This simple recipe for Slow Cooker Bone Broth is flavorful, rich, and full of protein and amino acids. Skip the store and make your own broth at home - it's easier than you think and tastes SO much better!
Slow cooker bone broth is going to be your new favorite kitchen hack - I promise! If you're roasting chicken but not making broth afterwards, you're missing out. This golden liquid is perfect for adding to homemade soups, stews, sauces, risotto, and countless other dishes.
Bone broth is rich in amino acids, high in protein, minerals, and collagen - and all of this from leftover bones! In my opinion, it's the best way to make the most of a whole chicken (or even purchased rotisserie chicken) and is a great way to stretch your budget while maximizing nutrition.
What's more, bone broth has traditionally been used to aid the immune system during bouts of cold or flu, and it's been shown to help with gut health too (source: Analysis of the Anti-Inflammatory Capacity of Bone Broth).
Perfecting the Recipe
When I first started making bone broth, I had trouble getting the flavor just right and it didn't really taste like those boxes in the store. Over the past 10+ years I worked on creating the perfect balance of aromatic vegetables, bones, and seasonings (salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf) to get a homemade chicken stock that tastes even better than anything I've purchased from the store.
This Crock Pot bone broth recipe is one of the easiest methods, and it is a great way to prepare this liquid gold with a hands-off approach. Even if you've never made bone broth before, you should find this method easy and straight-forward. I've included lots of tips in the recipe card and post to help you with any questions you may have during the process.
Ways to Use Bone Broth:
- In homemade soups (chicken soup, anyone?)
- To cook rice or other grains
- Pan sauces
- Gravies
- Risotto
- Bone broth hot chocolate
- Warmed with ginger, turmeric, and coconut milk for a flavorful sipper
- Or anywhere you would use store-bought broth
Keep in mind that although this recipe makes a big batch, it can easily be frozen or canned for later use!
Ingredients
- Chicken bones: I like to use the leftover bones from two roasted chickens, although you could use any assortment that you have on hand. Ask your local butcher what they have available. And if they have chicken feet - take 'em! They make the best bone broth.
- Apple cider vinegar (optional): This helps to pull the minerals from the bones, and encourages the broth to gel.
- Aromatic vegetables: Onions, carrots, and celery.
- Seasoning: Salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves are basic additions. If you don't have peppercorns you can leave them out and instead add pepper to the finished broth.
- Parsley (optional): I like to add a little parsley at the end of cooking if I have some on hand, but if you don't have any fresh parsley don't worry about it.
- Water: You'll want to add enough to cover the bones and vegetables; about 8-12 cups.
Can I make beef broth instead?
If you want to make slow cooker bone broth with beef bones, you can substitute the chicken for 3 pounds of roasted bones, or follow my slow cooker beef bone broth recipe.
Needed Equipment
- Slow cooker: You will want one large enough to hold the bones, vegetables, and water. I use a 6 quart model and it works for everything from broth to homemade yogurt.
- Ladle
- Strainer
- Glass jars
How to Make Bone Broth in a Crock Pot
- Add the bones, vegetables, bat leaves, peppercorns, salt, and apple cider vinegar to a slow cooker.
- Pour in enough water to completely cover the bones and vegetables by about 1".
- Cover with a lid and cook on "low" for 15-18 hours, or until the broth is richly colored and flavorful.
- OPTIONAL: Add a bunch of fresh parsley during the last hour of cooking.
- Remove the solids from the slow cooker, ensuring that any liquid drops back into the Crock Pot below.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve until all solid bits have been removed.
- Transfer your strained broth to glass jars to store in the refrigerator, or cool before transferring to freezer containers (if destined for the freezer).
Note: If preparing for home canning, first cool the broth to remove the fat cap, then proceed with canning instructions.
What about the layer of fat?
- As your broth cools, you will see a layer of semi-transparent liquid collect on the top. Once the broth is completely cooled, it hardens to a scoop-able consistency similar to softened butter.
- I leave the fat cap in place if I'm storing my broth in the fridge, as it seals the broth and slows down spoilage, but I do remove the fat before using in my favorite soups and stews (at least most of the time).
