Meat Stock vs Bone Broth on the GAPS Diet

So, what’s the difference?

The biggest is that meat stock cooks for a much shorter amount of time (2-6hrs) than bone broth (24hrs).

Meat stock is a foundational & delicious part of the GAPS Diet, and helps to heal and seal the gut.

In the initial stages of the GAPS Diet, meat stock is preferred over bone broth to promote gut healing. Meat stock contains abundant gelatin and essential amino acids like proline and glycine, which are beneficial for strengthening connective tissues in the gut, respiratory tract, and blood/brain barrier. This nutrient-rich stock is derived from cooking meaty bones from fish, poultry, beef, or lamb for several hours.

Bone broth, cooked for a longer duration without the meat, serves as an excellent source of minerals and the same amino acids found in meat stock, but with higher concentrations (except for histidine). Bone broth may pose a concern for certain individuals with leaky membranes in the gut and brain due to the high concentration of glutamic acid, which can exacerbate brain inflammation and ammonia accumulation in cases of impaired liver function.

Gelatin, a key component of meat stock, aids in proper protein digestion and optimal growth in infants and children. It improves collagen integrity, leading to better skin appearance and reduced inflammation in the digestive tract and joints. When grains and legumes are reintroduced after gut healing on the GAPS Diet, using meat stock or bone broth for cooking enhances their digestibility.

Meat stock is the primary choice during the GAPS Diet’s initial stages to support gut healing, & bone broth is recommended once gut healing has occurred. Both have their unique benefits, but individuals with specific health conditions should exercise caution with glutamate intake.

Stock Recipe Kit to Get You Started:

Supplies:

• 12 QT dutch oven or stainless steel stock pot

Meat & Cook Times

6 lbs of any meat will make about a gallon of stock. If you’re histamine sensitive, freeze stock as you make it to keep it fresh!

Chicken, Goose, Duck or Turkey: whole bird + giblets, necks, backs, wings, drumsticks or a combo

Beef & bison: combo of a few- shanks, oxtail, bone-in chuck roast , cross bone-in rib roast , knuckle bones, marrow bones, short ribs, osso buco, hooves, joint bones

Lamb: combo of a few - shanks, riblets, feet, rib rack, bone-in shoulder

Pork: combo of a few - bone-in shoulder roast, loin, ribs, neck bones, fresh ham hocks, trotters, feet

Game: whole rabbit, haunches, rib rack, flank steak, osso buco

Fish: combo of whole fish, heads & fins

Veggies (optional)

• 2 onions or leeks (or combo), chopped

• 4-5 carrots, chopped

• 1-2 garlic heads (I like to squeeze them out & blend them in w/ the “nibbly bits”)

• a few stocks of celery — note: discard and don’t eat until stage 5

• all GAPS non-starchy & nonfibrous veggies like zucchini, mushrooms & radishes like daikon

Herbs & Spices

A few teaspoons of black peppercorns (I like to put mine in a tea strainer), + a few tsps good quality sea salt

Hearty herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary & oregano can be tied into a “bouquet garnet" and added at the beginning of cooking

Fresh ginger, turmeric & lemongrass are wonderful to add in along with veggies

Fresh herbs like a bunch of parsley, cilantro, or dill are best added during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

To Prepare:

• Coarsely chop veggies and add to a 12 qt dutch oven or stainless steel stockpot along with bouquet garnit, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns.

• Add a combination of meaty bones of choice

• Fill pot with filtered water until meat/bones and veggies are covered with ~2" of water.

• Bring to a boil

• Remove foam (impurities in the stock) with a stainless steel slotted spoon or mesh strainer

• Cover & reduce to a simmer for:

  1. Chicken/Goose/Duck:

     1. stove or oven (300°F): 1.5-3 hrs

     2. slow cooker: 1 hour on high, 6 hours on low

  2. Turkey:

     1. stove or oven (300°F): 2.5-3 hrs

     2. slow cooker: 1 hour on high, 8 hours on low

  3. Beef, Bison, Lamb, Pork & Game:

     1. stove or oven (300°F): 3-6 hrs

     2. slow cooker: 2 hours on high, 8 hours on low (6 low for lamb)

  4. Fish:

     1. stove or oven (300°F): 1-1.5 hrs

     2. slow cooker: 1 hours on high, 1 hour on low

     3. If fish stock gives you the ick like it did for me initially — I can’t recommend adding in spices & herbs like fresh ginger, turmeric & lemongrass to help brighten the taste and mask the fishy flavor

        1. using milder fish like bass, cod & trout is a good move to start

• Let cool, then remove “nibbly bits” (tendons, fat) and use a hand blender or blender to combine with the stock.

• Save meat & veggies to eat in soups and stews, enjoy in a mug with an egg yolk (stage 2+), salt, kvass or kraut juice, kraut or fermented veggies (extended stage 2 +) & greens.

• Enjoy!