And don’t worry if you’re just getting started — I’ll be doing random double- and triple-points days throughout the month so you can catch up.
Bonito broth, or dashi, is a Japanese stock. It is the fastest bone broth you can make. If you’re in a hurry to get dinner on and you’ve run out of homemade stock, throw on a pot of bonito broth and you’ll have it ready within 2-4 hours.
The length of time that you need to simmer bone broth depends on the size of the bones. Beef broth, for example, is made from large bones from cows or sheep or bison, and needs to be simmered for a few days to release all the minerals from the bones. On the other hand, you can make fish stock in as little as 4 hours.
Bonito broth is made from Katsuobushi, or bonito flakes, which are dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna. Traditionally, Japanese women kept blocks of the dried bonito and used an implement to flake off as much as they needed each day. Nowadays the flakes are sold in bags.
Unfortunately, homemade dashi made from dried kelp and katsuobushi (bonito flakes) is rare today, even in Japan. Most people use granulated or liquid instant stock, which is typically laden with MSG (a neurotoxin).
Recipe Notes:
You can find bonito flakes at many health food stores or Asian markets.
Bonito Broth
Ingredients
Filtered water (5 cups)
Bonito flakes (5 ounces)
Vinegar: white or rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (1 teaspoon)
Optional: Kombu or kelp, dried 1 piece (4-6 inches)
Equipment
Stock pot (enameled cast iron or stainless steel — not aluminum)
12-gallon glass jar (I use the ones I make kombucha in)
1 mesh strainer
Slotted spoonor tongs
Optional: Cheesecloth
Directions
1. Put 5 cups cold filtered water into a stock pot or large saucepan.
2. Add the vinegar.
3. If using kombu (kelp), add it to the water. (Please note: kelp is not allowed on the Intro GAPS Diet. If you are on Intro, leave the kelp out.)
4. Bring to a boil, then remove the kombu and discard.
5. Add the bonito flakes.
6. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
7. Strain through a strainer with optional cheesecloth.
8. Cool and refrigerate — or serve immediately. You can also freeze it.
Photo credit: Bonito Flakes (Katsuobushi) by FotoosVanRobin on Flickr
Disclosure:cmp.ly/4 and cmp.ly/5
{ 379 comments… read them below or add one }
My wife is Japanese, and one of her jobs as a girl was to shave off the bonito flakes for everybody’s miso soup. Nowadays as Ann Marie says everybody buys it pre-flaked. It’s just too much trouble to do it yourself — like grinding coffee beans by hand every morning.
Once the soup was made, her mother skimmed off the flakes.
Oh, that’s neat!
Yeah nowadays they just add some powdered dashi no moto, which of course has added MSG.
OK, I have mentioned that I do not like fish or seafood, but since this is so easy to make, I will give it a try.
Did you try it?
I’m going to have to T&T and find some as making 12-24 hour broth in this heat is not very appealing.
Something new. I’ve never even heard of bonito before. Thanks for sharing.
This is so great! I didn’t know bonito made a “real” broth!!!
Yes it is dried fish with the bones and all.
This is much more appealing to me than seeing the eyes staring back at you!
You don’t like those sweet, innocent eyes?
LOL!!!!!
amen to that. It’s fast health food:)
What does the kombu add to the broth? Flavor, or just nutrients? I have bonito flakes, but no kombu and I was wondering if I should wait to make the broth until I can pick up some kombu (if it would really make it better).
Flavor and nutrients, both.
You can make the broth without the kelp.
PIcked up kombu and am poised for lunch tomorrow!
I am going to have to try this…this would be an easy broth to make and I need iodine….thanks!
Hi Cheeseslave,
Do you know where I can get the Bonito Flakes? Can I order them online?
I too would like to know if they can be ordered somewhere reliable. We people living in the boonies don’t have Asian markets.
Ditto, I live in a rural area. On-line source please.
I just found some at amazon.com.
I got some Bonito Flakes through Eden Foods web site directly.
Great! Thank you for the info.
Yes, Eden sounds like a good brand.
I couldn’t find bonito at my local store and on Amazon, the shipping for Eden brand bonito is high unless you buy the multi-pack. I don’t want to buy the multi-pack in case I don’t like it. The search continues . . .
Are able to grab some cute little fish heads from a fishmonger?
I am trying to order them from http://www.iherb.com. You can use the code NIG917 and help us both out. You get $5 off. I’m sure you can find them locally at a health food store or an Asian market.
This is FANTASTIC! We have no source for fresh fish, so this is a great alternative. Thank you!
Is there a mercury and other contaminants in the bonito? I don’t eat much tuna for that reason, but perhaps the levels are not as significant in skipjack tuna.
Also, does it taste smoky? I don’t like smoked anything besides bacon
Hi Ellenp1214,
Small fish have very little mercury or other contaminants compared to larger fish. If you have a healthy gut, you don’t need to worry about these contaminants.
Good to know. Thanks.
There is a very slight (VERY slight) smokiness. If you don’t like the taste of the plain broth you can doctor it up with some fermented fish sauce or naturally fermented soy sauce, chili sauce, or add some coconut milk.
One of the most common ways to eat bonito broth is in miso soup, but the Japanese use it for lots of other soups and they drink it with every meal (either as a plain broth or as miso soup). Because they’re drinking broth with every meal, it give them more calcium, which makes up for the lack of dairy in the traditional Japanese diet.
Coconut milk covers that taste nicely!
I’ve heard of this, I think from watching Dr. Oz’s show. We don’t eat a lot of fish because my husband doesn’t like it or the smell of it in the kitchen. Does it have a fishy smell?
No fishy smell
I’m so glad to hear no fishy smell! My poor husband loves fish but he can only eat it when we are out because I can’t stand the smell. I’ve tried making myself eat fish, but I just can’t do it. I’m hoping I can get some bonito flakes soon and give that a try.
Looks so interesting! If I can find the bonito flakes I will try it.
I made this once, but the recipe I used said to let it sit for only 20 minutes. I didn’t like it. Gonna try again using the longer cooking time.
Most broth recipes you will find say to simmer the bones for a short period of time, usually under an hour. I think this is just a modern shortcut — people aren’t thinking about the nutrition and are just thinking about convenience. It was Sally Fallon Morell who began advocating that we simmer our broth longer — anywhere from 2 hours for bonito broth to up to 72 hours for beef bones.
