Alright, y’all. I have been promising you this recipe for a while now, and finally remembered to take pictures while making it! Bone broth is AMAZING. And crock pot bone broth is even better, because it’s easier. The old saying that chicken soup can heal you when you’re sick is more than just a saying.
But they’re not referring to Campbell’s, guys. As much as they’d like you to believe it, monosodium glutamate (MSG), modified food starch, and most of those other ingredients are NOT supposed to be in normal foods. They’re talking about great-grandma’s homemade soup with the bone broth she made and canned. I’m telling you, they knew what they were doing back then when it came to cooking (and shocker- it DIDN’T include MSG!)
Broth, when done right, is chock-full of amazing minerals that the body can absorb easily, like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, and more. It also contains broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine. Thankfully, it doesn’t take much to make sure it’s done right. You really just need to make sure you use bones from organic, pastured, grass fed chickens. This is super important, because as we all know, what you eat is all throughout your body. So if a chicken is fed GMO grains and pesticide-laden foods, then that is what you’ll get out of the bones.
Crockpot Bone Broth
Ingredients
- Bones of one whole organic chicken
- Salt & pepper
- Leftover vegetable scraps celery, onion skins, etc. for flavor
- 1 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
- Water to fill crockpot
Instructions
- Place everything in the crockpot
- Season as necessary
- Fill crockpot with water
- Set on low and cook for 24 hours
- Strain into mason jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace
- (optional- refill crockpot with water, add one more dose of apple cider vinegar, and then cook again for a second batch)
- Cool in the refrigerator overnight, then freeze (or can it instead)
That is seriously all that is to the bone broth. Bones, water, seasonings, veggies, and apple cider vinegar. Cook for 24 hours, and put into jars. Freeze. Repeat.
I’m so excited to have all of this awesome broth on hand, because it’s amazing for healing leaky gut (aka the cause of autoimmune diseases!). I’ve been drinking it in mugs and making soups galore. It can be used in so many things, I hope that you enjoy it too!
I have heard so much about how healthy bone broth is, but I have never actually had any before. What are some things it could be used in? I’m sure that is a dumb question, but I have only heard about how good it is!
It’s not a dumb question at all! I had to learn about it too 🙂 I mostly use it in soup, just because it’s so easy to get the veggies and broth together for a nutrient-packed meal. I also like to drink a mug of it warmed up because it’s so delicious! Also, I use it to cook rice in too, if I’m needing rice for a dish. There’s a lot of different ways you can use it, but these are how I mostly do.
Awesome!! Thanks!
Thanks so much for this post! I have heard a ton about bone broth but making it always seemed a bit intimidating. I think I do this though! 🙂 Thanks for explaining the process so well and making it so approachable!
Hope you give it a try, Ashley! It really is so easy, and once you do one batch you’ll be hooked! 🙂
I have started making my own bone broth in the crock pot and I love it. Once I heard all the benefits of it, I had to give it a try. It’s so simple and healthy!
The crock pot is so amazing, isn’t it? And the broth is so versatile. Great way to get great minerals in your diet!
Hi Stefani,
I was just working on making beef bone broth this morning which take me a couple of days to complete it since beef bones are so much bigger. I do make chicken broth reguarly too – I save my chicken bone & freeze them & when I get enough for a big batch I make the broth in a crock pot with apple cider vinegar and then freeze it in jars. I don’t use the feet of the chicken since I buy my chicken from a local farmer in bulk, but I do know that any bone broth that is made properly is filled with so many nutrients and a wealth of health. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted!
Thanks for visiting! I haven’t tried making beef bone broth, but I’m excited to! Do you roast your beef bones first? I’m always nervous about trying something new the first time.
Hi Stefani! Thanks so much for sharing this over at Let’s Get Real. Bone broth is so versatile and so delicious and making it in the crock is super easy. How long do you usually keep yours in the refrigerator? What is your favorite way to store it?
Hi Christina! Thanks for visiting! I usually keep it up to a week in the refrigerator. If I’m not going to use it right away, I put it in the fridge overnight to completely cool, and then I transfer to the freezer. Not positive how long it will last in the freezer, but I’d assume a few months at least! 🙂