​The Canine Nutrition Coach’s Secret Bone Broth Recipe

Bone broth is my secret weapon. So secret, that I am about to spill all the beans - oops! 

If you’ve already listened to the Breeders Brew Podcast, Episode 2 you’ll know why! If you haven’t yet listened, you should, to find out all the amazing benefits of bone broth particularly for new mums. (Click "Read More" to continue)

My Canine Nutrition Coach Secret Bone Broth gives new mums the most fantastic nutritional boost. It's the perfect rehydrating broth, to soothe post-whelp tummies, all whilst encouraging a good appetite and aiding milk production. Told you, it's a weapon! 

SOURCING INGREDIENTS:

Although convenience is king, taking some time to source the most ideal ingredients will go a long way in the benefits and boosting the nutrients in this Secret Bone Broth. 

Organic vegetables really are worth the increased cost. They are not soaked in pesticides, antifungals and synthetic fertilisers. They have significantly greater levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and antioxidants than their non-organic versions. While being higher in these nutrients, they are also significantly lower in nitrates and pesticide residues - which we absolutely do not want to be passing through mum’s milk to her newborn babies. 

It’s worth stating the obvious here, meat is no different. High welfare meat, that’s been free range and organically reared is drastically better for you, and your dog. 

But cost and convenience should never be a barrier to you improving your dog’s diet. So non-organic is better than not-at-all! 

And don’t worry if you’re no Jamie Oliver, you’ll be fine. I’ve managed just fine with some of the worst puppy-brain hazes. 

SHOPPING LIST:

• Slow cooker or boiling pot with a lid.
• Raw bones with lots of cartilage (e.g. chicken feet are awesome, marrow bones, or any other roasting bones you can find). I like to do a lovely organic roast chicken on a Sunday, strip all the meat for us, then use the carcass for this bone broth recipe. Don’t let the bone type bamboozle you - done is better than perfect, remember!
• Organic Garlic 
• Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother
• CNC Natural Fenugreek
• CNC Natural Slippery Elm Bark 
• CNC Organic Wheatgerm Oil
• Optional extras that you already have in the fridge - green vegetables (kale, green beans, broccoli) and medicinal mushrooms (Reishi, Chaga, Shiitake, Maitake, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail)

NB: Please never be tempted to use parsley! This can reduce a dam’s milk supply.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Prepare the Cauldron! 

Add your raw bones into the cauldron, you’re about to create the secret saaauce. Fill the size of the pot you are using to about ⅔ full - sorry I can’t give you a grams or ounces amount. 

If you're using leftover bones from meals, wash off any sauce before you add them, we don’t want any nasties going into our Secret Bone Broth. 

Step 2: Add Water and Vinegar

Cover the bones with boiling water, ensuring they are submerged by at least an inch.

Add 3-4 tablespoons of the apple cider vinegar to the pot - this step cannot be skipped! It extracts the minerals from the bones and creates a gelatinous broth.

Step 3: Cook the Broth

Set your slow cooker to low heat. Or if your using a pot place the lid on and put it onto the hob on a low setting, or into the oven at a low temperature (around 120°C).

Now, cooking time will vary hugely based on your bones of choice, size of pot and cooking method. I recommend you obviously don’t leave the house whilst this is on, so you can check it every couple of hours - which when you’ve got new puppies around, is no problem anyway! 

Set a timer, leave the broth cooking for 6 hours, check it. If it’s dry, add in water, again to submerge the bones fully, it needs longer to really cook and release all the nutrients. If it's still juicy, great! 

Step 4: Wait and Watch

Put the lid back on, it should be ready within in a maximum of another 6 hours*. Check on it regularly throughout these next few hours, as you don’t want it to boil dry! 

Once the liquid has about halved, you’re done. 

(*If you are using this for a new-mum, as a rehydration, milk boosting goody, this will only take another 6 hours. We want this to be a liquid broth, rather than a gelatinous jelly.)

Step 5: Strain the Broth

Once the broth has about halved, it is cooked. Strain out the bones using a colander or sieve - and be careful, it will be HOT. 
Discard the bones in the bin. NEVER EVER FEED THESE TO YOUR DOG. EVER.

Step 6: Add in the extras

I recommend you pour the freshly-strained broth into a large measuring jug. If you have less than 500ml of fluid, add in boiling water to bring it to this amount. 

Next add into your Secret Bone Broth:

20ml of Organic Wheatgerm Oil
10 capsules of CNC Slippery Elm Bark (pull capsules apart and add the contents)
10 capsules of CNC Natural Fenugreek (pull capsules apart and add the contents)
4 cloves of crushed Organic Garlic
Any additional vegetables

Stir this very well.

Step 7: Cool 

Allow the broth to cool on the worktop. If it’s summertime and you have some fly friends in the kitchen, please cover the broth with a sensible lid, such as the original pan lid or tin foil. It’s usual for this to take several hours to cool.
 
Once cooled, place the broth into the refrigerator. 

Step 8: Feeding 

Depending on how far you cooked the Secret Bone Broth, it may or may not form a fat layer on the surface. It may also become jelly-like or stay as a liquid. 

With this being a recipe for new mums, we want it to be a liquid. So if you’ve made a thick liquid or a jelly, that's fine - as the next step will make it perfect. 

To feed the Secret Bone Broth, portion out approx. 50ml (whatever it’s solid-liquid form), and add a further 50ml of boiling water, stir very well. If she is not drinking enough and taking on enough fluids, add more water into the this step to make it even more hydrating.

Add this Secret Bone Broth to every one of her meals in the initial stages. 

Step 8: Store the Broth

I find it easiest to portion out the broth into 50ml quantities to start with. I like to use an extra large ice cube tray and then freeze the blocks. But you’ll get through it so quickly it’ll probably last in the fridge long enough!

If you don’t feel up to making bone broth (I know the feeling with the ache of lingering puppy brain and no sleep), please be careful you do not buy a bone broth containing Parsley. Many brands include it as a herb in their recipe for its breath freshening properties, however it is also great at reducing milk production. This will achieve the opposite of what we set out to do! 

This is just a simple recipe I’ve worked with over the years. Of course I tweak this recipe depending on the reason for giving it to my dog in the first place. If it is to simply nurture a poorly tummy, or following surgery of course I would leave out the CNC Natural Fenugreek. Again if this was for an elderly dog that’s had bouts of pancreatitis, I would leave out the CNC Organic Wheatgerm Oil and I'd meticulously remove the solidified fats before feeding. 

If you would like a recipe designing for your specific dog, with exact quantities and ingredients, just book a Quick Bark Consultation - and I will walk you through it.