“Anti-Aging” Secret Weapon from Dr. Jonny Bowden: Bone-Strengthening Beef Stock (Book "150 Healthiest Slow Cooker Recipes on Earth”)

People often comment on how good my skin looks and ask me how I do it. The obvious answer is that I eat really well and nourish my skin from within. But I have another trick that many people don’t know about. My secret weapon—revealed here for the first time, ladies and gentleman!—is a powdered drink mix called “Anti-Aging,” which was developed by my colleague, the brilliant naturopathic physician Sally Byrd, N.D. And why, you ask, am I telling you this in the middle of an introduction to a recipe for the beef stock? Because the main

ingredient in that drink—in fact, the only active ingredient—is collagen, the exact same ingredient found in this beef stock.

Collagen is the major element of skin, as well as bones (hence the eponymous “bone-strengthening”), tendons, and cartilage. In fact, collagen fibers are a big part of the reason your skin stays strong and elastic. When collagen degrades, the result is wrinkles. In this recipe, use the cleanest beef possible for the highest nutritional content—and that means grass-fed whenever possible. Fun fact: The word collagen means “glue producer”
(kola means “glue” in Greek). In early times, glue was made by boiling.

Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 high-quality marrow-filled beef bones
• (about 3 pounds [1,362 g]), preferably not
• completely stripped of meat
• 3 carrots, unpeeled and quartered (with greens
• attached, if possible)
• 3 ribs celery with leaves, quartered
• 6 large shallots, unpeeled and halved
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons (23 ml) balsamic vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled and crushed
• 3 stalks fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 3 stalks fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 3⁄4 teaspoon black peppercorns

Instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a 4.5-quart VitaClay cooker.
2. Cover with water nearly to the top of the cooker insert (leave about 1⁄2 to 1 inch [2 cm] to prevent overflow). Cover and cook on “SOUP” for 2-12 hours.
3. Once it is simmering, occasionally skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Let the mixture cool slightly and line a double-mesh sieve with two layers of moistened cheesecloth. Remove the bones and carefully pour the stock through the lined sieve into one or two large storage containers to strain out and discard the solids.
4. Optional step: Return the strained stock to the slow cooker and cook, uncovered, on high for 30 minutes to 1 hour to concentrate flavors. Cover and refrigerate the stock until completely chilled (overnight works well). Carefully remove any congealed fat from the surface of the stock and discard.
5. Store stock in the refrigerator or freeze it in pint-size containers for later use.

Yield: 21⁄2 to 31⁄2 quarts (2.4 to 3.3 L) Per Serving: Calories 230.3; Calories From Fat 127.4; Total Fat 13.8 g;
Cholesterol 56.6 mg; Sodium 265.3 mg; Potassium 400.9 mg; Total Carbohydrates 9.2 g; Fiber 1.9 g; Sugar 2.7 g; Protein 16.9 g

From Chef Jeannette

For a richer flavor and color to your stock, roast the raw bones on a broiler pan at 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6) for 30 to 40 minutes until lightly browned before adding to the stock.