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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.
Table of Contents
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!
Need more soup recipes?
- Slow Cooker Hearty Italian Beef Soup
- Slow Cooker French Dip Soup
- Slow Cooker Shipwreck Stew
- Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup
Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth
Beef bone broth easily made in the slow cooker with veggies, vinegar, garlic, ginger and lemon.
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.
How to Video
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.
Can you pressure can the broth instead of freezing?
I’m unsure if the recipe is safe to pressure can, I apologize.
I have pressure canned bone broth for years with no issues.
I don’t have fresh ginger can I used ground ginger and if so, how much do I use?
Ground ginger can be very strong, I would use just a 1/4 tsp.
What is the ratio of bones to liquid?
I don’t really ahve a ratio. I fill the slow cooker at least half way with bones and vegetables, then fill the slow cooker with water (not quite to the top).
Why does everyone discard the vegetables? Can I eat them like in a soup?
Yes, that’s a great idea!
Can you cook this quicker then the 12 hours?
Yes, you can turn it on high for half the time.
Haven’t tried it yet but pulling all my ingredients together. Will love the aroma as it cooks.
On a side note. If you love feeding the birds, save the lard. Melt it and put it in a square dish. Just add bird seed and refrigerate till ready to use. The birds will thank you. Especially in the winter.
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!
When you make bone broth on the stove I skim the scum off the top can you do this when cooking in the crockpot
I save chicken bones, rotiessiere carcasses and vegetable peelings. Roast for at least 20 hours in crockpot. Freeze it and thaw, drink at lunchtime. A great way to compost veggie peelings! Add it when I need broth to dishes that need flavor.
Can ham bones be used for this
I don’t see why not! It may be saltier though.