Sounds great! I love how we Nourishing Traditions foodies think that 2-4 hours is a “quick” dish ;o) It’s true, though. Most times I’m several days out on food prep.
LOL! You are so right!
lol….that is something that has been a gradual and huge learning curve for me… thankfully I am getting better at planning ahead.
I was thinking the same thing . . . To NT foodies, 2-4 hours is “fast food”. LOL
Too me, 2-4 hours for bone broth is “fast food.”
I have/am still, learning to always have different broths stocked in the freezer. It’s sooo frustrating to get a craving for something, and realize you don’t have the broth you need- and said broth is 24 hrs min, away from being available!
Yea, I know what you mean!!! I usually make bone broth every 2 to 3 days since I need to get a bigger freezer to make up for more space.
haha I was thinking the same thing!
I love bonito broth– I’m going to check in my cabinet right now to see if I still have the flakes. Thanks so much for this reminder. I wouldn’t have thought of using it for the challenge!
Thanks for the post I’ll have to check to see if I can find some next time I go into town.
This provides iodine just like the fish stock recipe you posted yesterday, right? Since I’m nursing and just switching to a real foods diet, it seems like the perfect broth for me!
I believe the bonito would contain some iodine.
So glad to see this post- I have bonito flakes in my pantry and my husband keeps asking when I’m going to use them… They have come up in several discussions about cleaning out things we don’t use in the panty- to be honest I’ve been scared to use them- with this message and the broth challenge- I’m putting them into use today!
Chara
I’m glad I’m not the only “one of these days” ANd it has happened to me too….. oH cool, glad I didn’t throw that out!!
Oh this sounds easy and happy!
thanks for the explanation as to time cookng related to size of bones. that makes sense.
Ann Marie, how does the collagen content of bonito broth compare to chicken or beef broth?
Hi Bonnie,
If the bonito broth gels, then it has just as much gelatin as chicken or beef broth.
The bonito broth I made by following the recipe on the back by cooking only for 20 minutes….did not gel. I am going to make it again cooking for 2 hours and see.
i got a reply from cheeseslave on FB, and said that this fish broth doesn’t gel.
Very interesting! I wonder why…
I don’t know. I’ve been processing that. My fish stock didn’t gell either. Should it have? Do fish bones really have that much gelatin?
If you use the heads, the fish stock will gel. If it doesn’t gel, then you need less water next time.
You can also reduce the stock by boiling.
Rice, Can you get your other broths to gel?
My chicken stock and beef stock both gel
Ooohhh! This might be the solution to my fish eating issues! Flakes won’t gross me out like a fish head looking at me will, lol! Hopefully it won’t make my house smell like fish while it’s cooking. I’m willing to give it a try at least.
When you first open the bag, the smell is strong! I transferred the rest of my flakes to a glass container. The house did not have a strong smell though.
That is great to know
“(Please note: kelp is not allowed on the Intro GAPS Diet. If you are on Intro, leave the kelp out.)”
Thank you! We newbies need these little reminders!
Thank you kirstenmichelle… you just saved me looking that up !
Are you on the gaps into? My family just started today, so far so good, but it’s only been 24hrs :-0
Bethany, yes, I’m on intro. Eating only broth and the boiled meat from the broth along with homemade ghee and the fat from the broth. I tried veggies a couple days ago (about 2 days into intro) but they made my gut UNhappy. Drinking tons of water and ginger-honey tea too. And I’m having serious die-off symptoms: sneezing, flu-like aches, headaches, stuffy nose, plugged ears. Today I had to force-feed myself my broth and chicken because I was so nauseous. But I’m *so* doing this and I’m giving the die-off 10 days to behave.
I’m taking 1 BioKult in the morning and 1 tsp Green Pastures fermented cod liver oil/butter oil in the evening along with 1 tsp of coconut oil (so I don’t get the acidy feeling in my throat and to mask the…interesting…taste of the CLO!).
Well that was a long response. We newbies need a forum or something! (Anyone know of one?)
Wow, Kirstenmichelle! Seems like the GAPS intro is really working for you.
Way to go Kirstenmichelle ! I was doing stuff before I started GAPS and had significant die-off before so it’s not so bad right now, I have been getting headaches and more of a heavy, foggy brain, not to mention being tired, but other than that I am doing alright. I really do think that all this broth really helped kick start GAPS for me and I am so greatful for the contest ! I am taking bio-kult too… a lot of it, 8capsules/day, but like I said I have been on probiotic stuff for a number of months before.
Do you have a family you are cooking for too or is it just you? I can imagine if you are cooking for your family it is difficult to make their food too…unless of course like you said you forced yourself to eat broth so maybe your not even hungry…
I wish you the best, keep up the strength and perseverance !
I am going to email Ann Marie about a forum for newbies !
Hi Bethany,
I haven’t started on the intro yet, but am on the Full GAPS. Before being on Full GAPS again, I wasn’t eating grains, but was eating either a sweet potato or yam each day just to see if I could tolerate it. I was able to tolerate it. I don’t even know if I should even be on GAPS diet since I seem to tolerate many foods. I’m doing the Full GAPS because I want to make sure that my gut flora is in excellent condition. I haven’t done the probiotics yet. Do you think I need them for the Full GAPS? Also, I might just go ahead and do the intro once I get them.
I’m doing the full GAPS as well as I am nursing a 7 week old (didn’t do intro) and I’m finding I’m getting lots of die-off from taking Bio-Kult even though I did lots of fermented foods before. They may be of help to you and when you go to do intro it may make it shorter since you’ve already been getting your fill of really strong probiotics.
Thanks, Barefootmystic! I’m definitely going to get the probiotics very soon
yeah I would totally get them…. NCM said that it’s good to take a maintenance dose even when on full gaps and I am guessing for quite some time after that… like I was told before, you can’t really have too much good flora…. really technically you probably could since anything out of balance isn’t good but with our environment now days and most of our history of poor eating habits we could probably all use a maintenance dose for a while… I think long term fermented veggies would be a good stand in though instead of having to take pro-biotics long term.
Yeah, you’re right about the fermented veggies for long term.
