Collagen-rich bone broth can offer myriad health benefits: reduced inflammation, healthy liver and gut, a strengthened musculoskeletal system, and potential alleviation of allergic symptoms and food sensitivities, just to name a few.
A spoonful of collagen-rich bone broth from The Simmering Bone. Courtesy Rachel Collier
Rachel Collier didn’t set out to become the bone broth guru of northern Vermont. She just wanted to make healthy baby food for her infant son.
It was 2014, and Rachel had stepped away from a career as a middle school teacher to be a stay-at-home mom with her first baby. “I wanted to feed him the most nutritious foods possible. And because I’m super Type A, I went down the research rabbit hole on baby food options.” Because bone broth is a primary ingredient for many of the recipes she was seeing, she started making her own. “I grew up in a family that never wasted food,” she recalls. “Dad often had a pot of broth simmering on the burner in the colder months, and he sometimes gave us a mug to sip while we waited for the school bus.” Rachel shared her broths with family and friends, and their resounding approval inspired her to become a vendor at the Burlington Winter Farmers Market in 2015. Rachel established The Simmering Bone and began processing her broth at the Mad River Food Hub.
Bone broth’s nutritional integrity starts with the bones themselves. Rachel connected with farmers committed to pasture-raised beef, chicken, lamb, and pork. “Part of my mission is to support sustainable, regenerative farmers who actively work to heal the soil and whose practices provide a viable alternative to factory farming. They’re grateful to have an outlet for their bones, and I’m happy to support farmers I know and trust.” Her primary farm partners in Vermont include Tamarlane Farm in Lyndon, Stark Hollow Farm in Randolph, Cross Farm in Barnet, and Maple Wind Farm in Richmond.
FOOD AS MEDICINE
“I firmly believe in food as medicine. I work hard to source specific bone types from healthy animals that will yield the most collagen for my broths. Collagen is found in the joints and connective tissues, not just the marrow.” Before she commits to working with a potential farm, she makes a small batch of broth using that farm’s bones to see how it gels once cooled. A sturdy gel test indicates she’s getting the collagen she wants. Collagen-rich bone broth can offer myriad health benefits: reduced inflammation, healthy liver and gut, a strengthened musculoskeletal system, and potential alleviation of allergic symptoms and food sensitivities, just to name a few.
So what’s the difference between stock and bone broth? According to Rachel, there’s no consensus on this matter, but her take is that bone broth simmers low and slow for a much longer period of time: 8 to 12 hours for chicken broth, more than 24 hours for beef. The kettle temperature never exceeds 180 degrees, yielding a little bubble that rises to the surface every minute or so. Stock can cook more quickly and is prepared with a focus on flavoring a soup or a dish rather than collagen-extraction.
Rachel’s broths consist of bones, herbs, vegetables, and minimal salt. She carefully sources the vegetables and herbs that infuse her broths, knowing that every element enhances the nutritional value and overall flavor. “Believe it or not, a lot of vegetarians drink my broth. They may eschew meat but understand its nutritional benefits and appreciate the ‘clean’ aspect of my products.” In addition to making her Classic Chicken Bone Broth, Rachel produces other varieties infused with lemongrass and ginger; rosemary and garlic; and Thai red chilies, lime, ginger, and a hint of unsweetened coconut. She’s also made Fire-Roasted Tomato and Shiitake Beef Broth, Lamb Broth with Coriander and Cumin, and Apple Pork Broth. Additional broths evolve based on the availability of bones.
BROTHECARY
In 2023, Rachel scaled up and created her Brothecary line, 18 different blends developed in consultation with a team of specialists that include Lisa Masé (BCHN, RHCN, herbalist, intuitive eating guide), naturopathic doctor Jessica Stadtmauer, and Jessica Churchill, an herbalist from Railyard Apothecary. “As a vendor at the farmers’ market, customers would tell me their health journeys, and I felt compelled to provide some relief. I shared with my consulting team the ailments and issues I’d heard, and they helped determine the herbs and foods I should infuse into my chicken broth to provide some relief. I also asked them to indicate partner herbs/foods for optimal nutrition absorption. For example, black pepper and turmeric, or cumin and coriander. Each Brothecary blend is inspired by a specific person’s need.”
The Adaptogen Blend helps your body respond to stress, anxiety, and fatigue and contributes to a renewed sense of vitality. Immune Boost Blend contains herbs and foods that support the immune, digestive, and lymphatic systems to keep you well during times of stress. There’s a Recovery Blend infused with nourishing herbs that penetrate bones and tissues to expedite healing after an injury or surgery, and a Digestion Blend designed to soothe and support healthy digestion.
Rachel refuses to use plastic at any point in her production or packaging. She uses glass for shipping west of the Mississippi and certified compostable packaging—sturdy paper containers lined with plant-based film and fully biodegradable stand-up pouches—
for all other packaging needs.
In keeping with her planet-friendly approach, Rachel refuses to use plastic at any point in her production or packaging. She uses glass for shipping west of the Mississippi and certified compostable packaging—sturdy paper containers lined with plant-based film and fully biodegradable stand-up pouches—for all other packaging needs. “I have to do something in my lifetime to better the planet,” Rachel explains. “Avoiding plastic, supporting people who offer an alternative to factory farming, and healing the soil seem important. I have three kids and don’t want them dealing with the environmental mess we’ve created.”
Rachel acknowledges that keeping her business in steady production has not been easy due to the challenges of finding a USDA-inspected commercial kitchen where she can process her broths. “I’ve gotten pretty creative at finding ways to piece it all together. During the pandemic, I was processing broth in the former New England Culinary Institute kitchen at Vermont College of the Fine Arts in Montpelier while the college was closed. I did these marathon weekends starting Saturday at 4:00 a.m. and getting home to Essex 22 hours later at 2:00 a.m. My husband, Will Callahan, has been my biggest supporter all along, and my three kids have been very understanding as well—my best taste testers in fact!”
In the fall of 2023, she was invited to share commercial kitchen space in South Burlington with the folks from Farmers & Foragers. “It’s been a godsend to have something so close to home,” she says. Rachel will take over the full space in September and cannot wait to have her own, fully licensed space at long last. “The last 10 years of nomadic production have been a wild ride. I just need a permanent home! But I’m a firm believer that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” Rachel says with a knowing laugh.
“I love interacting with my customers and hearing their stories. My goal is to make products that taste good and support people’s health.” Because healthy people are the ones who can heal the planet.
BONE BROTH: IT’S NOT JUST FOR SIPPING!
Check out the recipes below where Rachel Collier shares a few suggestions for ways to incorporate chicken or beef bone broth to kick-start quick, easy, and nourishing soups on busy nights!
