Slow Cooker Beef Broth is a rich, slow-simmered liquid made by cooking beef bones, vegetables, and aromatics for many hours. It’s deeply flavorful and can be used as a base for soups, stews, sauces, or even sipped on its own.
🥣 Slow Cooker Beef Broth
🧾 Ingredients
- 2–3 lbs beef bones (marrow bones, knuckles, or soup bones)
- 1 onion (quartered)
- 2 carrots (chopped)
- 2 celery stalks (chopped)
- 4–6 cloves garlic (smashed)
- 1–2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (helps extract nutrients)
- 1–2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- Salt (to taste, add at end)
- 10–12 cups water (or enough to cover)
👨🍳 Instructions
1. Optional step for deeper flavor
- Roast bones in oven at 200°C (400°F) for 30–40 minutes until browned.
- This adds a richer, darker broth.
2. Load the slow cooker
- Place bones, vegetables, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns into slow cooker.
- Add apple cider vinegar.
- Pour in water until everything is covered.
3. Slow cook
- Set to:
- LOW: 12–24 hours (best flavor)
- HIGH: 6–8 hours (faster option)
- Skim foam or fat occasionally if needed.
4. Strain
- Carefully strain broth through a fine mesh sieve.
- Discard solids.
5. Finish
- Let cool and remove excess fat from top if desired.
- Add salt to taste only after cooking.
🍽️ How to use it
- 🍲 Soups (noodle soup, vegetable soup)
- 🍛 Stews and gravies
- 🍝 Cooking rice or pasta for extra flavor
- 🥣 Drink warm as a nourishing broth
🔥 Tips for best broth
- The longer it cooks, the richer it becomes.
- Don’t oversalt early—flavor concentrates over time.
- Adding vinegar is key for extracting nutrients and collagen.
If you want, I can also give you:
- 🐓 Slow cooker chicken broth version
- 🥩 Bone broth for health (gelatin-rich, extra collagen)
- 🍜 Pho-style beef broth recipe
- 🧊 How to freeze and store broth for months
