Slow cooker bone broth is homemade liquid gold — surprisingly hands-off despite the long simmer. Roasted bones, garlic, carrots, celery, and herbs bubble away for 24 to 48 hours with apple cider vinegar to draw out the collagen. Each cup is nearly zero carb with 6.5 g protein, and a properly made batch gels like jelly in the fridge.
Don’t let the long cook time fool you—making your own liquid gold at home is surprisingly simple and hands-off! This slow cooker bone broth is a game-changer for gut health, glowing skin, and a robust immune system. It’s the cozy, nourishing secret weapon your kitchen has been missing. Plus, it makes a fantastic base for soups, stews, or just for sipping on its own. Let’s get simmering!
Ingredients
• 3 pounds / 1.4 kg (3.09 lb) beef or chicken bones
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 medium carrots, cut into large chunks
• 2 ribs celery, cut into large chunks
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium red onion, cut into large chunks
• ¼ cup / 60 ml (2 fl oz) fresh herbs (parsley, dill, thyme, oregano, rosemary)
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml (1 fl oz) apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon / 15 ml (0.5 fl oz) sea salt
• 2 teaspoons / 10 ml (0.3 fl oz) black peppercorns
Instructions
1. Directions
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Spread the bones in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, or until they are beautifully browned. This step is key for a deep, rich flavor!
3. While the bones are roasting, set your slow cooker to the low setting. Add the peeled garlic cloves, carrots, celery, bay leaves, onion, fresh herbs, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and peppercorns to the pot.
4. Carefully transfer the hot, roasted bones into the slow cooker, placing them on top of the vegetables. Fill the slow cooker with enough cold water to cover everything by at least an inch. Cover and let it work its magic for 24 to 48 hours. The longer it simmers, the richer and more nutrient-dense your broth will be.
5. Once the cooking time is complete, carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl or pot. Discard the leftover bones and vegetables.
6. Allow the broth to cool slightly before transferring it to glass jars or airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze in portions for several months.
Nutritional Information
• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 33
• Fat: 0.9g
• Protein: 6.5g
• Total Carbs: 0g (0 oz)
• Fiber: 0g
• Net Carbs: 0g (0 oz)
Pro Tips
• For chicken broth, use whole carcasses from rotisserie chickens, leaving any meat scraps on. For beef broth, a mix of oxtail, knuckles, and short ribs yields a wonderfully gelatinous result.
• Can’t find soup bones? Don’t be shy! Ask the butcher at your local grocery store; they often have them available behind the counter.
• A truly great bone broth will gel when chilled. Don’t be alarmed! It will turn back into a liquid when heated. This jelly-like consistency is a sign of high collagen content.
• Once chilled, a layer of fat will solidify on top. You can easily scrape this off and discard it, or save the flavorful tallow to use for cooking vegetables or searing meat.
FAQ
Q: Why do I need to roast the bones first
A: Roasting the bones for about 20 minutes until they are beautifully browned is a crucial step for developing a deep, rich flavor in your finished bone broth.
Q: How long should I cook bone broth in a slow cooker
A: This recipe calls for a slow cook time of 24 to 48 hours on the low setting. The longer the broth simmers, the more flavorful and nutrient-dense it will become.
Q: Why did my bone broth turn into jelly in the fridge
A: A jelly-like consistency when chilled is a great sign! It means your broth is rich in collagen. Don’t worry, it will turn back into a liquid as soon as you heat it up.
Q: What are the best bones to use for this recipe
A: For chicken broth, whole rotisserie chicken carcasses work well. For a gelatinous beef broth, use a mix of oxtail, knuckles, and short ribs. You can always ask your local butcher for soup bones.
Pro Tips
- Roast the bones first. Twenty minutes at 375°F until deeply browned is the single biggest upgrade to the broth's flavor — raw bones make a pale, flat-tasting stock.
- For chicken broth, use whole rotisserie carcasses with the meat scraps left on; for beef, a mix of oxtail, knuckles, and short ribs gives a wonderfully gelatinous result.
- Cover everything with cold water by at least an inch and keep the slow cooker on low for the full 24 to 48 hours — the longer simmer is what pulls the collagen out.
- Do not panic if the chilled broth gels solid — that jelly-like consistency is the sign of high collagen content, and it returns to liquid when reheated.
- A layer of fat will solidify on top once chilled. Scrape it off or save the tallow for cooking vegetables and searing meat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does bone broth keep?
Store it in glass jars or airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze it in portions for several months.
Why did my bone broth turn into jelly?
That is exactly what you want. A broth that gels when chilled is rich in collagen extracted from the bones during the long cook — it liquefies again as soon as you heat it.
Can I skip roasting the bones?
You can, but you will lose the deep, rich flavor. Roasting until the bones are beautifully browned is the step that separates a great broth from a flat one.
Where do I get soup bones?
Ask the butcher at your local grocery store — they often have bones available behind the counter even when they are not on display.
Recipe card below.
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Simple Slow Cooker Bone Broth
Ingredients
Method
- Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C.
- Spread the bones in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, or until they are beautifully browned. This step is key for a deep, rich flavor!
- While the bones are roasting, set your slow cooker to the low setting.
- Add the peeled garlic cloves, carrots, celery, bay leaves, onion, fresh herbs, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and peppercorns to the pot.
- Carefully transfer the hot, roasted bones into the slow cooker, placing them on top of the vegetables. Fill the slow cooker with enough cold water to cover everything by at least an inch.
- Cover and let it work its magic for 24 to 48 hours. The longer it simmers, the richer and more nutrient-dense your broth will be.
- Once the cooking time is complete, carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl or pot.
- Discard the leftover bones and vegetables.
- Allow the broth to cool slightly before transferring it to glass jars or airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze in portions for several months.
- Once chilled, a layer of fat will solidify on top. You can easily scrape this off and discard it, or save the flavorful tallow to use for cooking vegetables or searing meat.