If you are trying to help your gut flora and digestion then you should probably take the probiotics.
do you have candida overgrowth, is that why you take so much bio-kult? I take 2 bio-k……..for candida overgrowth. can’t seem to shake it. I still have a sore on the side of my tongue, kind of may gauge for candida. I should do the candida spit test again to see where I’m at w/ it. One frustrating “disease” to have, have been actively fighting it for 6 years now.
Thank you for listing die-off symptoms. I wondered what they would be. I have not started the intro diet yet; maybe in August. I think I am a bit apprehensive about it. I should just do it (peach season starts soon and I don’t want to miss it – LOL).
kirstenmichelle, I am not doing the GAPS, but I have been doing this bone broth challenge — having multiple servings broth every day. (I didn’t have broth every day before this challenge.) I am experiencing similar symptoms and some gut discomfort.
I often follow the CLO with coconut oil, but I don’t do the CLO every day because I get the flavor “repeated” all day long. I need to get better at that one.
Hi FarmerKimberly,
Is feeling more anxious one of those die-off symptoms?
Erica, I do not know. I have been feeling anxious because of life circumstances over the past year, so I am not a good judge of that.
Have you tried taking the CLO at night? That is when I take it , and I am asleep for any burping up of the flavor. I also put some probiotic in my mouth when I got to sleep and it sure helps.
why would CLO at night help?. I had heard probiotics in the morning on an empty stomach, were best. I suppose this is where individuality comes into play
it’s probably good at night too since your stomach empties out and it’s a time for repair as well… just a guess.
The point of taking it at night is so that you aren’t awake when you burp the lovely fishy burps
Hi Ofthec,
I’m not forsure if CLO is potent while taking it by itself. I know WAP always made sure his patients took it with food to heal cavities. I would think it would be more potent with other foods,. WAP found that CLO taken with Butter Oil was even more potent than taking CLO alone. You should experiment to see what works for you.
I think I’ll make some miso right now!
wow, i really need to see if my local health food store carries this, what a great item
sure beats the cubes of “broth”
Hi Bethany,
Always go for the real bones, never the fake cube stuff.
Also, the chocolate soy milk was dangerously delicious. I had to have two glasses of it! The Silk brand is to die for, literally. I passed out after the second glass. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack because my heart just couldn’t take the crazy deliciousness anymore. Oh, wait… Was it the unfermented, GMO soybeans that gave me this startling reaction? Or was it the unfathomable, “heavenly” taste that my body just couldn’t handle?
Kids don’t try this at home. Unfermented soy products have many side effects, including, but not limited to, the likelihood of having asthma, hay fever (allergic rhinitis), chronic fatigue, constipation, insominia, memory loss, sore bones and joints, low blood pressure, acne, eczema, anemia, brittle hair and nails, watery or swelling eyes, diarrhea, PMS, weight gain, dry skin, stunted growth, diabetes, premature aging, premature puberty in children who have been fed soy as infants, infertility, abnormalities in children, hair loss in both men and women, a decrease in testosterone in men, an interference with digestion and mineral absorption, an increase need for vitamins E, K, D and B12, abnormal clotting of red blood cells, improper breakdown of proteins in the digestive system, under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism), over-active thyroid (hyperthyroidism), heart arrhythmia, irritable bowel syndrome, learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, severe food allergies, impaired immune system, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney stones, brain shrinkage, brain damage, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease, heart disease, liver cancer, urinary bladder cancer, stomach cancer, thyroid cancer, kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and just about every other cancer or dis-ease that you can think of!!! Why? Because unfermented soy was never meant to be eaten by any living thing in the first place! It will destroy the immune system. When you destroy the immune system, you destroy the very thing that is keeping you alive! If you are a child, a women whose pregnant, or even a human being for this matter, it is best to stay away from these soy products like the plague. Any living thing is especially susceptible to these deadly, toxic substances, as well. If you or a loved one have been poisoned by soy, call the poison control agency immediately. Tell them that you want to schedule a public hearing in front of the Supreme Court to show just what the maliciously claimed “health food” did to you. It is about time that we take the soy industry down today!
(Hmmm… I think every soy product that is improperly prepared should have this exact warning label)
lol yer crazy
LOL!!! I’m serious!!!
The brain shrinkage really scared me. I don’t want a small head, lol
did you really drink it???? that is the question, if so why are you buying such abominable things?
lol
Bethany,
Do you really think I would drink that junk (shouldn’t be labeled as food)? I’d rather eat bacon and eggs…YUM!!!
No, I will NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER drink that junk EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER AND FOREVER MORE
This is what a man would look like after 30 years of drinking soy milk:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/beetlejuice%20small%20head/faceious/beetlejuice.jpg
well I didn’t think so but ya’ never know…. lol Nice pic, it about freaked my daughter out. lol
LOL!!! I had to post it… It’s just too funny
that picture is horrible!!!! LOL
I think based on the response we should avoid the picture
yeah it’s ugly
but it’s funny
I am avoiding all soy. So is some soy good for you?
I am avoiding all soy, too. Only naturally fermented soy, like miso, is healthy.
and tempeh
Miso is awesome for you!
really? I thought it was just an acceptable form of soy… not good but ok if you had to have it… I didn’t realize it was actually good. thanks
fermented is good, so you can still have fermented soy sauce or miso or tempeh but I would be careful. Tofu tastes yuck anyway, why would we torture ourselves with it!
Erica,
I forwarded your post to my adult children, who are trying to be healthy, and believing the propaganda that soy is good for you. It isn’t until recently that we realized it is so horribly bad for us.
Thanks! The more people who hear the dangers of soy, the better. Soy is everywhere in our food supply!
I know………..and to think -pre-Sally Fallon, I used to use soy protein everyday. I think it screwed up my thyroid. If only i would have know then what I know now. It’s a nasty object. (I can’t call it food)
Hi Coconutfreek,
Don’t worry about it. You can still heal your thyroid.
Thanks for the tip………..do you know how I can heal it? I haven’t read much about it at all.
Hi Coconutfreek,
I highly recommend these articles:
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy-alert/1623-soy-recovery-the-toxic-metal-component
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy-alert/669-dealing-with-soy-allergies
http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-diseases/metabolic-disorders/591-copper-zinc-imbalance
thanks a mill, this will help.
No, I was breast fed. I didn’t do soy products until I was about…….in my late 30′s. I did the protein as a quick breakfast. I took soy protein powders for about 6 or 7 years. Then I started learning more about traditional foods etc.
