Meat Stock vs. Bone Broth

You may be thinking:  What do you mean broth vs. stock? What’s the difference??? Aren’t they the same thing??? Please explain! That’s what I was thinking while reading about the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet and discovering how healing it is for the body. 

I had no clue either but found a few resources that were very helpful. One was the GAPS book by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD. The other was the Heal Your Gut cookbook by Hilary Boynton and Mary G. Brackett. Most of the information below is taken from these sources. Here’s what I learned! 

*This blog post contains various health information. Nothing is intended to be, nor should it be construed as, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any supplement(s) and/or treatment(s) discussed and/or listed should be reviewed by your health professional before using. If you have a medical concern, please consult with an appropriately-licensed physician. If you think you have a medical emergency, contact your doctor immediately. Full medical disclosure here.

Meat Stock

Making meat stock involves using soup bones with meat and/or joints (knuckles, chicken legs/thighs/feet) and is cooked for a short amount of time. Vegetables, herbs, and salt/pepper are good additions. Since it’s not being cooked as long, it won’t have as strong a flavor, but it will still be jam packed with nutritional goodies! 

The Heal Your Gut cookbook lists the following suggested cook times:

Poultry: 1.5 – 3 hours

Beef/Bison/Lamb: no more than 6 hours (slightly longer if using a slow cooker)

If following the GAPS protocol, it’s recommended that everything in the meat stock gets eaten as the meal and for snacks. Meaning all the vegetables, the meat from the bones, and the cartilage/tendons from any joint bones. When we first started making this; the easiest way to “eat” everything was pureeing it and then drinking. 

Bone Broth

Making bone broth involves using bones with little meat (marrow bones) and it’s cooked much longer (anywhere from 24-48 hours). Any kind of bones can be used: chicken, beef, lamb, bison, and/or fish. Vegetables, herbs, and salt/pepper are still good additions to add flavor. 

One of the major differences in bone broth is the profile of amino acids (specifically glycine and proline). The glutamic acid and free glutamates occur in much higher concentration in bone broth, which can aggravate certain brain function issues, such as those prone to seizures, tics, ADD, or on the autism spectrum. I have also learned that many people with autoimmune problems react poorly to bone broth, possibly for the same reason.

People with gut issues/sensitivities (most of the population I would guess based on modern day diets) also often have brain function issues. Many may not even be aware of underlying issues because conventional medicine tends to focus on the symptoms rather than the root cause. GAPS focuses on the connection between the gut and brain. What affects one affects the other. When one is healed the other often experiences healing too. Read this for more detailed information on GAPS and how healing the gut has often led to healing of many psychological concerns (ADD, ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Depression, Schizophrenia). 

Mutual Benefits

One of the biggest “super foods” for healing gut issues is gelatin. This is found in the knuckle and joint bones. Having lots of those types of bones will yield a slightly thicker stock/broth and looks like jelly when it’s cold. I’ve only achieved this a few times and it’s always cause for celebration!!! I have just gotten to the point where I can eat some of the left-over cartilage from the joints and amazingly enough, I notice a direct difference in my skin! 

As previously discussed, it’s very healing for gut issues. Specifically, in protecting/healing the mucosal lining of the digestive tract. The mucosal lining is important because it keeps things your body is trying to detox from leaking through and entering the blood stream and/or other parts of the body. 

Cooking with marrow bones will break down the marrow and allow it to “fall into” the broth. This helps build immunity and can increase the rate of repair.  I try as hard as I can to scoop out any marrow and eat it right off the spoon! 

It can also aid in regenerating cells, digestion, nutrient absorption. It also boosts development and repair of joints, ligaments, tendons, bones, hair, and skin. So basically, it’s good for every aspect of the body and should be included in all our diets!!! 

How I Make It

It’s simple once you’ve made it a few times. If using frozen meat/soup bones, I thaw them out first. If using frozen knuckle/rib bones, I throw them right in the pot. 

1. Put bones in pot and add enough water to cover the bones with 2-3 additional inches. 

2. Add 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes (helps minerals leach out of the bones).

3. Bring to a boil. Skim off any “scum” that floats on the top of the water. The scum will impart a sour taste if left in. 

3. Add coarsely chopped vegetables (celery, onion, carrots). 

4. Add 1-2 teaspoons of Celtic salt and/or pepper to taste.

5. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for desired amount of time. 

6. Add fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, bay leaves) the last hour of cooking. This makes all the difference in the world! 

Once done, cool slightly, strain, and store in glass jars. Hopefully, there will be a nice fat cap to seal in the stock/broth until ready to use (still need to put a lid on the jar). If there is a nice fat cap, it can be stored in the fridge for a few months. Once the fat cap is broken and it’s exposed to air it should be used within 5-7 days. If using after fat cap is broken, simply bring to a boil, discard any scum, and use! 

Aside from drinking it hot as you would tea, we love using this as a base for soups and stews, and to cook rice and quinoa in.

Tips

Any kind of pot can be used: stainless steel, dutch oven, crock pot. We use a large 16 qt. stainless-steel pot.

Make large batches if using it to heal the body (drinking throughout the day). Our stainless-steel pot is great because it makes approximately 2.5 gallons of broth.

Fresh herbs should be wrapped in cheese cloth or an herb basket for easy removal, they do not soften enough to eat.

Try to find a good, reliable source for your bones. Yes, you can find them at local grocery stores, but they will not have the same nutritional profile as those from grass-fed/organic sources. Get to know your local farmers and/or look at farmer’s markets for better options. 

If you want to add fresh garlic bulbs (lots of health benefits) DO NOT add until the last 30 minutes of cook time! It doesn’t take long for the flavor to become strong and take over. 

Bon Appetit!