Want to know the difference between good soup and great soup? Homemade broth or stock. It’s the rock-solid foundation on which fantastic soups are built. Musically, it’s like laying down a great rhythm track around which you’re going to riff a soaring song. All the basic flavor notes are there in the pot, along with a powerhouse nutritional backbeat; together, they combine to create a heady brew.
People tend to think that commercially made products are the same as homemade broths and stocks. In an emergency, perhaps, but once you’ve made your own, you’ll never go store-bought again. The idea of controlling everything that goes into the pot is empowering, especially if revitalization is your goal. Then there is the exponential increase in flavor. The intoxicating taste of home-created broth, brought to fruition, will convince you that time invested in the kitchen makes for culinary adventures you will treasure and yearn to recreate.
These broth and stock recipes are incredibly versatile. They’re designed to be interchangeable; your personal favorites, be they meat- or vegetable-based, will work with many of the soups in the book. They’re also designed to be mini meals unto themselves. I know it’s trendy now for certain restaurants to dispense bone and veggie broths out of walk-up windows, but honestly, I’ve been sipping broth for years (and I have the thermos to prove it). There’s something immensely satisfying and satiating about imbibing a warming broth, knowing all the while that you’re infusing vital nutrients into every cell in your body. Bone broths are phenomenal sources of amino acids such as glycine and proline, which are great for bone health, while other nutrients aid in digestion and healing the gut. Vegetable broths are mineral powerhouses, delivering such goodies as magnesium, potassium, calcium, and manganese—which is like taking your cells to a day at the spa!
broth and stock pairings
While you can use many of the recipes in this chapter for the soups in this book, this table presents the pairings I like best. As you become familiar with the recipes, you’ll notice how each broth or stock punctuates a soup with different flavors.
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soup pairings |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth chicken magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth chicken magic mineral broth nourishing bone broth pastured beef bone broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth immune broth |
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magic mineral broth chicken magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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thai coconut broth |
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thai coconut broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth chicken magic mineral broth old-fashioned chicken stock |
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magic mineral broth |
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chicken magic mineral broth old-fashioned chicken stock |
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chicken magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth chicken magic mineral broth old-fashioned chicken stock |
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magic mineral broth nourishing bone broth pastured beef bone broth |
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old-fashioned chicken stock |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth thai coconut broth |
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chicken magic mineral broth old-fashioned chicken stock |
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magic mineral broth old-fashioned chicken stock nourishing bone broth pastured beef bone broth |
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magic mineral broth chicken magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth old-fashioned chicken stock |
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thai coconut broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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thai coconut broth |
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magic mineral broth nourishing bone broth pastured beef bone broth |
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magic mineral broth chicken magic mineral broth old-fashioned chicken stock |
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magic mineral broth |
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old-fashioned chicken stock |
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magic mineral broth nourishing bone broth pastured beef bone broth |
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nourishing bone broth pastured beef bone broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth |
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magic mineral broth old-fashioned chicken stock |
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making broth work for you
I mentioned versatility. The following diagram is an example of one broth making four. You can take a full pot of Magic Mineral Broth. Freeze some. Take a couple of quarts and some roasted beef bones, put them in a slow cooker, and you have Pastured Beef Bone Broth. Take some more Magic Mineral Broth, infuse it with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, and coconut milk, and you have Thai Coconut Broth. Add chicken bones to Magic Mineral Broth, simmer, and the result is delicious Chicken Magic Mineral Broth. If you want to swap one of these out for a super immune-boosting fix, infuse the Magic Mineral Broth with shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and burdock root and you have my Immune Broth.
cook’s note: Simmer the Immune Broth, covered, for 2 hours; simmer the Thai Coconut Broth, covered, for 50 minutes; and simmer the Chicken Magic Mineral Broth and Pastured Beef Bone Broth, covered, for 4 hours.
magic mineral broth
makes about 6 quarts | prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: 2 to 3 hours
This is my signature savory broth. Its creation was that wonderful moment when everything came together in the kitchen to create something truly healing. (I must have been channeling someone’s grandmother!) Literally thousands of people have spoken with me about the positive impact this broth has had on their lives. You’ll be amazed at how revitalizing it is. With carrots, onions, leek, celery, potatoes, and more, it’s a veritable veggie-palooza and can be used as a base for nearly all the soups in this book. In a bowl or sipped as a tea, it’s the perfect cleansing broth.
6 unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds
2 unpeeled yellow onions, quartered
1 leek, white and green parts, cut into thirds
1 bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
4 unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
2 unpeeled Japanese or regular sweet potatoes, quartered
1 unpeeled garnet yam (sweet potato), quartered
5 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (8-inch) strip kombu
12 black peppercorns
4 whole allspice or juniper berries
2 bay leaves
8 quarts cold, filtered water, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more if needed
Rinse all of the vegetables well, including the kombu.