Then you should definitely be fine. I would do a hair mineral analysis with good doctors who follow the guidelines of the WAPF. You can contact Dr. Kaayla Daniel, and do long distance consultations with her. Her email is at the end of one of those soy articles.
Also,
Since nearly 85% of our immunity is our gut flora, you can even try the GAPS diet, as well. If you have allergies or sensitivities to beauty supplies, etc. then I would definitely recommend this diet for you.
thank you so much for your leads and info. This should help. I am going to look into this copper thingy. i don’t have sensitivities to beauty supplies, some sprays really get me in the throat. My “mess up” w/ my health has been for years, first from years of living on coffee, sugar, cigarettes and no sleep. The being on HRT for years, I tried the high protein diet a number of years ago and really messed up my digestion…… lead to parasites, candida over-growth, vicious hunger pains, which I could not get rid of, which lead to weight gain. Now I can’t lose a pound, no matter what I do!! I know there’s an imbalance in me but I can’t figure out what it is. Not sure this is the appropriate place to post all this, but……….trying to make a long story short. thanks again. I appreciate it.
Hi Coconutfreek,
I definitely recommend the GAPS diet for you: http://gaps.me/preview/?page_id=28
It will get a hold of your candida and parasite infection.
Also,
Were you ever given soy infant formula as a baby, or drank soy milk as a child?
So many people think soy is good for you, especially vegetarians.
Do you think unfermented soy is good for you, FarmerKimberly?
I am not sure about soy in any form. Maybe it was okay before it became ubiquitous. Now various forms of soy are in just about everything. My instinct tells me that the best form of soy would be a naturally fermented form. But I don’t know. Although, now that I am avoiding processed foods, I am not getting as much soy.
Fermented soy is fine in small amounts, and no more than once or twice a week.
what are you basing the “no more than once or twice a week” on?
I don’t eat it often- because we have such a varied diet- but I’ve never read that anywhere.
traditional asian diets certainly didn’t limit like that. Of course they ate a ton of fish broth too- which is high in iodine. So it certainly seems to me that they need to be eaten together…….
I’ve heard that Asians only use fermented soy as condiments.
I did hear Dr. Kaayla Daniel, a soy expert, on a podcast stating to limit the fermented soy foods to only a few times a week.
However, if someone has consumed unfermented soy in the past, it is best to heal the gut and other health issues related to soy first before introducing small amounts of fermented soy.
Also, soybeans need to be properly prepared because they have so many anti-nutrients in them. Asian people traditionally fermented them for several months before consuming them.
haha, I know!!! We used to make eggs from tofu and ricotta from YUCK YUCK YUCK
lol oh the things I tired to reproduce with tofu….
ewwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!
Is there a preferred brand of Bonito Flakes? One brand I found on line said it was for cat food.
Try the Eden Foods website.
you can get eden foods brand from http://www.iherb.com and they ship quick
you can get eden foods brand from http://www.iherb.com and they ship quickwe feed our animals better than our people in the world!
There was an ad on this page that I wanted to check out, but after I clicked submit for my comment, the ad changed. Is there a page that lists all the products & services that you endorse? It was one about meal planning or something like that.
Here’s her resources page:
http://www.cheeseslave.com/resources/
Cara at Health, Home and Happiness does Grain free meal plans and a GAPS intro diet plan:
http://www.healthhomehappy.com/
I bought Cara’s 30day GAPS meal plan and it was really, really nice to have a basic outline of what to eat… I adjusted it slightly for my family but it’s been pretty helpful so far since I was quite overwhelmed with the idea of planning the food for this adventure we just embarked on. I highly recommend it.
that’s what we are using too. It has been so helpful!
Thank you.
Reading the description for Bonito Flakes on Amazon, it says “Legal Disclaimer
Actual product packaging and materials may contain more and different information than what is shown on our website. We recommend that you do not rely solely on the information presented and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before using or consuming a product. ”
That makes me nervous about ordering it. Is there a way to make sure you are getting good stuff?
Eden is a good brand
Ann Marie,
I was going to email you but I thought I would try this first… Do you think that you could make a forum for all the Cheeseslave fans who are on GAPS, sharing ideas, struggles, thoughts, and getting support? I know a few of us at least would really, really like that !! I know you are busy but if you have time that would be fantastic.
Hi Bethany,
That would be a great idea!!! There can be people who are on the intro and those who are on the Full GAPS diet.
YES !
Hey Bethany there is a Yahoo group too! I think there’s a Yahoo group for almost anything!
Bethany,
Great fabulous idea! I would love it. I would love some support. I don’t know if I am on Intro or full gaps cuz I had to skip so much, that I still can’t eat.
Hmmmm, I am going back and reading new comments on old posts. I am getting 100s of email notifications from your site that i cannot keep up with them all.
Thank you for telling me a good brand (Eden).
I know, it gets CRAZY, doen’st it?
I stopped reading my email updates. Too many. Now I just reread all the comments looking to see what is new.
I know! The emails are too crazy!
Of course, sometimes I want to go back to a particular post and see the comments and responses made, but then I cannot remember which thread it was in. LOL
LOL!! You are too funny!!! The same thing happens to me. I have too much email from this contest!!
Same here! I wish there was a way to search the comments.
Took me forever to figure out where we were talking about the mayo so I could post the recipe
if you remember key words in a post, you should be able to go CTRL+F, (to find). I use Mozilla and a search bar comes up at the bottom of the page, you type in the key word9s) and click on the up or down arrow to find the word(s) you’re looking for.
I will give that a try.
Yeah – for the most part that’s what I do also
You can stop the emails. Just click on your subscription below the comment and then you can opt out of the emails.
Do you know you can unsubscribe to certain post, and still get emails for other post? I unsubscribed from the “get your gravy on” post- cause that was INSANE
LOL!!! I need to unsubscirbe to that post!
hahaha I can’t even imagine what your inbox must look like!
I’ve noticed that disclaimer from other food products on amazon.com. My bonito flakes came today (ordered yesterday). The bag says product of Japan; “this product has been made in a factory which uses mackerel, horse mackerel, and sardine ingredients.” Also includes a CA address. As this is my first try with bonito, are there any reasons I shouldn’t use this one?
I’m hoping pork stock is coming up soon…even though I totally just threw some necks and veggies with ACV and water in the crock pot!
