Co-op West Springs - Calgary

Have you heard the buzz about bone broth?

If you’re looking for a quick meal base or a sip of something warm on a cool night, bone broth is the answer. Made by simmering bones and seasonings for at least 24 hours, the beauty of bone broth is the slow-cooking process, which extracts collagen and amino acids from the bones and gives it a rich, thick consistency.

Bone broth is delicious on its own or added to meals in soups, sauces, gravies and more. Make your own at home or stock up on your favourite brands in-store and online. 

What is bone broth?

To understand bone broth, first you should understand that it’s not quite a broth and it’s not quite a stock. Broth is made by simmering herbs and spices, vegetables and meat for around 45 minutes to two hours. Stock adds more bones to the recipe and increases the cooking time to four to six hours.

Bone broth is like stock, but it’s slowly simmered for 24 hours or more with the goal of extracting gelatin from the bones, which gives it a thicker consistency than regular broth. The gelatin is why a good bone broth will become thick once it has been cooled in the fridge. Natural seasonings are added to give each broth a distinct flavour.

How can I use it at home?

You can include bone broth in your gravies, braises, soups and more, or you can just warm it up to enjoy on its own.

If you have it on hand, it’s so quick and easy to throw together a nourishing soup with bone broth. Slice and sauté celery, carrots and garlic and add them to a pot of bone broth with some shredded leftover chicken for a simple 10-minute meal. Or try pho bone broth with some rice noodles and a fresh basil garnish for an easy Vietnamese-inspired soup.

In addition to being such a simple soup base, bone broth can be used to add flavour to rice, mashed potatoes or even cauliflower rice. Cook rice in bone broth instead of water for an umami flavour boost, or use it in mashed potatoes instead of milk for a smooth, dairy-free alternative. Or, try adding a couple tablespoons of bone broth to the skillet when you’re cooking cauliflower rice for a tasty twist.

You can also use bone broth as a base for sauces to add depth to the flavour. Combine two cups of bone broth and two cans of tomato paste, then flavour with olive oil, garlic, oregano and basil to create a fast tomato sauce perfect for lasagna, pizza or pasta.

We love the versatility of bone broth and how it makes mealtimes easier. Interested in making your own bone broth? Try these easy and delicious recipes: Brown Chicken Broth, Beef Broth or Vegetable Broth!