I realize that “bone broth” might not sound to you like the most appetizing thing in the world, but I can assure you that it is one of the most wonderful, healing substances you can put in your body.
Bone broth is made simply by simmering animal bones in water with a bit of cider vinegar for anywhere from 36-72 hours. (I store my bones in zipper bags in the freezer, until I have enough for a batch of bone broth. I keep chicken bones separate from beef bones.) While the bones are simmering, all of the minerals in the bones are infused into the liquid with the help of that vinegar.
The broth you’re left with is a potent healing concoction that can improve your gut health, provide relief from joint pain, and can give you stronger teeth and bones.
It’s super easy to make bone broth. And if you employ the help of your slow cooker, you’ll make the job much easier on yourself.
How to make bone broth in your slow cooker
Put your bones (preferably they will be bones from grass-fed animals) in the slow cooker with some onion, organic celery, carrots, herbs, and a few cloves of garlic. Add a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the works to help leech the minerals and nutrients out of the bones.
Cook on low for up to 8 hours, but preferably for up to 72 hours (longer is better, that’s what I do). As the bone broth simmers, you may need to replace the water. Keep the water level at about 3/4 full.
Strain the broth when you’ve cooked it as long as you’re going to.
If you’ve done it just right with the chicken bones (not the beef ones as much), the broth will gelatinize when you refrigerate it overnight. This gelatin tells you the broth is so nutritious!
One taste and you’ll see that our grandmothers really did have it right. Bones do make the best soup!
Besides drinking it straight, I use bone broth in place of stock in all of my soup recipes. You can also use bone broth as a liquid for braising.
30 Responses
I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you for the information. I enjoy reading your articles. I do have a question. How many bones do you need to make a batch of bone broth?
I do about two pounds per gallon of water. I also use a roaster instead of a slow cooker so I can do a large batch all at once. If you have a way to get chicken feet add those as well!
Ok, thanks so much!!
chicken feet are usually at any asian store. luckily i live in the hood 🙂 GREAT markets around here.
are these bones from raw or roasted meat?
I’ve used both
Hi Linda,
We recommend roasting them first.
Either will work. For a flavor boost, sear the bones first and then throw them in the pot.
Thank you! I tried this and after a few missteps it came out very well! But I have lots of extra. How long will it keep in the fridge, and can it be frozen?
I’ve frozen broth before.
i wouldnt keep it in the fridge more than 5-7 days, the same length as any other soup. but i have a vacuum sealer and i freeze broth all the time. sometimes i put a little less water and make it more concentrated so it makes a smaller package in the freezer, then add the water back when i use it. whenever we do a roasted chicken, a beef roast, pork shoulder for carnitas, etc….i cook off the bones for broth. never did it for 72 hours but i will try it. i actually just do it on the stove in a stock pot and turn it down as low as possible.
If you boil it every few days, it will keep a LONG time, and it can be frozen.
Would nutrients be retained in a pressure cooker as well?
DO YOU COOK ALL THE BONES TOGETHER? CHICKEN, PORK, BEEF?
no each individually
Hi Marly,
I wouldn’t suggest cooking them all together. I would cook the chicken together, pork together and beef together.
I have cooked bones together without problems. It will be harder to identify your final flavor but it will be awesome and savory.
Last Thursday I did this with a rotisserie chicken carcass. After dinner I put it in the Electric Crock and covered the bones in water – cooked it all night and the next day. Even though I didn’t have any of the aromatics (celery, onion, carrots, garlic), the clear beautiful broth was delicious! I will add the vinegar next time for the added mineral leaching. It made the best Chicken soup ever!
Saturday night. I Same thing, only this time with some pork chop bones and trimmings. I cooked them through Sunday evening. Removed the bones and trimmings with a slotted spoon. Added a bunch of veggies (carrots, celery, onion, sliced mushrooms, and cut-up French green beans and cooked all night. I’ll season and add some cooked meat tonight for dinner (and for dinner all week long.)
I can’t wait till thanksgiving!
Can I just put a whole chicken in the crock pot, not just the bones, and simmer it all for 3 days or does the meat have to be off first?
You could do the whole chicken, but after three days, the meat will be in shreds similar to pulled pork, and you will have to sift through the shreds to pick out the bones.
Has anyone tried cooking the whole chicken for several days till the bones are really soft – then mashing them and including them in the soup? Our chiropractor suggested doing this, and it’s quite tasty…
I’ve cooked bones until soft, but never mashed them. Sounds interesting!
I just cooked a turkey carcass for 72 hours, but much of the water evaporated. Should I add water to it for soup or would chicken broth be better?
Broth might make it too salty. I would add water and seasonings to taste.
Making my first batch, on hour 22 or thereabouts. The house smells so yummy – I can’t wait to make soup! The liquid levels actually rose in my crock, so my advice is to make sure you leave a few inches and then add water later, if needed. I had to remove some liquid so it didn’t overflow. Just a few basters worth. I haven’t added any more water in the 20 + hours and it’s just now about two inches down. Obviously, adjust for your particular circumstances, but I thought I was going to really have to watch the water level but it’s not a big deal. This is fun! The bestest way to multitask!
Could you use chicken backs from leg quarters?
How do you know if the bones are OK. The marrow bones at my supermarket often have brown areas around the marrow. The meat counter guy said it’s fine…. but it doesn’t look very good. Thanks for any answers.
How long do you cook the bones in the oven and what temp? The recipe stopped on the Hot Melt Guide.
Thanks,
Kathy
You cook them till nicely browned, about 45 minutes or so. 🙂