- The fat is similar to schmaltz and can be used to fry potatoes, vegetables, or use in place of oil or butter in cooking.
Instant Pot Method
Chicken broth can easily be made in the Instant Pot if you have a 6 or 8-quart model. Just add all of the ingredients (except the parsley) and cook under high pressure for 120 minutes (2 hours). Release the pressure, strain, and you're ready to enjoy or store some delicious broth!
Storing and Freezing Bone Broth
Homemade bone broth can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. For longer storage, transfer it to a freezer safe container and freeze it for 3-6 months.
For smaller batches, you can freeze the broth in Souper cubes (they come in 2 tablespoon, ½ cup, 1 cup, and 2 cup sizes), or ice cube trays. Then you can just thaw the amount needed for your recipe - easy peasy!
Note about Freezing in Glass Jars
If you want to freeze in glass jars, you have to be quite careful. I've experimented quite a bit with freezing in mason jars and they have a high likelihood of breaking.
The secret is that only the mason jars with straight edges (no neck whatsoever) like the half pint size and 3 cup size (the ones used for asparagus) are safe for freezing. Any other type of glass jar is likely to break.
How Do I Make Gelatinous Broth?
- Selecting the bones. If you want to have a homemade broth that gels really well, you want to select bones with lots of connective tissues. Typical chicken carcasses work well, but adding chicken feet to your broth will make it even more likely to gel!
- Apple cider vinegar. This helps to pull minerals from the bones and helps them to break down during the cooking process. Including it can increase your chance of getting a thick broth.
- Water ratio. If you use too much water or too few bones you will have a light broth and it isn't very likely to gel. Adjust the water level to cover the bones by about 1".
- Cooking time. If using a slow cooker, go for a slow and low approach to extract all the gelatin and collagen from the leftover chicken bones.
- Under pressure. I find the most consistent method for making gelatinous broth is the Instant Pot method. The high pressure cooking environment seems to get every last bit of goodness out of the bones.
Recipe FAQs
Once you are done straining off your bones and veggies you should compost or discard your veggies, but you can re-use your bones for another batch of broth (along with fresh veggies). This is a french technique called Remouillage; it is done by simmering the liquid level down to half of its original level, meaning you get a similar flavor to the first batch of broth, but a lower volume of finished liquid.
Yes, homemade broth can be canned as long as you follow safe canning processes. This means using a pressure cooker, and using the proper preparation techniques. The NCHFP recommends canning broth at 11 pounds of pressure, with 20 minutes for pints, and 25 minutes for quarts.
These times are for altitudes under 1000 feet, and so the processing time would need to be adjusted for higher altitudes.
You can use just about any type of bone to make bone broth! The most common are chicken, beef, and turkey bones, but you could use just about anything. Venison, rabbit, and even fish have traditionally been used to make broth for homemade soups.
If you loved this recipe for slow cooker bone broth, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @littlehomeinthemaking.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Bone Broth
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 whole chicken carcasses previously cooked, with meat removed
- 1 onion peeled and quartered
- 2 carrots peeled and quartered
- 2 celery ribs halved
- 8-12 cups water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar optional
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns or ½ teaspoon ground pepper (optional)
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- ½ bunch parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Add the chicken carcasses, onion, carrots, celery, apple cider vinegar (if using), salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves to a 6 quart (or larger) slow cooker.
- Pour in enough water to cover the bones and vegetables by about 1-2 inches.
- Cook on “low” for 15-18 hours, or until the broth is amber colored and rich in flavor. If the water level drops below the bones at any time, top it off with additional filtered water.
- If desired, add parsley during the last hour of cooking.
- Remove the solids from the slow cooker using a slotted spoon (or mesh ladle) and discard them (or use for another batch of broth - see notes*).
- Fit a large bowl with a mesh strainer and ladle the broth into it. The remaining solids will catch in the strainer and can be discarded.
- Use a ladle and fine strainer or sieve to strain the broth as you pour it into canning jars or your preferred storage containers.
- Let the broth come to room temperature and transfer to the fridge to cool. Once your broth has cooled, a layer of fat will form at the top of your container. If desired, you can remove the fat cap and then use or store your bone broth.
Notes
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