Pork stock sounds good to me
Are bones part of the bonito flakes (is it the whole fish)?? Also I am trying to enter on the challenge page but it is not working, any ideas?
I think the challenge page has gotten way too long. (that’s just a guess). I have been having trouble accessing it the past couple days, too. eventually I get through, but it takes multiple attempts or even leaving the computer and coming back later.
I hear you. I think it’s just a lot of traffic on there. Do you have dial-up? that will go slower……..
I live too rural to get DSL or cable.
Where do you live, FarmerKimberly?
Southern Ohio
Your so lucky that you live in a rural area. You have all the farm land you want!
Where do you live, Erica? or should I say PinkBrea?
I live with the Eskimos in South America,
Ok- I’m confused! Eskimos? South America???
Hi Riceinmay,
You didn’t know that the Eskimos migrated to South America. They like the weather there. They are excited about eating bananas and other tropical fruits.
LOL. Global warming?
LOL, Coconutfreek!!!!! Yea, probably global warming. Although I question why they didn’t migrate to the United States?
I know that some swam to Jamaica or the Bahamas and are laying out on a beach somewhere….
Oh, I don’t have all the farm land I want. Too expensive for me. I wish I could buy more land. But I have a nice little hobby farm with enough land for chickens and one cow. (Not enough grass for more than that.) Sadly, the big farms are all disappearing to developers who are building tons of houses.
Have you thought about raising your own dairy animals?
Yes, I have thought about dairy animals. It is a work in progress. I have looked into dairy cows, goats, and sheep. And I have experience milking all three. It is a huge commitment to milk every day. I have decent pasture for a cow or a couple sheep, but goats have more nutritional needs. While cows and sheep are grazers (need grass), goats are browsers and need more variety of plants.
I have raised chickens for 6 years. And I just started with ducks and turkeys.
Wow, that’s amazing! How is working with chickens?
I think that is going to be our next project, try and raise some ducks. I have never eaten a dead duck, but everyone here makes it sound so good, I am going to give it a try. We hvae raised turkeys, they are such nice docile birds and I love their chortle in the mornings. They are enjoyable.
Erica, I love the chickens. They are like pets . . . we know them all individually, they each have a personality. Obviously, I don’t eat the ones we get attached to. They are our egg layers. My chickens come when I call them.
Coconutfreak, you said that you have never eaten a dead duck. Does that mean you have eaten a live duck?
Erica, if you had a cow, you would not be getting just one gallon of milk per day. More like 3 gallons of milk per day.
Thanks! This is good to know! I need a cow…
milk cows are nice, but you are married to them, so to speak.
they need a lot of attention.
That is what I heard, too. All that work for a gallon of milk…
LOL, FarmerKim, I like your wit. No, I can’t say I’ve eaten a live one either. Ewwww, that would be weird, wouldn’t it?
I remember dial-up. It was very very very slow
I’m glad I have a faster service 
now it tells me I’m posting too fast. I suppose we all need to slow down with the broth and jello eating LOL
LOL! It said you are posting to fast? I’ve never seen that
Yes, bonito is the whole fish. It has the bones
thanks
I have to buy some to try it. I have the kombu. I do not like fishy things either, but I will have to try this broth with miso soup. Thanks for the recipe.
Is this a bone broth because the whole fish is in the shavings?
Hi Ofthec,
Yes, the whole fish is in the shavings.
Thanks for the info! I’ve used Bonito flakes in class- but I didn’t realize it was real broth (we use a LOT of crap fake foods in class)
Now I’m craving miso soup. Guess I’m hitting Asia world today
I’m going to have to look for these.
Lots of comments here so I don’t know if anyone addressed this yet or not…
The recipe posted here calls for 5oz of bonito flakes to 5 cups of water. The recipe in NT calls for 1 cup flakes to 2 qts water. 5 oz of flakes is a TON. Any reason not to use less??
Hi Jeb,
The less water, the more the stock gels.
up above they said the stock doesn’t gel..
I’m talking about regular fishes, Ofthec. I did read that Bonito doesn’t gel.
I agree, it is a lot of bags of flakes. Is it alright to follow the NT recipe instead? Will the amount of collagen be propotioanlly correct?
I made this the day I saw it. I have had these flakes in my cupboard for a while.
and I had some Kombu also.
the ratio does seem wrong though. the Eden bag is 1 oz. and the recipe recommendation for 5 oz flakes for the 5 cups of water would be 5 bags!
I looked at the recipe on the bag and it gave a fish broth recipe that used 5 cups water with half cup of flakes so I did that and let it simmer 3 hours. Impressive!
I can sip it and am not grossed out by any fishiness.
Do you think I should be adding a lot more flakes?
I wonder if the kombu could be left in longer and eaten……as you would in some miso soup recipes.
thanks for this wonderful opportunity to make something new, tasty and healthy.
Meredith
I am wondering about the 5:5 ratio as well.
I am wondering if AnnMarie did a volume ratio & not a weight ratio. You know – if she put it into a measuring cup – it may say 5 oz, but it shure doesn’t weigh 5 oz. The NT recipe is 1 cup of flakes to 2 quarts water – and a cup weighs less than 1/4 ounce.
Jessie, I thought the exact same thing. Only, 5 ounces would be a weird volume measurement
. Normally volume ounce measurements are even (2, 4, 6)
Jessie- Sonia (further down in the comments) mentioned using 5 grams. That totally clicked! I think the recipe meant 5 grams- not 5 ounces!
So, how many grams in an ounce?
Ounce is an imperial weight unit. Gram is a metric weight unit. If wondering how many grams in an ounce, the answer is 28.3495231.
1 Ounce = 28.3495231 Grams
that’s kind of a weird measurement…….. it’s from a google search
this is all VERY helpful as I am hoping to buy some flakes this week…. !
Well, I guess I am getting lazy knowing that someone here always has the answer. I guess I could have done a google search, too. lol.
Is it possible to make this fish stock with a slow cooker? Could the kombu be left in the broth?
Hi RyanA,
Yes, you can make it with a slow cooker. I have know idea about the kombu though. Hopefuly someone will answer that question for you.
I think kombu is edible, I eat it. But it has a lot of iodine in it. A little bit goes a long way.
