If you have access to deer, you can prepare the many cuts of meat and use the bones and other parts to make broth, using a pressure canner and glass canning jars. I use this healing venison broth all winter in soups, stews, and gravies or by itself as a sipping broth. Its strong flavor combines well with the immune-supporting herbs thyme, fennel, and oregano to create a powerful healing liquid; this can be enjoyed in meals or as a medicinal broth to sip during cold and flu season. If you don’t have venison broth, use chicken broth.

Venison Broth with Oregano, Fennel and Thyme Recipe

3 cups venison (or chicken) broth

½ cup fresh oregano leaves (or 2 tablespoons dried)

½ cup fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tablespoons dried)

1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Salt to taste

In a soup pot on the stovetop, combine all the ingredients except the salt. Bring to a low boil, then reduce to simmer. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off any fat that rises to the top (your dog will thank you for this treat!). When the liquid is reduced to about 2 cups and the broth is fragrant, strain it through a sieve and reserve the liquid. Compost the herbal matter and pour the broth into a thermos.

Yields 2 to 3 cups.

Excerpted/adapted from The Healing Kitchen, Roost Books 2016, by Holly Bellebuono