Slow Cooker Bone Broth

Homemade slow cooker bone broth is easy to make and is packed full of natural collagen, vitamins, and minerals which benefit your overall health by reducing inflammation, improving digestion, and boosting your immune system.

The benefits of bone broth have been well touted…from reducing inflammation to improving digestion, it might seem like this broth is some form of liquid gold. 

While these promises of well-being are not fully proven, recent studies show that they might at the very least hold some truth and it can be a healthy addition to your daily routine due to its high concentrations of protein and other beneficial amino acids such as glutamine.

Although there are many ways to make bone broth, our preferred method is with the slow cooker. The low and slow cooking method lends itself well to developing a flavorful and gelatinous broth that fully extracts all the nutrients from the bones. 

Before we dive into this slow cooker bone broth recipe, let’s cover the basics on all things bone broth.

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What Is Bone Broth?

Bone broth is well…a broth made out of slowly simmered bones. 

When you slowly cook bones for 24 to 48 hours, you extract a ton of macro and micro nutrients such as protein, gelatine, collagen, and glutamine. 

Many of the nutrients found in bone broth are fairly limited in the average diet and that’s why adding a cup of this liquid gold broth to your daily routine can have a ton of benefits to your health. 

In fact, in a recent study, found bone broth to have anti-inflammatory properties and may actually help aid in healthy digestion. 

So whether you’re looking to improve your digestion, lower inflammation, or boost your immune system, bone broth can be a great addition to your daily routine. 

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Why Slow Cook Bone Broth?

There are tons of different methods for cooking bone broth but here’s why we think you should slow cook your bone broth.

• Nutrient Extraction: The key to making the best bone broth is cooking it long enough to fully extract all the nutrients from the bones. The best way to do this is to slow cook bone broth in a crockpot for up to 48 hours. Although we love the convenience of a pressure cooker, the high heat can actually denature some of the nutrients. Plus there’s no risk of overheating the broth and destroying the more delicate nutrients and enzymes. 
• Set It and Forget It: Making bone broth is a long process but with the slow cooker method you can set it and forget it without worrying about it boiling over or setting the house on fire. It’s also the most energy efficient method!
• Optimal Flavor Development: We all know that slow cooked food is often the most rich and flavorful. Well the same is true for this bone broth. While it might be tempting to use faster cooking methods, there’s nothing like the flavor of slow cook bone broth.

While making bone broth in a slow cooker is just one of many methods, it’s our preference for the reasons listed above. We also just find it involves the least amount of overall effort. Plus, this slow cook bone broth recipe has the best flavor of any we’ve tried.

Which Types of Bones Are Best?

The secret to not only the best tasting but also the most-nutrient rich bone broth is choosing the right bones – better yet, the right mix of bones. Different types of bones provide different nutritional benefits, some are higher in certain minerals while others have higher concentrations of collagen. 

Before we get into the breakdown of the best bones to use and why, I want to preface by saying that when it comes to bone broth, it’s really important to always use grass-fed beef bones and organic free-range chicken bones. When you’re consuming something primarily for the health benefits, it’s important to keep that in mind when choosing the raw ingredients as well.

We recommend using a mix of beef and chicken bones for the best flavor but that’s totally up to you and your preferences.

Beef Bones

Grass-fed beef bones are a great choice when it comes to making the best bone broth. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids and are free from hormones and antibiotics.

• Oxtails: You don’t always see oxtails recommended for bone broth but we think they are one of the best kinds to include because they are meaty, lending a rich flavor as well as being packed with cartilage and connective tissue making them rich in gelatin. 
• Marrow Bones: Bone marrow is a bit of a superfood thanks to its high levels of immune boosting compounds and vitamins. It’s full of collagen and glucosamine which is great for joint and skin health.
• Knuckle Bones: Perhaps one of the best sources of collagen of all the beef bones, knuckle bones are packed with connective tissue that breaks down into gelatin through the cooking process. They are also a great source of chondroitin which is great for joint health and mobility. 

