This Beef Bone Broth is rich in flavor and nutrients and is easy to make in a slow cooker. Use it for sipping or as a flavorful base for soups, stews, sauces, and other dishes.
In many cultures bone broth is prized as a restorative, nourishing liquid. In Peru, where I grew up, a hearty bone broth is often called “levanta muertos,” literally “revive the dead.” Whether you view it as traditional medicine or simply a comforting, nutritious drink, one thing is clear: homemade bone broth tastes far better than most commercial broths. It also adds depth and nutrients when used instead of water in cooking.
Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth
- Start with good-quality beef bones—ideally from grass-fed or pasture-raised animals when available. Add a few vegetables and aromatics, and an acid such as apple cider vinegar.
- The vinegar helps draw minerals and amino acids—calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, glutamine, proline, glycine, and others—out of the bones and into the liquid.
- To extract maximum flavor and nutrients, cook the broth low and slow. Allow 18–24 hours in a slow cooker. There’s no need to watch it closely—set and forget; the aroma will remind you it’s working.
- When cooking is complete, strain the broth and cool. Fat rises to the top as it chills; you can remove it once solid. Some keep this fat for cooking, but it’s fine to discard. Store broth in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Benefits of Bone Broth
- Supports the immune system.
- Good for digestive health: gelatin from the broth can help support gut lining integrity, encourage beneficial gut bacteria, and support healthy inflammation levels in the digestive tract.
- Supports joint health: bone broth provides natural collagen, the structural protein found in bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.
- Supports skin health due to collagen content.
- Can enhance nutrient and mineral absorption when used as a cooking liquid.
Kathy’s Notes
- Whenever possible, source bones from humanely raised, pastured, or grass-fed animals.
- Use organic vegetables for the cleanest flavor and best quality.
- Roasting the bones for about an hour before simmering deepens the broth’s flavor and color, though you can skip this step if short on time.
- Cook grains like quinoa or rice and vegetables in bone broth instead of water to boost flavor and nutrition.
- Use this beef bone broth as a base for soups such as potato corn chowder or ginger-turmeric carrot soup, or in any recipe that calls for stock.
WANT TO TRY THIS SLOW COOKER BEEF BONE BROTH?
Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth
This beef bone broth is loaded with flavor and nutrients and is easily made in a slow cooker. Great for sipping or as a base for soups, stews, sauces, and as a cooking liquid. Cooking time: 1 hour to roast the bones + 18 to 24 hours in the slow cooker.
Prep 5 mins
Cook 16 hrs 30 mins
Total 16 hrs 35 mins
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds beef bones
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves
- 5-6 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 12-15 whole black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the bones on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan lined with foil or parchment. Roast for 1 hour, turning the bones once halfway through. Remove from the oven.
- Add the roasted bones, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns to the slow cooker. Cover with water so everything is fully submerged. Stir in the apple cider vinegar.
- Set the slow cooker to low and cook for at least 18 hours, up to 24 hours. Season lightly with salt toward the end if desired.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or pot, discarding the solids.
- Transfer the strained broth to jars or containers and cool about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until the fat rises and solidifies, then spoon off and discard the fat if desired.
- Refrigerate in airtight containers up to 4 days or freeze up to 6 months.
- When chilled the broth may gel due to gelatin from the bones; gently warm to return it to liquid form before using.
Notes
I usually don’t add salt to my stocks. Season to taste when serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 135 kcal,
Carbohydrates: 29 g,
Protein: 3 g,
Sodium: 156 mg,
Potassium: 819 mg,
Fiber: 6 g,
Sugar: 12 g,
Vitamin A: 20740 IU,
Vitamin C: 22.5 mg,
Calcium: 125 mg,
Iron: 0.8 mg
Carbohydrates: 29 g,
Protein: 3 g,
Sodium: 156 mg,
Potassium: 819 mg,
Fiber: 6 g,
Sugar: 12 g,
Vitamin A: 20740 IU,
Vitamin C: 22.5 mg,
Calcium: 125 mg,
Iron: 0.8 mg
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