Abuelita’s Caldo: A Mexican Home Classic is Now the Latest Health Trend

By Isabel Byfield

Your abuelitas caldo is the new healthy trend that everyone is talking about. Bone broth o caldo de hueso, one of the staples in Latin kitchen, is now being recognized for its healing properties. Bone broth is rich in collagen and can aid in the cure of multiple diseases such as leaky gut and irritable bowel syndrome, among many others.

As a child, I remember eating at my grandma’s house every weekend. I couldn’t leave the table before I finished my sopa, and it was insulting to do so. Whenever sick, caldo de pollo was the best medicine; and to this day, I still rely on it as a powerful healing home remedy.

Bone broth is now being sold at health food stores, fine dining restaurants and farmer’s markets. Recipes abound all over the Internet and you can make bone broth from bone marrow, chicken, or even fish. It’s a great base for soups or demi glacé sauces, but it also can be sipped on its own to benefit from its healing power.

Beef Marrow Bones as sold at Whole Foods / Photo Credit: Isabel Byfield

Basic Bone Broth:

1 lb of bone marrow
1 lb rib bones
Water (enough to cover bones)
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a croc pot and simmer for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours.
Remove the bones from the pot and use a colander to remove debris.
Store the broth in glass containers (think Mason Jars) and put in the fridge.

Once cooled down, the broth will have a gelatinous consistency. You can remove the fat layer of the top, but it’s not necessary. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for later use.