In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine the carrots, onions, leek, celery, red potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, garlic, parsley, kombu, peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves. Add the water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for at least 2 hours, or until the full richness of the vegetables can be tasted. As the broth simmers, some of the water will evaporate; add more if the vegetables begin to peek out.
Strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh sieve (use a heat-resistant container underneath), and discard the solids. Stir in the salt, adding more if desired. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
thai coconut broth
makes about 3 quarts | prep time: 15 minutes | cook time: 50 minutes
Am I allowed to say I love this broth? This is like taking your taste buds on a trip to Thailand—infusing Magic Mineral Broth or, if you prefer, chicken broth with lemongrass, ginger, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, and coconut milk. There are nutrients galore, notably in the coconut milk, which contains good fats and the same immune-boosting, antiviral lauric acid that’s found in breast milk. The taste is both bright and remarkably comforting.
8 cups Magic Mineral Broth or Chicken Magic Mineral Broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans coconut milk
3 (1-inch) pieces fresh ginger
2 shallots, peeled and halved
3 kaffir lime leaves, or 1 teaspoon lime zest
1 stalk lemongrass, cut in chunks and bruised
¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more if needed
In a 6-quart pot, combine the broth, coconut milk, ginger, shallots, lime leaves, lemongrass, and ¼ teaspoon salt and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Cook for about 20 minutes. Decrease the heat to low and let the broth simmer for another 30 minutes. Remove the ginger, shallots, lime leaves, and lemongrass with a slotted spoon. Taste and add more salt if desired.
Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
chicken magic mineral broth
makes about 6 quarts | prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: 2 to 4 hours
From a taste and nutrition perspective, adding chicken bones to Magic Mineral Broth really kicks everything into overdrive. A hit of freshly squeezed lemon juice (or white or apple cider vinegar) is added to encourage the bones to give up their essential calcium and phosphorus. If you’re worried about your bones—and who isn’t?—this is a fantastic broth. If there’s a little meat on the bones, so much the better: chicken is a great source of protein and niacin, which produces something most of us want—energy. As for the flavor, let’s just say you’re in for a palate full of pleasure.
6 unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds
2 unpeeled yellow onions, quartered
2 leeks, white and green parts, cut into thirds
1 bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
4 unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
2 unpeeled Japanese or regular sweet potatoes, quartered
1 unpeeled garnet yam (sweet potato), quartered
8 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (8-inch) strip kombu
12 black peppercorns
4 whole allspice or juniper berries
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or white or apple cider vinegar
1 organic chicken carcass, or 2 pounds chicken bones
8 quarts cold, filtered water, plus more if needed
Sea salt
Rinse all of the vegetables well, including the kombu.
In a 12- to 16-quart stockpot, combine the carrots, onions, leeks, celery, red potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, garlic, parsley, kombu, peppercorns, allspice, bay leaves, lemon juice, and chicken carcass. Add the water, filling the pot to 2 inches below the rim. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid, decrease the heat to low, and skim off the scum that has risen to the top. Simmer, partially covered, for at least 2 hours. As the broth simmers, some of the water will evaporate; add more if the vegetables begin to peek out. Simmer until the bones begin to soften and fall apart, about 4 hours, or as long as you’re willing to let it simmer away.
Strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh sieve, then stir in salt to taste. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. Skim off as much fat as you can from the top of the broth (see Cook’s Note), then portion into airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
cook’s note: Here’s a trick from Ma’s kitchen: once you’ve skimmed the fat from the surface of the broth, you can remove even more by dabbing the surface of the broth with paper towels to sop it up.
old-fashioned chicken stock
makes about 6 quarts | prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: 3 hours
Some things you learn at your father’s knee. But chicken stock? I learned that at my mother’s elbow, watching from my perch on the yellow Formica kitchen countertop as she reenacted her Nana’s chicken stock note by note. Onions, carrots, celery, chicken… it’s down-home, old-time comfort in a pot. I can’t think of a better way to get vital nutrients, with a flavor that will leave you longing for more.
6 pounds organic chicken backs, necks, bones, and wings
2 unpeeled white onions, quartered
4 unpeeled large carrots, cut into thirds
2 stalks celery, cut in thirds
6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
1 large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
8 black peppercorns
8 quarts cold, filtered water, plus more if needed
Sea salt
Rinse all of the vegetables well.
In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine the chicken, onions, carrots, celery, thyme, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Add the water, cover, and cook over medium-high heat until the water comes to a boil. Decrease the heat so the bubbles just break the surface of the liquid. Skim off the scum and fat that have risen to the surface. Simmer, partially covered, for about 3 hours. Add more water if the vegetables begin to peek out.
