Nourishing Slow Cooker Bone Broth Recipe

Revitalizing Homemade Bone Broth Recipe for Wellness

Crafting a rich and hearty slow cooker bone broth promises deep, soul-warming comfort for anyone seeking optimal nutrition.

This nutrient-dense bone broth recipe delivers incredible flavor and healing properties that can support your wellness journey.

Bones slowly simmer, releasing collagen, minerals, and essential nutrients into a golden liquid that feels like liquid gold.

Robust and deeply satisfying, the broth develops complex layers of taste through patient, low-temperature cooking.

Home cooks appreciate how simple ingredients transform into a powerhouse of nutrition with minimal effort.

The process requires just a few quality components and some time to work its magic.

Sip this liquid wellness and feel the nourishing goodness flow through your body.

What You’ll Need for Slow Cooker Bone Broth Recipe

For Bones and Base:
  • Beef Bones, Chicken Bones: Select grass-fed or organic bones for richer nutritional profile and deeper flavor complexity.
  • Marrow Bones: Enhance broth's richness and provide collagen-boosting properties for health-conscious cooking.
For Aromatic Vegetables:
  • Onions, Carrots, Celery: Create foundational flavor base and add natural sweetness while contributing essential minerals.
For Flavor Enhancers:
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: Helps extract minerals from bones and creates subtle tangy undertone.
  • Bay Leaves, Herbs: Introduce layered herbal notes and boost overall broth complexity.
  • Salt, Black Pepper: Balance and elevate the broth's natural savory characteristics.
  • Water: Pure, filtered water ensures clean and uncompromised broth quality.

Tools for Slow Cooking Bone Broth at Home

  • Slow Cooker: Essential for simmering bones and creating rich, flavorful broth with minimal effort.
  • Fine Mesh Sieve: Critical for straining out bones, vegetables, and any impurities from the finished broth.
  • Large Bowl or Jar: Needed to collect and store the strained broth safely.
  • Roasting Pan (optional): Useful for browning bones before adding to slow cooker to enhance flavor.
  • Chef's Knife: Required for chopping vegetables if needed.
  • Spoon or Ladle: Helpful for skimming foam and transferring broth.

How to Make Bone Broth in a Slow Cooker

  • Enhance Bone Flavor

Roast bones in the oven at 400F (200C) for 25-30 minutes until they develop a rich, golden-brown color. This step supercharges the broth’s depth and complexity.

  • Load the Slow Cooker

Toss bones, chopped veggies, a splash of apple cider vinegar, aromatic herbs, bay leaves, and a pinch of seasoning into your slow cooker. Pour water until everything is completely covered.

  • Simmer and Extract

Set the slow cooker to low and let it work its magic for 12-24 hours. The longer it bubbles, the more nutrients and flavor you’ll draw out. Occasionally skim off any foam that appears on the surface.

  • Strain and Refine

Carefully remove the bones and pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. This captures all the delicious goodness while filtering out solid particles.

  • Chill and Preserve

Allow the broth to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. When fully chilled, you can optionally remove the layer of solidified fat from the top for a clearer, lighter broth.

Slow Cooker Bone Broth Flavor Variations and Tips

  • Flavor Boost: Roast bones before adding to the slow cooker to enhance the depth and richness of the bone broth's taste profile.
  • Storage Savvy: Freeze broth in ice cube trays for easy portioning and quick addition to recipes like soups, sauces, or when cooking grains.
  • Dietary Flexibility: Replace traditional bones with chicken, turkey, or fish bones for different protein options and unique flavor variations.
  • Nutritional Enhancement: Add extra nutrient-rich ingredients like ginger, turmeric, or medicinal mushrooms to boost the broth's health benefits and create a more complex flavor.
  • Vegetarian Alternative

How to Serve Bone Broth in Nourishing Ways

  • Cozy Soup Companion: Ladle this rich bone broth into your favorite ceramic mug for a warming, nutrient-packed drink during chilly evenings.
  • Healing Meal Base: Use as a foundational liquid for creating hearty soups, risottos, and stews that bring deep, complex flavors to your cooking.
  • Wellness Sipper: Enjoy a small glass each morning as a mineral-rich health tonic, supporting gut health and providing natural immune system support.
  • Culinary Flavor Booster: Pour into sautéing pans to deglaze and add incredible depth to sauces, gravies, and vegetable dishes with its concentrated nutritional profile.