I said “I think” . I do eat it…..so I would say yes, it’s edible.:-) here is some info..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombu
I believe I heard of Kombu before.
do you have to put the kombu in? I found the flakes and it put me out like 8.00 then I saw the kombu and it was another 7.00 and I didn’t want to buy it… does it turn out good with out the kombu, what is the point…flavor?
I think flavor and iodine. Ok I know I keep saying this but try http://www.iherb.com they have good prices and fast shipping!
I’m looking for bonito flakes at the store tomorrow morning!
If you don’t mind another question, I wanted to ask about the measurements. You mentioned in your instructions using 5 ounces of bonito flakes. The bonito flakes I purchased at the store come in 5 gram packages. Would I really need to put over 28 of these packages into 5 cups of water? Perhaps my math isn’t quite right here…
I’ll post my math just to make sure I’m doing the right thing here:
5 ounces ~ 141.75 grams
141.75 grams / 5 gram packages –> 28.35 packages of bonito flakes
Whoo! I found some of these today, will be trying this soon!
I went to my local asian store looking for the flakes but I didn’t see them. I forgot the name so I didn’t ask. Next time, I will have to ask.
another delicious looking recipe. thank you!
are these msg free? I was thinking about buying some on amazon, but how do i know if they have msg or not in them? thanks.
I wouldn’t think this would contain msg unless it was processed. Just look on the food label to see if there are any additives added to it.
Also, if you see the word “spices,” don’t even buy it. Msg is often hidden as other words on the food label.
Did you know that “natural flavoring” can also be the name of a synthetic flavoring? This is what someone told me. I don’t know if it is fact.
Yea, if you see “natural flavoring,” stay away from it like the plague.
So, what does “natural flavoring” actually mean?
It is a term companies use to entice people to buy their products.
A natural flavor is derived from food, but is so badly manipulated in a lab or factory. The end product shouldn’t even be considered a “natural flavor” anymore.
Here is what the Code of Federal Regulations says about “natural flavoring”: “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional” (21CFR101.22).
it cracks me up the stuff they come up with. We ate pizza one time and on the ingredients list of the sauce that came with it. The first ingredient on the label said “liquid”
how do these people sleep at night, much less get away with it!
LOL!!!!!!!!! Seriously???? “Liquid”????????
I work at a co-op and always wondered what to do with the Bonito flakes we sell, thanks!
YUM YUM! my husband hates shellfish, but maybe if I convince him its just miso or something, he won’t notice. I tried to trick my bff into thinking this was a good vegan option for broth benefits, but she figured me out
LOL- sneaky sneaky!!!!
LOL
Oh my goodness! This is too funny! Was he convinced?
too funny! try mixing the broth with coconut milk, it’s yummy with fish stock
I have never made bonito but I am going to give this a try
Also Coconutfreek,
It is fine to start from Full GAPS and slowly jump to intro. It is usually easier this way, and often times, people find that they have less severe die-off reactions when they do it this way.
Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride stated that 90% of our bodies are made up of microorganisms. The other 10% is basicly a shell that holds these microorganisms in place. It wouldn’t be surprising to see that you will receive much healing from doing the GAPS diet. This will heal the gut flora, ultinately leading to good overall health. You CAN and WILL heal, Coconutfreek
Our bodies are always trying to heal.
Wow Erica,
That’s a GREAT quote. I’ll have to remember that one!
Whoa! I am a very visual person and I am literally picturing this shell full of microorganisms.
LOL, FarmerKimberly!
gross! creepy!
thanks for the encouragement. I’m always looking for ways to improve my health but this one (candida) has had me stumped. I do think I have gotten rid of the parasites, I’ve been treated for them… homeopathically. I think I am going to up my intake of fermented foods too. I think that will help too.
Are you using a powerful probiotic, like Bio-Kult?
Yes, I am. I take 2 a day.
Are you slowly increasing the dose until you eventually reach the recommended dose of 8 capsules?
what are your candida symptoms? I have been struggling with it for a while too… I get a crazy super fast growing blistery rash on my hands if I eat any sugar. Then of course all the fuzzy, foggy brain feelings and stuff like that.
I am taking a mixture of bio-kult and udo’s probiotic and it’s working pretty well, I just need to make sure I don’t take too much since I am still nursing my son a few times a day.
How is your son doing with your change to intro?
he’s doing great… for a few days he had a runny nose and red watery eyes, both my kids did for about 3 days…but I have been giving them some probiotics as well…he’s doing good though.
What did they think about doing the intro?
lol they are so flexible… my daughter is used to me doing all sorts of crazy things, we’ve been gluten free for 4 years now and then we never used to eat meat, then we added it back in and then we decided to cut out all fruit/sugar for 3 months then I found GAPS and changed things up again, so she probably just things “oh here goes mommy again…wonder what we’ll be doing this time” lol But GAPS Lord willing is the last extreme we’ll ever have to do (unless we repeat intro at some point in our lives)
You are too too too funny!!!
That is sooo funny that your children went through all the craziness, and didn’t mind either, lol!
Yeah I have good long suffering kids
LOL!!! I feel like squeezing their little cute cheeks right now! I absolutely love kids!
Bethany, if they are 2 and 4, they are not suffering. It is their normal.
Only as they get older and see the rest of the world do they begin to question their normal.
Bethany,
You should definintely take advantage of giving them eating organ meats, shellfish, and other less desired foods since they are willing to eat anything you give them right now. When they get older, their taste for them may wear out. Get them while their young!
yeah I am working on it… we make it sound really cool even though inside I grimace a bit… that way she won’t grow up with a complex… but think it’s normal to eat heart beef burgers and sauted liver with a side of chicken feet broth
wait, I’m confused Bethany…..
That’s not the normal way to eat????
not all in one meal….. I have not had beef heart yet, but heard you could add it to burgers and it’s just like a normal burger… perhaps I am wrong since i have not tired it though…. I will be doing the pate you mentioned with liver though. I have access to heart but am going to hold off on that for now.
LOL my kids always say “mommy are we on a diet right now?”
Kim I agree. My kids think this food is normal too. They love liver pate and help make all our homemade stuff from mayo to toothpaste. If they seem someone drinking a soda they ask “Why are you drinking poison?” Someone people got this idea that all kids will eat is mac n cheese and chicken nuggets so that’s all they ever fed them , and guess what, now that’s all they’ll eat!