Chicken Bones

Organic free-range chicken bones make a great addition to any bone broth because they add a subtle clean and savory flavor profile that balances out the slight farmyness of strictly beef bone broth. Plus they are a slightly more affordable option and can help your bone broth to get the signature gelatinous texture when cooled.

• Chicken Wings: Although they might not be the first thing you think of when you think of bone broth, chicken wings are loaded with cartilage which adds a boost of collagen and gelatin to your bone both. Plus they are typically one of the cheapest cuts!

Chicken Feet: If you’re looking for that hard jelly-like texture in your bone broth, then you have to try adding chicken feet. Although they can take some getting used too, they are made up almost entirely of cartilage. Just make sure you clean them thoroughly before roasting.

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What Else Goes In Crockpot Bone Broth?

While the bones are the most important component, there are a couple of aromatics that can make it even tastier. 

• Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a key ingredient that helps to extract as much from the bones as possible. The natural acidity helps to break down the connective tissue and minerals as well as releasing collagen and gelatin. 
• Carrot: Carrots add a subtle sweetness which helps to balance out the rich heartiness of the broth. Plus, they are rich in beta-carotene.
• Celery: A good source of vitamin K and natural sodium, celery adds a slightly herbal umami flavor to the broth.
• Onion: Onions are packed with all kinds of healthy nutrients including sulfur and quercetin and they add a savory depth to the flavor profile.

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Should You Roast The Bones First?

Pre-roasting the bones is entirely a personal choice. For the most part, it affects the flavor. The roasting process produces the Maillard reaction which is when the meat caramelizes on the surface and produces a rich savory flavor. A bone broth made from unroasted bones will have more clean light flavor while a roasted bone broth will be deeper and richer in flavor.

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How Long to Cook Crockpot Bone Broth?

When it comes to making bone broth, the longer the better. Cooking over a long period of time allows the amino acids and minerals from the bones to be extracted into the broth.

At the bare minimum you should slow cook bone broth for 12 hours but we recommend 48 hours for the best result.

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Why Not Also Make Some Bone Marrow Compound Butter?

If you’re using marrow bones and want to get the most out of the nutrient-rich ingredient, you can simultaneously make some delicious compound butter.

To do so, roast a whole head of garlic and 2 shallots wrapped in foil while roasting the bones. Once everything is done roasting, scoop out about a ¼ cup of bone marrow and mix it with the roasted garlic and shallot and a softened stick of salted butter. 

Set aside to cool in the fridge and serve on top of steak, roasted veggies, or spread on toasted sourdough bread.

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How to Use Slow Cooker Bone Broth

Bone broth is surprisingly versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes. Although it’s most commonly served on its own in a warm and comforting mug, it is also great as a replacement to stock and adds in a boost of protein and minerals to any recipe. Here are some of our favorite ways to use bone broth:

• Drink it on its own topped with a sprinkle of smoked paprika or some finely sliced green onions.
• Turn it into miso soup with the addition of some miso paste and cubed tofu.
• Make healthy hot chocolate by mixing in some raw cacao powder and honey. 
• Use it in soups as a replacement for water or stock.
• Use it to cook grains for a boost of protein and micronutrients.

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How to Store Slow Cooker Bone Broth

The Kitchn has a wonderfully convenient tip for storing and freezing bone broth. 

If you’re going to use it within 5 days, just store it in the fridge.

However, if you’re planning to freeze your broth and want to save some freezer space, you can slowly simmer your broth until it’s reduced by half and the flavors (and nutrients) have concentrated. From there, you can freeze them into single serving cubes and then transfer them to a freezer bag. 

So without further ado, here is our crockpot bone broth recipe. Santé!

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More ideas you’ll love

• 11 Healthy & High-Protein Crockpot Chicken Recipe Ideas
• Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga (Guisado’s Copycat Recipe)
• 7 High-Protein Crockpot Meals that Are Insanely Healthy & Easy to Make

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