Preserve and Store Slow Cooker Bone Broth Properly

  • Smart Chilling Strategy: Cool bone broth at room temperature for 1-2 hours before refrigerating to prevent rapid temperature changes that could compromise food safety.
  • Refrigeration Reserve: Store broth in airtight glass containers, leaving 1-inch headspace, which stays fresh for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Glass prevents flavor absorption and allows easy monitoring.
  • Freezing Flexibility: Pour cooled broth into silicone ice cube trays or freezer-safe containers for convenient portioning. Frozen broth maintains quality for 3-4 months when sealed tightly, perfect for quick meal additions.
  • Reheating Wisdom: Gently warm bone broth on stovetop, stirring occasionally to restore smooth consistency. Avoid microwave reheating to maintain nutrient integrity and prevent potential hot spots that could degrade nutritional value.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12-24 hours

Total Time: 24 hours 10 minutes

Calories: 40 kcal

Servings: 10

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Nourishing Slow Cooker Bone Broth Recipe

Nourishing Slow Cooker Bone Broth Recipe


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4.8 from 22 reviews

  • Total Time: 24 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 11 1x

Description

Hearty bone broth simmering in a slow cooker delivers rich, nourishing liquid gold for health-conscious home cooks. Deep flavors and collagen-packed goodness make you crave this nutrient-dense, healing elixir.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 23 lbs (900 g-1.4 kg) beef bones, chicken carcasses, or a mix (preferably with joints or marrow bones)
  • 12 cups (2.8 liters) water
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 tbsps apple cider vinegar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
  • Fresh herbs (e.g., thyme, rosemary, or parsley)
  • Salt, to taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. Roasting: Elevate bone depth by caramelizing them in a blazing 400F (200C) oven for 25-30 minutes until rich golden hues develop, unlocking profound flavor dimensions.
  2. Layering: Nestle roasted bones into slow cooker, strategically arranging chopped vegetables, fragrant herbs, bay leaves, and apple cider vinegar to create a robust flavor foundation.
  3. Hydrating: Immerse all ingredients completely with cool water, ensuring every component is submerged within the cooking vessel, promoting comprehensive nutrient extraction.
  4. Simmering: Set slow cooker to low temperature, allowing liquid to gently develop over 12-24 hours while intermittently skimming emerging foam and potential impurities to maintain clarity.
  5. Straining: Meticulously separate liquid from solid remnants using a fine mesh sieve, capturing the concentrated essence while discarding spent bones and vegetable fragments.
  6. Cooling: Transfer strained broth into a spacious container, allowing natural temperature decline before refrigerating, and optionally remove solidified fat layer for a pristine, lean liquid.

Notes

  • Roast Bones for Depth: Enhance flavor complexity by golden-roasting bones before slow cooking, which caramelizes proteins and intensifies taste profile.
  • Vinegar Magic: Add apple cider vinegar to help extract maximum minerals and collagen from bones, improving nutritional value and creating richer broth texture.
  • Skim Surface Regularly: Remove foam and impurities during cooking to ensure a clean, clear broth without bitter or cloudy characteristics.
  • Storage Strategy: Refrigerate broth immediately after cooling, consuming within 4-5 days or freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months to preserve nutrients and prevent spoilage.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12-24 hours
  • Category: Drinks, Snacks
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 11
  • Calories: 40
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Sodium: 50 mg
  • Fat: 1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 2 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 8 g
  • Cholesterol: 10 mg
William Hawkins

William Hawkins

Founder & Culinary Director

Expertise

  • Modern American and Southern Cuisine
  • Farm-to-Table Practices
  • Restaurant Concept Development
  • Culinary Education and Mentorship​

Education

Sullivan University, Louisville, KY

  • Degree: Associate of Science in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Focused on mastering culinary methods and food science, immersive externships, hands‑on training in industry‑standard kitchen labs, and equipping graduates for roles in restaurant operations.

William Hawkins isn’t just a chef, he’s a storyteller through food. From his hometown of Louisville, KY, he’s spent years refining his craft, turning local ingredients into something extraordinary. 

With classical training from Sullivan University and a career marked by innovation, mentorship, and Southern soul, William approaches every recipe with purpose. His kitchen is where old techniques meet fresh ideas, and where comfort food gets a thoughtful, modern twist. 

When he’s not building dishes from the ground up, he’s out gathering inspiration from nature, markets, and the stories people share around the table.

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