove from stovetop in the evening, allow it to cool and refrigerate overnight. Repeat the process the next day.
• During the last 30 minutes, add the garlic and parsley, if using.

Crockpot/slow cooker

• For the slow cooker version, simply turn it on low and set to 12 hours (be ready for one to two more cycles, so set your timer on your watch or in house). If you have a slow cooker than can be set to 24 or 36 hours, terrific.

How to use?
There are so many incredible ways to use bone broth; some of the obvious ways are in stews and soups. But here are a few of the more creative ways I like to get bone broth into my family's diet:

• Use homemade bone broth when making gravies and sauces.
• Cook your grains in broth by substituting the cooking water for bone broth.
• Boil veggies, pasta, and even potatoes in broth instead of water for added flavor.