Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth

This is the staple for everything I cook, I don’t let myself run out of this broth. I don’t bother freezing because we eat it so quickly. I use it instead of water when making rice, potatoes, quinoa, or any kind of vegetables. I often drink a cup with a little miso and some sea weeds tossed in, and my toddlers frequently ask for some as well. I feel that my super picky four year old is getting some goodness when I add it to her foods.

[asg-content-box boxcolor=”gray” boxtitle=”” boldtitle=”false” boxexpand=”false” showcontent=”false”]HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER BEEF BONE BROTH[/asg-content-box]

INGREDIENTS:

• 3-4 pounds grass fed marrow and knuckle bones (I use two or three big bones for my 7 quart pot)
• 1 or 2  neck bones with meat (optional)
• enough filtered water to fill the pot
• juice of 2 lemons. I strongly prefer lemons, they give the soup a pleasant smell during cooking.
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2-3 celery sticks with leaves
• 2 sun dried tomatoes (optional, but adds a lot of flavor)
• 2 bay leaves
• Any spices you like as much as you want (I use peppercorns, mustard seeds, rosemary, thyme)
• 3 tbsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put the marrow and knuckle bones to the pot, add lemon juice and let stand for one hour.

If using neck bones – brown them in the 350 degree oven (this is done to achieve better flavor, although I rarely do this step because the stock comes out plenty flavorful.

2. Drain the lemon juice water; place all veggies and spices to the pot and fill it with filtered water.

3. Set slow cooker on high until it boils. Remove surface scum with a spoon. Reduce heat to low, and simmer the broth for about 12 hours.

4. Let the pot cool for a bit, remove the bones (dog treats?) and strain the broth with a fine strainer into mason jars. I got two half gallon mason jars from my 7 quart pot:

5. Remove the congealed fat from the top after the broth is cold. Once well chilled – your stock will become gelatinous almost like soft jello. It’s all that gelatin from the knuckle bones.

Remember, this is not science, you don’t have to impeccably follow the recipe. Whatever you have on hand will work.

[asg-content-box boxcolor=”gray” boxtitle=”” boldtitle=”false” boxexpand=”false” showcontent=”false”] TIPS[/asg-content-box]

It will take time for your stock to gel. If you finish in the evening – don’t be sad if you see it liquid in the morning, most likely it will gel by the end of the day.

Do you know the difference between ‘stock’ and ‘broth’? – Stock is made with bones and broth with meat.