Slow Cooker Bone Broth
I started making bone broth more out of curiosity than anything else when it started making the rounds among paleo advocates. I ended up really enjoying drinking it on a regular basis especially on cold winter days. I divvy up a fresh batch between mugs and just work my way through it during the work week. It freezes really well and it makes for a great base for soup noodles.
INGREDIENTS
1-1.2kg beef bones – I usually buy a leg bone from the butchers and get them to cut it into pieces that will fit into my slow cooker (I freeze any extra pieces)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
8 cups water
1 stick of celery, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly sliced into wedges
Salt
METHOD
Roast the bones on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 220 degrees. The bones are ready when they are browned all over.
Place the bones in a slow cooker and drizzle the apple cider vinegar over the bones and allow them to sit there for 30 minutes.
Add the water into the slow cooker and place the lid on. Turn the slow cooker onto low and leave it alone for at least 12 hours (I often leave mine for 18 hours).
After 12 hours, add the vegetables and a little extra water if there’s not enough to cover the bones and vegetables.
Allow the broth to simmer for another 12 hours where it should take on a rich brown colour. Turn off the slow cooker and strain the broth through a fine metal sieve lined with cheesecloth or even a clean chux into a large pot.
Once the broth is at room temperature, cover the pot and place it into the refrigerator. The fat will solidify on top and you can remove this easily with a spoon.
I divide the broth into individual mugs and cover with a small piece of cling film and leave them in the fridge so I can heat them up easily in the microwave and drink them during the week. The bone broth can also be frozen and used as a base for soups.
I lightly season each cup with salt before I drink it rather than seasoning the entire batch in one go.