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
- 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.
- 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.
- Hydrating: Immerse all ingredients completely with cool water, ensuring every component is submerged within the cooking vessel, promoting comprehensive nutrient extraction.
- 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.
- Straining: Meticulously separate liquid from solid remnants using a fine mesh sieve, capturing the concentrated essence while discarding spent bones and vegetable fragments.
- 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