Hi I’m Chris! Like Elena, I’m a medical student who enjoys culinary experimentation on the side! As I train for marathons and other endurance events, I am always looking for something with high protein (for muscle repair), good carbs (for fuel), and a little fat (fuel and flavor). Now that the summer race season is over, I’m doing 35-60 miles a week to get in shape for the spring marathon season! I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to dial in my bone broth recipe, and Elena invited me to submit it to Your Kitchen Prescription once I found the combination I like!

Bone broth is a protein-rich broth that can be made into soup, replace water in recipes (like rice), or sipped on a cold winter afternoon to warm you up! Any animal bones can be used to make bone broth. Vietnamese Pho uses chicken bone broth; beef bones are used to make a robust broth used in many paleo recipes. My personal favorite is used in Chinese and other Asian dishes: pork bone broth! While pork broth is not something you can find on the shelves of American grocery stores, it makes for a delicious medium-bodied broth, with more flavor than chicken broth, but more versatile than a powerful beef broth.

The recipe is no exact science, the amount of bones, time of simmering, and amount of water can all be modified and toyed with. Try adding a beef bone for more flavor, chicken feet or pig feet for more collagen and protein, or mix up the seasonings to suit your tastes!

Check out my most recent recipe below! And as always, feel free to comment with questions, comments, or recipes of your own.

Ingredients:

• 3-5 Pounds pork neck bones (leaving the meat attached is fine)

• 1 Chicken

• 2 Tablespoons Apple cider vinegar

• 2 Sprigs of fresh rosemary

• 3 Sprigs of fresh thyme

• Salt to taste

Recipe:

1.     Add the pork neck bones to a large stock pot, add enough cold water to cover the bones by a few inches. Add apple cider vinegar, and bring the pot to a boil.

2.     Reduce heat to a very slow simmer (lowest setting) and cover loosely (leave the top ajar).

3.     Simmer for 12 hours, replacing the water every few hours to bring it back to the original level. Feel free to skim the foam and meat bits off the top for a clearer broth throughout the simmering.

4.     Trim the chicken and discard the giblets, skin, and as much fat as possible. After the pork has simmered for 12 hours, add the whole chicken to the pot.

5.     Simmer until the chicken is cooked (about 45 minutes), and remove the chicken from the pot.Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones (refrigerate and save for soup, salads, etc.), and add the bones/carcass back to the stockpot.

6.     Simmer for 11 hours (again replacing water as needed).

7.     Add the thyme, rosemary, and salt (don’t be shy with the salt).

8.     Simmer for 1 hour.

At this point the broth is completed! The bones should crumble in your hand under medium pressure in your fingers, signaling the broth is done!

To skim the fat off the top, cooling the broth makes it much easier! Putting the entire pot in the fridge will result in the fridge temp rising too high, creating a bacteria friendly environment in the fridge. To avoid this, fill your sink with cold water, and immerse the stockpot. Change the water once or twice so the broth is luke-warm. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the meat bits, and refrigerate the broth. Skim the fat off after a few hours.

The broth should last for about a week in the fridge, and months in the freezer. It may form into a thick gelatinous broth in the fridge (like Jell-o), but will quickly liquefy with a little heat!

If Elena lets me guest blog again, look forward to my favorite Asian noodle soup using this broth, that takes 10 minutes to whip up! Enjoy!

**Tips:

• Using roasted bones, or a rotisserie chicken will result in darker, more robust broth with slightly “smokier” flavors

• Try different fresh spices (oregano, bay leaves, dill etc.) for slightly different flavors

• Keep Apple Cider Vinegar in your pantry for a daily cleanse. It is the latest in detox trends and ways to keep your gastrointestinal system functioning at its highest potential.

• As a retired Firefighter, I must advise against leaving a pot on the stove in an empty house (and change your smoke detector battery while you’re at it!)

Our newest guest blogger!

Stay tuned for more recipes from Chris, and let us know how he is doing!