Bone broth is rich in nutrients, like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chondroitin sulfates, and glucosamine, according to an article published by The Weston A. Price Foundation. Fortunately, drinking this gelatinous liquid during a fast won’t break your fast, reassures Andy De Santis, RD, author of the 21-Day Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss Plan.

If you plan to incorporate bone broth into your fasting plan, consider DIYing, says Ryan Harvey, author of The Bare Bones Broth Cookbook. Read on for his tips on how to prepare your own, along with a few recipes. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Gather the right ingredients

To yield a high amount of gelatin (cooked collagen) in your bone broth, make sure that at least half of the bones you use contain cartilage or connective tissue, says Harvey. For beef, he advises opting for knuckles, feet, or oxtail. Although the femur is the most readily available type of bone, it often doesn’t contain much cartilage and, as a result, produces a fatty, low-gelatin broth. For flavor, Harvey favors a basic mirepoix of 50% onion, 25% carrot, and 25% celery, plus several fresh garlic cloves, thyme, black pepper, and bay leaf.

Roast, simmer, strain, and cool

To build flavor, begin by roasting the bones and vegetables. Spread on sheet pans, and cook at 350-375 degrees F until golden brown.

Next, place the bones in a stockpot or crockpot, and add only enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. For the next hour, skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Once it seems as if you’ve skimmed off all of the fat, add the vegetables, herbs, and spices, plus just enough extra water to cover them. You can also add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to help pull nutrients from the bones, Harvey says.

Continue cooking at a gentle simmer, skimming off any extra fat as needed. As the liquid evaporates, keep adding just enough water to cover the bones. Simmer for 10-20 hours for beef and eight hours for chicken. (If you plan on a 20-hour-or-so simmer for beef, wait to add the vegetables, herbs, and spices until only about six hours of cooking time remain.) Strain and cool.

Chicken Bone Broth

Yield: 4 quarts

This is how we make chicken bone broth at home. If you’d like, you can switch out the herbs and vegetables for others you prefer. For example, you could add leeks, celery, or a different type of onion. Roast the vegetables first for added depth of flavor and color. Be sure to keep the ingredients covered by adding water just to cover through- out the simmering process. The pot can be left overnight to simmer on your stove; however, be sure there is enough liquid in the pot before you go to bed, and keep the flame low. Too much evaporation will result in a burnt batch.

Ingredients

2 whole chickens

1 pound chicken feet

¼ cup apple cider, white, or white wine vinegar

6 to 8 quarts cold water, or as needed to cover ingredients

4 cups of ice cubes

3 carrots, peeled and halved 4 onions, peeled and halved 3 sprigs fresh thyme

3 sprigs fresh rosemary 3 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Remove the wings, thighs, drumsticks, and breasts from the chickens.
3. Place the carcasses, wings, necks, and innards that came inside the chicken on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Roast until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. For a lighter flavor, skip this step. If you’re planning to drink the broth by itself, or with herbs or seasonings, this step adds a nice depth of flavor, umami, and richness our tongues can’t get enough of.
4. Place the bones, feet, and vinegar in a stockpot or slow cooker, at least 10 quarts in size, and cover with the cold water. If using a stockpot, bring the water to a boil over high heat. If using a slow cooker, turn the temperature to high. Once simmering, reduce heat to low, cook for 30 minutes, skimming and discarding the scum that rises to the top. Add the ice and skim off any fat that congeals on the top along with any other scum or impurities. Simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 hours, adding more water as necessary just to keep the bones covered.
5. Add the carrots, onions, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves and simmer for another 5 hours. Continue to skim off any impurities; add water as necessary to keep the ingredients covered.
6. Gently strain or ladle the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a container. Fill your sink with ice water. Place the container of broth in the ice bath to cool for about 1 hour. Use the broth right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 year.
7. Remove any fat that has solidified on the top before using. You may discard this fat or use it as you would any other cooking fat (see page 36 for details).

From the book THE BARE BONES BROTH COOKBOOK by Katherine and Ryan Harvey. Copyright © 2016 by Bare Bones, LLC. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.

Beef Bone Broth

Yield: 3 quarts

Beef broth is the base of so many unique dishes around the world, including our personal favorite, pho. Nothing beats a good bowl of pho on a cold and rainy afternoon.

The depth and umami in a good beef broth comes from browning the bones and meat. This process of browning is known as the Maillard reaction. Simply put, this is a chemical reaction where simple sugars and amino acids are rearranged. Heat can speed up this reaction; however, at 355˚F a new reaction occurs pyrolysis, more commonly known as burning. Adequate water will prevent this reaction since the temperature of the bones will not climb above the boiling point of water.

Ingredients

2 pounds beef knuckle bones

2 pounds beef femur bones

2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs

1 oxtail, pig’s foot, or several chicken feet

1 pound carrots, chopped

2 onions, peeled and chopped

1 leek, white and pale green parts, chopped

6-8 quarts water, or as needed to cover

ingredients

2 tablespoons apple cider, white, or white wine vinegar

6 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
2. On a baking sheet or two, spread out the knucklebones, femurs bones, short ribs, and oxtail in an even layer and roast in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.
3. On a separate baking sheet, spread out all the vegetables in an even layer and roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
4. When the bones are roasted, transfer them to a stockpot or slow cooker, cover with the water, and add the vinegar if desired. If using a stockpot, place the pot on the stovetop over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. If using a slow cooker, set the temperature to high; reduce heat to low after broth starts to boil.
5. Skim off the fat and scum that rises to the surface and, if you wish to save the fat for future use as a cooking fat, pass it through a strainer into a storage container. Continue the skimming process for a few hours as the fat and scum rise to the surface.
6. Continue simmering for up to 24 hours, skimming as necessary. Add the vegetables and herbs to the stockpot or slow cooker when you have about 5 hours left on your intended cook time.
7. Gently strain or ladle the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a container. Fill your sink with ice water. Place the container of broth in the ice bath to cool for about 1 hour. Use the broth right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 year

From the book THE BARE BONES BROTH COOKBOOK by Katherine and Ryan Harvey. Copyright © 2016 by Bare Bones, LLC. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.