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve or colander lined with unbleached cheesecloth into a clean pot or heat-resistant bowl, then stir salt in to taste. Bring to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Skim off as much fat as you can from the top of the broth, then portion into airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
cook’s note: The stock will cool faster in smaller containers. Make sure it’s refrigerated within 4 hours of cooking.
immune broth
makes about 4 quarts | prep time: 15 minutes | cook time: 90 minutes
Whether you’re under the weather or just looking for an immunity boost, this is a great go-to broth. Here I introduce you to burdock root. It’s loaded with potassium, iron, magnesium, and ever-important zinc. In the olden days, physicians used burdock root as a blood purifier, and clearly science has shown they were onto something. Here I combine burdock with shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and garlic to create a delicious earthy broth that’s full of antiviral, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory goodness.
1 fennel bulb plus stalks, cut into chunks
1 unpeeled yellow onion, quartered
3 unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds
½ bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
1 sweet potato, cut into chunks
½ large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 (3-inch) piece burdock root, quartered crosswise
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 large unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
1 (8-inch) strip kombu
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
4 quarts cold, filtered water, plus more if needed
2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more if needed
Rinse all of the vegetables well, including the kombu.
In a 6-quart or larger stockpot, combine the fennel, onion, carrots, celery, sweet potato, parsley, shiitakes, burdock root, thyme, garlic, ginger, kombu, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Add the water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for at least 90 minutes, or until the full richness of the vegetables can be tasted. As the broth simmers, some of the water will evaporate; add more if the vegetables begin to peek out.
Strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh sieve (use a heat-resistant container underneath). Stir in the salt, adding more to taste if desired. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
variation: For an immunity and anti-inflammatory boost, add 3 (1-inch) slices of fresh turmeric root or 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
nourishing bone broth
makes about 6 quarts | prep time: 25 minutes | cook time: 8 to 16 hours
Put this one in the time machine. Bone broths are trendy these days, but in fact they’ve been around since the ancient Greeks. It turns out the gelatin that seeps from the bones as they simmer is great for gut health and digestion. Beef bones also contain high amounts of calcium and magnesium, which are great for your bones. One note: invest in pasture-raised, organic bones if at all possible, to ensure you’re getting the highest-quality ingredients possible, free of hormones and antibiotics.
3 pounds marrow bones from grass-fed organic beef or chicken bones
3 unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds
2 unpeeled yellow onions, quartered
1 bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
5 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
12 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
8 quarts cold, filtered water, plus more if needed
Sea salt
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the bones on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and roast until browned, 20 to 30 minutes.
Rinse all of the vegetables well. In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine the bones, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and vinegar. Pour in the water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid, decrease the heat to low, and skim off the scum that has risen to the top. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 8 to 16 hours (or use my slow cooker shortcut). As the broth simmers, some of the water will evaporate; add more if the vegetables begin to peek out.
Remove and discard the bones, then strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh sieve; stir in the salt to taste. Let cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate overnight in an airtight container. Skim off as much fat as you can from the top of the broth, then portion into airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
pastured beef bone broth
makes about 6 quarts | prep time: 25 minutes | cook time: 8 to 24 hours
If broth could be compared to wine, I’d describe this beef bone broth as the equivalent of a big Cabernet. Yes, it has that much heartiness. Go for grass-fed beef here since it has the best nutritional and taste profile, and then surround dem bones with all sorts of vegetables and herbs. Parsley, allspice, bay leaves, and garlic create a heady smell and rich flavor that can be enjoyed again and again. In fact, many people use bone broth as a tea, sipping it as a bracing, warm tonic throughout the day.
3 pounds marrow bones from grass-fed organic beef
6 unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds
2 unpeeled yellow onions, quartered
1 leek, white and green parts, cut into thirds
1 bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
5 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
2 unpeeled Japanese or regular sweet potatoes, quartered
1 unpeeled garnet yam (sweet potato), quartered
1 (8-inch) strip of kombu
2 bay leaves
12 black peppercorns
4 whole allspice or juniper berries
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
8 quarts cold, filtered water, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon sea salt
Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Place the bones on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and roast until well browned, about 30 minutes.
Rinse all of the vegetables well, including the kombu. In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine the bones, carrots, onions, leek, celery, garlic, parsley, red potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, kombu, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice berries, and vinegar. Pour in the water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid, decrease the heat to low, and skim off the scum that has risen to the top. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 8 to 24 hours. As the broth simmers, some of the water will evaporate; add more if the vegetables begin to peek out.
Remove and discard the bones, then strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh sieve. Stir in the salt. Let cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate overnight in an airtight container. Skim off as much fat as you can from the top of the broth, then portion into airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
cook’s note: To make a shortcut version, roast the bones as directed and place in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover with about 8 cups of Magic Mineral Broth and add the vinegar. Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 8 to 12 hours, allowing the broth to simmer quietly. Strain the broth, cool, pour into an airtight container, and refrigerate overnight. Skim off the fat and add 2 more quarts of Magical Mineral Broth.