Bethany try chili to mix it in with ground beef before burgers it will cover up the taste better. Chicken liver pate is really yummy. Try the nourishing traditions recipe
Wow, Bethany!!! Do you react like this to fruit, too?
I have not eaten any fruit in a few months but it did back then…I know I am doing better now and things are improving inside but I am probably not going to eat any fruit or sugar for a number of months yet….perhaps Christmas it will be a little present to myself
lol I don’t know it depends on how quickly I heal
Your husband should buy you a box of your favorite chocolates for Christmas
That would be a treat for sure !! not a box, but a bar of super duper dark choc…oh yummy ! :-0
Dark chocolate sounds really good!!!
That is one thing I have a hard time resisting. A good dark chocolate.
I think most people love chocolate, FarmerKimberly. I don’t think it could be a nutritional deficiency unless someone was craving it 24/7.
I actually know a few people who do not like chocolate. GASP!
I’m gasping for air…..
good idea! I bet you’ll find the bar to last a LONG time!
If you crave chocolate you need magnesium
When I have too much sugar, it is like I am drunk. I have to be very careful with sugar. I also get dizzy and nauseous and headachy with too much sugar. And my too much sugar is not very much. For instance, I have to limit myself to 2 homemade chocolate chip cookies. And I rarely do dessert. Hard to believe after my younger years of massive cola drinking.
Although, I am not having problems with my new gello treat. Maybe because it is fruit juice and not refined sugar. ???
Yea, it probably is just the fruit juice.
you are drunk, your body processes it the same way or something like that but it does do something similar to alcohol
I haven’t had that reaction, that sounds like what my sister has. Do you have insulin resistance? (That is another thing I have…. what a mess, eh?) I have to watch my diet or I am just wiped out and under the table. If I eat a little refined white flour or sugar, I get SO TIRED……..eyes burn, can’t keep them open for the life of me. I don’t remember having a fuzzy, foggy feeling tho. I figured I had candida after I had a big white spot on the side of my tongue. Really had me worried what I had. I did a lot of research and finally got to the candida thing, which I got from parasites, which I got from having no HCL in my stomach, which showed up after a try at a high protein diet. It’s been a long “row to hoe” and I’m still hoeing.
yup same thing happens to me. NOT worth it!
check out http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com She has great info. Also GAPS intro will help you feel which foods you are reacting to and thereby help you not want them anymore. I look at sugary things now and associate them with how my body will feel and it really helps me not want them!
I finally made this.. it’s not that bad, mild fishy taste but bearable.. (I’m not a fan of very fishy tastes)
Also, I just used the 5g package which is not 5oz … not sure if thats right or not but seemed to work. A lot of the water boiled away and although I usually add more water when making beef broth I didn’t for this.
by George!!! I think you’ve got it! I think Ann Marie meant Grams, not Ounces! That makes sense
riceinmay, Your comments make me smile. I like your sense of humor.
lol I like getting on here and reading the “riceinmay” and “farmerkimberley” forum…lol You gals are both funny and interesting to read all the comments… I wish I had more time to join in more but I have a 4 and 2 year old and never seem to be caught up on laundry and the like….
Bethany, you made me laugh. More time to join in? You have more comments than anyone. lol. And you have a whomping 6000 points more than me in the bone broth challenge. I don’t think anyone will ever take the lead from you.
P.S. This blog is new to me, too, so I am in the honeymoon phase. . . . or is addiction phase, where I just cannot put it down. LOL. I am fairly new to the whole blog world, too. I have never paid much attention to blogs until recently. There is so much to learn from Cheeseslave and her fans.
Hi FarmerKimberly,
I’m sticking to fourth place because I want the book badly. As you can see, I’m in fourth place
Oh wait! Are you PinkBrea??? If that is you, that explains so much. I was wondering how PinkBrea was in 4th place when I never see any comments from her. So are you? Does Erica = PinkBrea?
Shhhh…. don’t tell anyone
Well, I feel better. Now I know who this phantom 4th placer is. . . . . Who can smoke me if she wants.
LOL!!!! And the race continues……
Oh my gosh! Thanks for explaining that! I actually spent time looking for comments from PinkBrea!!!! How do you have the comments and the contest under different names?
LOL!!! Riceinmay, I don’t even remember what I did.
riceinmay, I was searching for PinkBrea, too.
we’ve got another phantom player !!!!!
there are a couple of pinkbreacomments
So, how do you have 2 separate names, one for commenting and one for the leaderboard?
I don’t remember what I did, lol
ha.. pleased to meet you PinkBrea
LOL!!! Shhh… don’t tell anyone
I may even go for second place, too.
lol….. part of it is that I am drinking TONS of broth, partially for the contest but also because I have such digestive issues and have had them for a while it’s such a wonderful feeling to be able to digest food and my insides feel good…when I drink broth it’s soothing so I have lots of motivation. Plus all my meals are soups or something simmered in broth since I am on Intro… still on stage 1
And going through TONS of broth, especially since I am feeding it to my kids and husband as well… my meat guy doesn’t think there is anyway my family of 4 is going through all the meat we buy just ourselves, it’s kinda funny..but when you cut grains out…
Oh I really, really, really want to win the pot though because I really need one. I am borrowing my mother in laws 12qt stock pot right now as a temporary deal and don’t have the funds to buy a nice one myself so this was perfect timing ! My husband wants me to win so bad (for my sake, he’s not really into the making of stock so much…lol) that he checks my points and tells me to drink more broth
Yea, that’s why I’m leaving first place for you because you really need it
You have children running around to cook for 
aww Erica your sweet… are you saying you could just smoke me and your just being nice…lol.
Yep, trust me!!! I can smoke anyone here, lol! Since I’m leaving you the first prize, I want the prize from either 2nd or 4th place
Okay, this line of comments had me truly laughing out loud. Erica is holding back . . .. doesn’t want to leave you in her dust. LOL
Erica, I don’t see you on the leader board. ???
lol Erica, pretty sure I just looked and I have 19,000 pts
LOL NOT bragging, I know that I have 15 days or so left and need to keep on top of things 
LOL yeah Erica is sneaky, sneaky….. oh I really like chatting with you gals, I need to go though !!! Have a good morning !
