There is a lot of hype at the moment searching for the next superfood or elixir. Bone broth is topping most lists with (surprisingly) black pudding  close behind. For many people January brings fresh starts, detoxes and diets. And bone broth is a perfect way to get nourishment while managing a healthy diet at the same time. Broths have been known to ease inflammation, accelerate healing, relax allergies and battle fatigue. Bone broth also aides a number of digestive problems. This broth is made with beef bones which give you the added treat of bone marrow. Bone marrow itself is a splendid umami treat on toast. Chicken soup also known as Jewish penicillin, has a long history in ailing colds and the sniffles. This broth couldn’t be cheaper to make and the benefits far outweigh the time it takes to make. I picked up my bones from my local craft butcher. I asked for large marrow bones and for them to be cut to size. Most butchers will give these to you for free as they are normally binned or given to the dog. Well, guess who got the bone today?

Bone broth can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a week.  You can also freeze it in ice cube trays, where they will keep for 6 months.

Ingredients:

Beef bones (marrow)

1 large onion

2 large carrots

3 celery stalks

2 garlic cloves crushed

2 bay leaves

1 tsp chilli flakes

Salt and pepper

Water

The Make:

You must roast the bones first or you will get a strange tang off the broth. Season your bones with salt and pepper and a little olive oil. Place into an oven at 180C for around 20 mins. Chop all of your aromatics, the onion, carrot and celery. Add them to a large pot with garlic and bay leaves. Add in the roasted bones and cover with 4 litres of water. Cover the pot and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling turn it down to the lowest heat setting and let it simmer for at least 12 hours. Overnight or early morning are ideal times to do this. When the time is up, pass your broth through a fine mesh sieve into a different pot, for the time being. Get yourself a couple of vessels to store your broth. I used a cleaned 3 litre plastic milk carton and a separate jar for the remainder. I had my portion this morning served hot with salt, pepper and some crushed garlic. Enjoy.