Making bone broth seems like a heavy task, but it couldn’t be any easier when you’re using a slow cooker, especially once you get the hang of it. Bone broth is a traditional recipe that was used to nourish people on the regular, especially back to health…but the tradition of passing down the recipe from our ancestors got lost for most of us, sadly. Well, bone broth is back as the hottest & healthiest trend, ready to heal us all for our highest good! I actually kind of lied about it being just 5 steps. If you want it to taste really good, it’s best to roast your bones first. That’s very simple. Just preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lay the large bones on a rimmed cookie sheet and rub them with some ghee. Roast for 20-30 minutes. Then follow these steps…

1. Dump 2 carrots (roughly chopped, no need to peel), 2 celery stalks (roughly chopped & with leaves), 1 medium onion (cut in half), & 5 – 7 garlic cloves (smashed) into bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. FYI, none of the veggies or herbs are a must, I add them only when I have them in the house and want my bone broth to have a bit more flavor.
2. Tuck in 2 bay leaves, 1 bunch of fresh parsley, add about 3.5lbs. of grass-fed/pastured bones for bone broth & 2 organic chicken feet (can find at Whole Foods butcher, or inquire at your local butcher, farmers market or nearest farm), & pour 2 tablespoons of Bragg’s apple cider vinegar over bones. Or, just use a leftover organic chicken carcass!
3. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of sea salt over ingredients.
4. Add enough filtered water to cover everything.
5. Program your slow cooker to cook on low for 24 hours (many slow cookers only cook up to 12 hours, so you may need to re-program in a bit). The longer it cooks, the better. I love cooking mine even longer, anywhere from 36 – 48 hours sometimes!
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When it’s ready, allow to cool and pour the broth through a strainer into a large bowl, discard the solids (if the bones are very large, I save them and actually re-use them a 2nd time for another batch of bone broth, keeping them stored in a freezer Ziploc until ready). Stick the broth in the fridge overnight and scrape off the top layer of solidified fat the next day. The broth underneath may look like broth Jell-O…that OK. The broth will keep in the fridge for a few days and in the freezer for several months. I actually love freezing them into cubes to use for cooking or to throw into my smoothies!

It is important, if at all possible, to use quality bones from pastured animals. Bones from conventional factory farmed animals are not the same as nutrient dense bones from healthy grass fed animals. Simple ask your butcher for “grass-fed bones” (they usually have some beef bones). If you want the most nutrient dense bone broth, use bones from animals raised properly. I do, however, believe that any bone broth is better than no bone broth! I love enjoying mine heated up in a mug with a sprinkle of sea salt mixed with about a 1/2 teaspoon of ghee. And cooking with it adds that much more nutrition to whatever you’re eating.

Contact me for creative ideas of how to store bone broth and how to use it in your meals.