As cold and flu season continues to do its best in antagonizing us this winter, I decided a recipe for bone broth soup might be just the thing to speed a post-holiday recovery.  

A few years ago, I got caught up reading about bone broth, and its purported benefits in helping overcome symptoms of the common cold. It seemed to be popping up everywhere in every specialty food store I went to.  

Given my frequent occupational exposure to colds as a first-grade teacher, anything capable of relieving those symptoms or shortening its course was worth a shot!  

Soups, stews, and other cooked veggies are never a bad idea when you’re not feeling well.  You can just as easily prepare this soup as a proper meal, or carry a thermos around and drink it as a warm beverage throughout the day. 

This isn’t just a drink on its own- use it wherever broth or stock is needed in a recipe! It’s a wonderful base for any soup. It also freezes wonderfully, so make a large batch and defrost as needed!

You will need:

6 to 8 beef bones (I prefer a mix of marrow and knuckle bones)

1 beef soup bone

5 large carrots (keep the greens)

2 onions, quartered

8 stalks celery

¼ cup of peppercorns

2 whole cinnamon sticks

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Fresh herbs of your choice (I use parsley, sage, and thyme)

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Chop the veggies, place them on a cookie sheet with the bones, and sprinkle everything with salt.  Roast for 30 to 40 minutes. 

Transfer the vegetables and bones to a large pot (or more than one pot).  Don’t forget to include any scrapings or juices left on the sheet - everything goes in. 

Add enough water to submerge everything (ideally around 12 cups).  Add in the peppercorns, herbs, cinnamon sticks, apple cider vinegar, and sprinkle with a little more salt. 

Bring to a low boil, then simmer for 12-24 hours; feel free transfer to a crockpot for the simmer, especially if unattended.

After simmering, strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, and then again through cheese cloth to capture any small bone fragments.  Serve hot!

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to five days, or kept frozen for up to six months!

claire Stabbert is an accomplished cook who loves to try new recipes. While she does enjoy eating at restaurants, she also loves to whip up a good meal at home. Claire gets some of her cooking inspiration from her grandfather and grandmother, Fred and Shirley Stabbert as well as Great Grandma Nellie.