Yavelle Recipes · 6 min read
If any single recipe deserves to be called foundational, it is this one. Bone broth is worth drinking in its own right, warm and comforting to sip, and it quietly powers dozens of other dishes as a base. It is also the perfect showcase for deuterium-depleted water, because unlike a rich, fat-based recipe where the water is a bit-part, bone broth is water first and foremost. That makes the water you use the single biggest influence on its deuterium content.
Made well, with grass-fed bones and deuterium-depleted water, a batch of this broth is a genuinely low-deuterium thing to keep in your kitchen. And it could hardly be more economical, turning bones that might otherwise be thrown away into liquid gold.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes | Cook Time | 12 to 24 hours |
| Makes | About 2 to 3 litres | Net Carbs | Under 1g per cup |
Why This Is a Low Deuterium Recipe
Bone broth is simple, so the low-deuterium choices are simple too. They centre on the two ingredients that make up almost all of it: the water and the bones.
| Standard Ingredient | Low Deuterium Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tap water | Deuterium-depleted water (DDW) | Broth is mostly water, so this is the biggest single lever on its deuterium level |
| Conventional bones | Grass-fed, grass-finished bones | The animal is finished on forage rather than grain, and the bones make a clean, savoury broth |
| Stock cubes or shop-bought stock | Homemade broth | Avoids added sugar, starch thickeners and flavourings |
| Starchy vegetables (carrot, parsnip) | Low-carb aromatics only | Onion, garlic, celery and herbs add flavour without the sugars of starchy root vegetables |
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 kg grass-fed beef bones (a mix of marrow and knuckle or joint bones), or 2 pasture-raised chicken carcasses plus feet
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 onion, halved (skin on is fine)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- Sea salt, to taste (add at the end)
- Deuterium-depleted water, enough to cover the bones (about 3 to 4 litres)
Instructions
- Roast for depth (optional). For a richer, darker beef broth, roast the bones at 220°C (425°F) for 30 minutes first. You can skip this for a lighter broth or for chicken.
- Add the vinegar. Place the bones in a large stockpot or slow cooker. Add the apple cider vinegar and enough deuterium-depleted water to cover the bones by a few centimetres. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes before heating.
- Bring up slowly. Heat gently to a bare simmer. As it warms, skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface in the first hour, for a cleaner broth.
- Add the aromatics. Once skimmed, add the onion, garlic, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns.
- Simmer low and slow. Keep at the gentlest possible simmer, never a rolling boil, and cook for 12 to 24 hours for beef, or 8 to 12 hours for chicken. Top up with more deuterium-depleted water if the level drops below the bones.
- Strain. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean bowl or jars, discarding the bones and aromatics. Season with sea salt to taste.
- Cool and store. Cool quickly, then refrigerate or freeze. A good broth will set to a wobbly jelly when cold, which is the sign of a well-extracted batch. The layer of fat that forms on top helps seal and preserve it, and can be kept for cooking.
Why Bone Broth Is Worth the Time
Beyond its low deuterium credentials, bone broth is worth the hours for what the long, slow simmer does to it. Extended gentle cooking draws gelatin out of the bones and connective tissue, which is what gives a good broth its signature body and that characteristic set when it cools. The flavour is deeper and rounder than anything from a cube, and it is a traditional food that fits a modern low-deuterium, whole-food kitchen perfectly.
Why the Water Choice Matters So Much Here
It is worth dwelling on this, because it is the whole point of the recipe. In a fat-based dish, such as our coconut ice cream, there is little or no water, so the water you use barely registers. Bone broth is the opposite: it is water with flavour simmered into it. That means the deuterium level of the finished broth tracks closely with the deuterium level of the water you started with. Start with ordinary tap water and the broth follows it, no matter how good the bones are. Start with deuterium-depleted water and you get a genuinely low-deuterium one. Same recipe, very different result.
How to Use It
Sip a warm mugful with a little sea salt, especially in cooler months. Beyond that, this broth is the base for much of the rest of your cooking: use it in place of stock in soups and stews, to braise meat and greens, to loosen a pan sauce, or to cook cauliflower rice for extra flavour. Several recipes in the Yavelle series call for bone broth, and a batch of this is exactly what they mean.
Storage and Meal Prep
Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days, where it will set to a jelly, and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cool it quickly before refrigerating rather than leaving the pot out on the bench. Freezing in portions is the smart move: fill an ice-cube tray or small jars so you can defrost exactly what a recipe needs. Leave a little headroom in jars, as the broth expands as it freezes.
Nutrition Per Cup
| Nutrient | Amount (estimated) |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~45 kcal |
| Fat | 2g |
| Protein | 9g |
| Total Carbs | Under 1g |
| Net Carbs | Under 1g |
Nutrition is estimated and will vary based on the bones and simmering time used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bone broth low in deuterium?
It can be, but the water is decisive. Because broth is mostly water, making it with ordinary tap water sets the baseline. Made with deuterium-depleted water and grass-fed bones, it becomes a genuinely low deuterium food.
Why use deuterium-depleted water for bone broth?
The water is by far the largest ingredient, so it is the biggest lever on the broth's deuterium content. Swapping tap water for DDW lowers the deuterium of the whole batch.
How long should I simmer it?
Beef bones need 12 to 24 hours at a gentle simmer; chicken bones about 8 to 12. Never let it boil hard, and top up with more DDW if the level drops below the bones.
What bones are best?
Grass-fed and grass-finished beef marrow and knuckle bones, or pasture-raised chicken carcasses and feet. A mix of marrow and joint bones gives the best body.
Where does this recipe fit in the Yavelle low deuterium series?
This is the foundation recipe of the series. Many other dishes use bone broth as a base, so a batch of this is the starting point for much of your low deuterium cooking. Browse the full series on the Yavelle blog for more.
Yavelle 25ppm Deuterium-Depleted Water is a packaged food. It is not a therapeutic good and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information on this page is general and is not medical advice. If you have a health condition or are undergoing treatment, speak with a qualified health practitioner.