Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth
45 CommentsUpdated Jan 31, 2026
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Slow Cooked Beef Bone broth made in the Crockpot with veggies, garlic, ginger, lemon and apple cider vinegar. Make a big batch and freeze for later.
We love to fill our freezer with bone broth and other crockpot soups such as slow cooker chicken noodle soup or slow cooker ham and beans.
Why Make Crockpot Bone Broth
Making homemade bone broth has been on my bucket list for a long time. I recently tried a store-bought carton of bone broth and I could hardly stomach it, it tasted stale.
I love how easy this big batch of slow cooker bone broth is to make. The only hard part is finding the bones; not all stores carry them. I found these bones at Albertson’s. I did one package of knucklebones and one of the neckbones. If you’re looking for healthy recipes for your homemade soups, this is a must-try!
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef Bones: You can use a combination of neckbones, beef knuckle bones, and the like.
- Veggies: Quartered yellow onion, half-cut head of garlic, chopped carrots, and chopped celery. You can also use any vegetable scraps you have on hand.
- Seasonings: Apple cider vinegar, bay leaves, grated ginger, lemon juice, and salt to taste.
- Water: You will fill the slow cooker with water (leaving an inch of room at the top), I use 8 cups of water with the amount of bones I used.
- Find the full recipe in the recipe card below the images.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Put the beef bones on a sheet pan and brown them under the broiler before adding them to the slow cooker.
Step Two – Along with the bones, I add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaves, water and apple cider vinegar. The vinegar helps leach the minerals out of the bones.
Step Three – Cover and cook on LOW for 12 hours. You can cook longer if desired.
Step Four – Place a strainer over a large bowl. Ladle the broth into the strainer and discard the bones and veggies. I like to push the veggies into the strainer to get the juices out of them.
Step Five – Add grated ginger, lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate or freeze for later. Skim off fat if desired.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, place the flavorful broth into plastic or glass containers. (You can also use an ice cube tray.) Leave an inch of room at the top to allow for expansion. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge 24 hours before needed. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
You can use this broth when you’re making any soup, stew, or and recipe calling for a broth. It will add lots of flavor to whatever dish you add it to.
I prefer to use glass jars; however, you can use airtight containers or heavy duty Ziploc bags.
Yes. If you have leftover chicken bones, you can make homemade chicken bone broth. Use this crockpot bone broth recipe, except use chicken bones!
Featured Comment
“I’ve shared this recipe all morning after making it last night! It is soooo good it will be my go-to from now on!”
– Beck and Bulow
Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth
Beef bone broth easily made in the slow cooker with veggies, vinegar, garlic, ginger and lemon.
How to Video
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs. beef bones
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half
- 2 carrots, cut into pieces
- 2 celery ribs, cut into pieces
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups water
Add after straining
- 2 tsp. grated ginger
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. salt, (add to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to broil. Place the beef bones on a sheet pan. Place the bones under the broiler in the oven. I browned the bones on each side for about 5 minutes each. It depends on how close the bones are to the broiler.
- Add the bones to the slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaves, apple cider vinegar and water.
- Cover and cook on low for 12 hours. You can cook longer if desired.
- Place a strainer over a large bowl. Ladle the broth into the strainer and discard the bones and veggies. I like to push the veggies into the strainer to get the juices out of them.
- Add grated ginger, lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate or freeze for later. Skim off fat if desired.
Sarah’s Notes
- Yes, place into plastic or glass containers
- Leave an inch of room at the top to allow for expansion.
- Freeze for up to 6 months.
- Thaw in the fridge 24 hours before needed. Reheat in microwave or on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
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What is the serving size?
I do not measure that for you. Though if I had to guess it probably makes a little more than 8 cups.
Wow I made this in my slow cooker . So very easy and delicious. I literally took the bones out added ginger and Leon and salt then I liquidised everything else . So nutritious . Is this ok to use everything ?
Yes! I think that’s fine.
Absolutely delicious!
I want to make homemade pho, so I started a batch of this broth, using 2 1/2 lbs of beef bones, 1/2 lb pork bone, and 1 lb of chicken carcass left from a spatchcock chicken. Can’t wait for the aroma to permeate the house. Thanks for the recipe.
Why roast the beef bones in the broiler first?
It gives the broth more flavor. Like the flavor of browned beef.
Sooooo yummy! I added some kale because I had it and it needed to be used and skipped the ginger and lemon (for now) because I am going to freeze it. Awesome recipe!
I actually skipped the onions and upped the garlic a touch to compensate. The finished bone broth is nicely balanced and very flavorful! I had bones in the freezer it was time to use and I was a little hesitant to go the bone broth route because I really dislike the taste of canned beef broth. This is so much better!!!! Can’t wait to make ramen with it!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Hi
I made bone broth in my new slow cooker Crock Pot for the first time yesterday. I only used beef bones and my bone broth is too oily.
I have seen one episode on Masterchef Australia and one candidate used ice cubes to remove the oil.
I will be grateful for your prompt reply.
Yours faithfully,
Lourdes
Hi! I lay paper towels over the top or refrigerate and pull off the pieces of grease. The ice cube idea sounds like a great ideas
I usually let the broth sit overnight after you’re done slow cooking, there will be a lot of lard that will rise to the surface. It’s quite shocking lol so let it sit overnight then in the morning scrape off all the extra lard.
I’m curious why it has so many calories? Typically bone broths are very low cal. Is there a reason for that with this recipe? Also, can you provide more insight into why you broil the bones first?
Calories are from the sugar in the carrots and onions. Roasting at 400 forces the fat and adds a different level of flavor.
I did this with the turkey bones from Thanksgiving. I heard breaking them released some of the flavor but you really needed to because of the size .I added vinegar also . It was the most delicious soup I’ve enjoyed. The flavor was amazing . I’ll have to try it with the bed bones. Love your recipes!