Ugh! Noooo. I don’t wanna hear how you want the grand prize. Cause I want the grand prize – and now I feel bad for you
Maybe we could share custody? LOL
I was feeling that way, too, riceinmay.
share custody… only if you come visit and include lessons on all things you know that I don’t…. then I will consider shared custody… sorry you wrote this like 3 days ago… kinda hard to keep up
I think we are going to need to renegotiate our custody arrangement!
We all want it!!! Otherwise we wouldn’t be leaving all these crazy comments. we’d swap phone numbers or something LOL
LOL! No kidding!
lol mine brings me jello squares and cups of broth and so do my kids!
That is so true!!! I go through a lot of meat and bones, too. I may continue with intro. But, I’m afraid that the place where I get my bones from will run out of them. Oh well, I’ll get the red snapper fish heads again and make those. Poor little fishies
lol OK this is what I mean… I have been on here for quite some time and now I need to get some work done… I need to shower and head to the store for my amazing variety of veggies that I can eat… ya’ know broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, onions and a few other exciting veggies
haha… at least I am feeling better !
oooh and put on some more chicken feet and bones for MORE broth..lol
Yum… Chicken feet!!!
i keep racing back and forth between the kitchen and the computer. Wait why I am doing that I have wireless!?
i keep racing back and forth between the kitchen and the computer. Wait why I am doing that I have wireless!?my husband saw them in the broth and said “that just looks wrong”
Well, I better get off this computer and get to some real life. I have more gello to make. And yogurt to make. And kids to homeschool (I homeschool year round, so that we can take breaks when we want.) And a house to declutter. I already fed the chickens, ducks, and turkeys this morning.
How many kids?
I was homeschooled
Now I’m homeschooling my son!
I have 2 kids. How cool is that — that you were homeschooled. I was not.
so you can take a break when cheeseslave has a broth challenge? LOL We will homeschool year round too I think . We started the 5th of July. This is only the second year.
So, Bethany, what you are telling me is, if I drink a cup of broth every hour, I just might have a chance to catch up to you. Hmmm, I just might try it. I will print out a spreadsheet so I can check off every hour as I drink a cup of broth. I wonder how I would feel if I drank a cup of broth every hour???
But while I can catch Bethany, Erica will just smoke me no matter what!
LOL!!!! And the race continues….
Farmerkimberly,
I suppose that is a good plan but if I keep drinking broth, and perhaps even increase my consumption then we’ll just be going at the same pace and you’ll have to settle for 2nd place… lol I am making progress, I am showered…now I need to make my grocery list. lol I bet you would feel pretty darn good if you drank broth every hour though !!
Farmerkimberly,
Wondering… you said you homeschool…. I am planning on starting a homeschool program with my daughter this fall… would you mind if I emailed you and asked you some questions?
Yes, you can email me. But I don’t want to post my email publicly. How do we get personal info?
I will just give you my email…. I don’t know how to do it other than that. It’s spinachandsprouts@gmail.com Just email me and then I can shoot you over some questions. Thanks I appreciate it !
Hey Bethany! What happened to you emailing me???
I’ll just increase my intake of broth, too
Bethany, you can have the stock pot. What i really want is a cast iron fry pan for cooking eggs. I don’t own any Le Creuset.
I don’t have any le creuset either, I have some nice pans I got for my wedding 6 years ago but would like to have a nice cast iron someday….for that same purpose, eggs.
Hi FarmerKimberly,
Since you need the cast iron pan, then I’ll stick to the book for 4th place.
Also FarmerKimberly and Bethany,
Here is an excellent enameled cast iron skillet for a decent price. It is on sale for $33.59: http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Enameled-Cast-Iron-11-Inch-Skillet/dp/B000ND5AAO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1311000102&sr=8-6
I have it, and it works great!
Garage sales are a GREAT place to get cast iron! It’s where my mom and I have gotten all of ours. You have to clean it up, and re-season it – because people don’t know how to take care of it- but it’s still totally worth it.
I think Walmart sells Lodge cast iron pans. I have a lot of cast iron. Love them.
Erica, I need a cast iron for eggs . . . the prize is a stockpot, so don’t let me stop ya.
IS the Lodge brand cast iron truly good. the pre-seasoned-ness of it worries me. What do they preseason it with?
FarmerKim, I’m not sure what they preseason it w/. I imagine a person could do it themselves. Bring it home and scrub it w/ hot water and soap and preseason it w/ an oil of your choice. I had never thought of it and my pans have been used so many times now.
Hi FarmerKimberly,
The Lodge enameled cast iron pan is not pre-seasoned. It is actually enameled, and enamel is very safe.
Erica,
That information isn’t necessarily correct. Lodge may come in an enameled version- but it definitely comes in an un-enameled version. In which case you would want to pay attention to whether it was seasoned or unseasoned
perhaps you will have to chat on the toilet!
huh??? You lost me…..
you shouldn’t give away your plan!
I like them too!
LOL- thanks! Always good to make someone smile- instead of shake their head at you and start looking for the number to the looney bin!
hahahahahaha…..
yes this happens to me as well but it’s usually my husband LO
200 + emails for this thread alone. I had to unsubscribe. Interesting reading but so many posts, so little time.
i think we’ve all unsubscribed even AnnMarie!
LOL!!! You are too funny!
I want to try to make Bonita broth. But the Bonita flakes I found came in prepackaged in 3g packets. Would you have any idea how many 3g packets are the same as the 5 ounces you use in your recipe?
Thanks for you help.
Hi Skshafer,
I don’t know if you’ve read all the comments above or not- but we all pretty much agree that there is a typo in the directions. I believe what Ann Marie meant to say was 5 grams of bonito flakes- not 5 ounces.
Hope that helps!
I noticed on your other post that mentioned bonito broth, “How to Balance Hormones Naturally”, that you said that bonito flakes contain the whole fish – including the head and thyroid gland. My Mom has been wanting to make fish stock very badly, but has been unable to find whole, un-oily fish. I was excited that bonito flakes might be an option. However, when I did a search on bonito flakes, I discovered that the head/thyroid is not part of it. Bonito flakes are just the fillets. (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsuobushi, and http://www.edenfoods.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=109590). Are you aware of some specific brand that uses the whole fish?
I received my bonito flakes yesterday (Eden). can’t wait to make some broth, hopefully later today. have to run to work now. there are directions on the package, but I am going to use cheeseslaves recipe w/ it. I love combining recipes.