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How to Make Crock Pot Bone Broth

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  2. How to Make Bone Broth Recipe
Crock Pot Bone Broth on Jars, Organic Carrots and Onion in kitchen cloth beside it
How to Make Crock Pot Bone Broth

I rarely get sick, but when I do, I have a cookbook manuscript with my final edits due at the end of the week. True. Story. I knew this cold was coming. Sure, I tried to dodge it, I made sure that my daughter covered her cough, washed my hands fifty times a day and ate lots of healthy foods high in Vitamin C. I even used my elbows to open doors – have you ever done this at Starbucks? Guaranteed you’re getting some weird looks.

Then my son got the cold as well.

My body apparently just threw up its hands and said to me “Listen. You’ve been on the road for five weeks, successfully battling off every virus known to man at Disney World and on a cruise ship. Did I mention gas station pumps and debit machines? It’s time to give in. Here’s your yearly winter cold.”

Bah.

Ingredients in Making Crockpot Bone Broth

That means it’s time for some good old-fashioned bone broth. Bone broth was a hot commodity last year, with its health benefits being touted from here to kingdom come. It’s also a Paleo diet staple which in all honesty may be the reason that people don’t really think about bone broth. Good foods get lost when they are attached to certain types of diets and I really think that bone broth got lost in the Paleo craze last year. It has been a mainstream food for prairie folks for decades here in Canada. We ain’t discovering anything new here, folks, just a nice return to healthy, homemade basics.

It’s very basic : animal bones and your choice of vegetable flavouring. The world is your oyster when it comes to choices. I’m just going to teach you all How to Make Crockpot Bone Broth. It’s truly SO easy!

Bones and chopped vegetables in Crockpot ready for roasting

Making beef bone broth might sound the same as making a nice beef soup base, but the intentions with a bone brother are different. We aren’t just looking for flavour, we are looking to leech every single bit of healthy goodness out of the bones. Pass by any recipes that tell you to cook it for 8 hours or simply overnight, that’s a beef broth, which is good in its own way of course.

You take some beef or chicken bones, throw in some carrots, onion, celery and garlic for some extra flavour, then roast them in the oven for a good half an hour. Throw them and around 12 cups of water into a crockpot and let it simmer for a good two days. Yes, two days.

Roasted bones and chopped vegetables in Crockpot

Bone broth needs a solid 24 or more hours to reach the point where the bones almost crumble in your hands. That’s when the bone broth is done. During this time, the cooking process breaks the bones down and releases all of the available nutrients and minerals. The main attributes of bone broth seem to be touted as collagen, gelatin, and glucosamine, all of which are easier to digest when cooked for this longer period. A nutritionist I am not, but it can’t be argued that while it may not be a wonder cure-all, bone broth has been proven to be easy on the stomach and all hot liquids help out with colds – broth has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body.

Bone broth can be used as a soup base, the same as bouillon, but most people simply drink a cup of it plain, which I did. I wanted something hot to sip on a few times a day without any, well, chunks in it, that helped me battle my cold. Sometimes I honest to God just don’t feel like chewing when I’m sick. Just me?

If you notice, my broth is NOT clear. By the time you have cooked the vegetables and bones, you have a lot of (healthy) matter that has broken down into your bone broth. This is a fabulous thing and makes it even healthier for you.

Crock Pot Bone Broth on Jars, Organic Carrots and Onion in kitchen cloth beside it

So now one week later, my cookbook edits are in, all the other work that I had due is in and my cold..is still hanging on a teensy bit. What a drag this cold was! I don’t get colds for a week, yet here this one was in all its glory.

To be honest, I’ll be keeping a crockpot of this simmering at least twice a week from here until summertime. I’ve already used a beef bone broth as a base for a beefy vegetable soup and there’s chicken broth in jars in the fridge just waiting for an egg noodle chicken soup. Once you get the rhythm, it’s nice and easy to keep yourself stocked up on it.

A note, buying the best possible bones from grassfed beef is important when it comes to quality. Use the best products and you will get the healthiest result. To put it bluntly, think of what you are boiling out of the bones and eating.

How has everyone fared this winter so far? Any nasty colds or have you managed to stay fairly healthy?

Love you more than chocolate,

Karlynn

If you’re looking for a similar broth, try out my Turkey Brine Recipe!

Or, if you want a recipe to use this broth in, try using it for Poached Chicken, or some Chicken and Dumpling Soup!

Finally, if you want a different recipe using beef, try these Beer Glazed Beef Ribs!

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Delicious and healthy bone broth is full of nutrition to help you battle your cold, flu, stomach bug...really, it's pretty fabulous for everything! #crockpot #slowcooker #bonebroth #paleo #healthy
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How to Make Bone Broth

Delicious and healthy bone broth is full of nutrition to help you battle your cold, flu, stomach bug…really, it’s pretty fabulous for everything!
5 from 1 votes
Crock Pot Bone Broth on Jars, Organic Carrots and Onion in kitchen cloth beside it
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
2 days
Course
Soup
Cuisine
American
Calories
153
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 3.5-4 pounds of beef or chicken bones
  • 4-5 small whole organic carrots tops included
  • 1 medium white onion peeled and quartered
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic peeled and left whole
  • half a stalk of celery – I like to use the bottom part that no one eats
  • 3-4 leaves bay
  • 12-14 cups of water

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat your oven to 450 °F.
  • Roast the bones and vegetables for 25-30 minutes, until browned and any meat on the outside is cooked. I like to leave the carrot tops on and let them cook into the broth, whose why organic is very important for those.
  • Remove and place into a crockpot or a large stockpot on the stove. Add the water in and simmer for at least 24 hours, but 48 is better.
  • Strain the solids out and store the broth in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or simply freeze and use later.

Recipe Notes

Calories and nutrition on this recipe are inaccurate as it calculates all the ingredients which you don’t actually eat

Nutrition Information

Calories: 153kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 3g, Sodium: 323mg, Potassium: 941mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 40950IU, Vitamin C: 23.9mg, Calcium: 221mg, Iron: 2.3mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

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Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Paula says

    Question, once broth has cooled in frig should i remove top layer of fat or is this also good for you ??

    • Karlynn Johnston says

      I feel that you will remove all the goodness out of the recipe, you can remove some of the fat if wanted, but I leave it as is.

  2. Kim Prigotzke says

    What about adding in apple cider vinegar? I heard that it helps break down the bones.

  3. Amy Melby says

    Out of curiosity, where do you get your bones from?? Someplace local here in YEG?

  4. Geri-Ann Chatterley says

    I received your book as a Christmas gift and am enjoying it immensely. Started with the flapper pie and stuffed skillet cookie…yum! Next up…cherry pistachio donuts! I’m very interested in trying this broth but am uncertain where to find the best possible bones. Can you recommend a place in Edmonton where I can get them?

  5. Pam Mansveld says

    Yes! Ever tried an Instant Pot? Got one just before the holidays and I use it almost daily!

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      I have beef bones in my instant pot right now for bone broth ! I LOVE MINE!!!

      • Bijan H says

        Do you really mean it when you say 1/2 of a stock of celery?

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      Pam Mansveld I don’t know how I lived without it. It doesn’t leave my counter!

    • Pam Mansveld says

      You should do an Instant Pot cookbook ☺️

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      Pam Mansveld I think by the time I’m ready for a third (second is already in the works!) instant pots will be common enough to at least have a chapter for sure!

  6. Around the World in 80 Cupcakes says

    I’ve only just decided to do this. I’ve ordered grass fed beef bones and chickens feet. First time for that too. Perfect timing for the recipe!

  7. Tracy Miller Nottage says

    I’m new to home broth. Is the flavor just a more intense version of the regular broth?

    • Karlynn Johnston says

      You cook bone broth until the bones are literally crumbling, which is usually not what you do with a quick soup broth. Bone broth can take days but it leeches all the nutrients out of the bones – which is what makes it soooo healthy for us!

  8. Louise Gray says

    Ok, I have a question … Can you bottle or freeze this? I’m thinking probably not as it does not have a preservative like salt
    And it would no doubt lose its nutritional value
    But I’m thinking about sealing in a mason jar as a way of storage like you would for jam or pickles

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      You can freeze it, no nutritional value would be lost at all. You can pressure can it as well, but I don’t pressure can so I can’t give any idea of times etc for safe canning of it.

    • Louise Gray says

      The Kitchen Magpie thanks. I don’t can either

  9. Ross Bellwood says

    Great info, I did not know about the roasting and the long simmer time. What do you think about using a pressure cooker to shorten the cooking process?

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      I would think it’s fine! I will be trying it this fall in my InstantPot which has a low pressure cooking setting. I think it would get those nutrients out of the bones faster for sure.

  10. DottieBast says

    Hi again 🙂 Curious if this recipe can be pressure canned just like regular broth once it’s cooked up? I love having stock on hand but our chest and frig freezer are packed most of the time.

    Alberta Prairie Swamp Dweller..

  11. Amy Melby says

    So, I was just reading these instructions. Am I correct in assuming (never made something like this before) that it’s fine to use the bones from say, a a chicken that has already been cooked? It doesn’t need to be raw.

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      It’s better because you take out the bone roasting step if you’ve already cooked the chicken. It’s a two for one deal then!

    • Amy Melby says

      aaah, ok, makes sense. Had I read the directions all the way through, I would have seen that! Sorry! o.O

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      You’re as bad as me lol! I like to skip instructions too

    • Amy Melby says

      Yep, I do it way too often, lol. Read the ingredients and then that’s it, haha

  12. TheresaStypulaLaboda says

    What is simmering in the crock pot?  Is that on low for 24 hours?  Also for the beef tomato macaroni.soup do you drain the cans of tomatoes before adding to the crock pot?  Thanks.  

  13. ElaineCobb says

    During such a long simmer, is it necessary to add water?

  14. Long time follower says

    Bone broth is my favorite way to get even more bang for your buck out of a grocery store rotisserie chicken. I also love the crock pot because that way you don’t have to baby sit it and live in fear of the liquid starting to boil. 

    • thekitchenmagpie says

      @Long time follower Plus I’m lazy, so the crockpot always wins. 😉  I have a rotisserie chicken in there right now for chicken bone broth! You can’t beat the price for two meals!

  15. James Lori Shipley says

    Made some with our Christmas turkey-so good!!!

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