Here’s the hardest part: you have to let it cook for at least 12 hours. The first time I made it, I checked every 20 minutes like a sad puppy. Don’t be a sad puppy. The broth needs time to extract collagen, minerals, and that deep flavor that makes you say, “I am a culinary god.”
After 12 hours, the broth will look like brown swamp water—but don’t panic. That’s normal. If it smells like roasted heaven and a little bit like beef farts, you’re on the right track. Surprising fact: bone broth was used as a restorative tonic in ancient China and by the Vikings. Yes, Vikings. They drank it before raiding villages, so you can totally drink it before a Zoom meeting.
The Grand Finale: Straining and Storing
Now, ladle the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a big bowl. You’ll be left with sad, floppy bones and veggie mush. Do not eat the mush. It’s not soup—it’s exhausted flavor ghosts. Discard them with dignity. Taste the broth. Add salt slowly—start with a teaspoon and work up, because oversalting is the #1 way to ruin your masterpiece.
Pour the broth into jars or containers. Let it cool on the counter, then refrigerate. Overnight, a miracle happens: fat rises to the top and forms a solid white cap. Scoop that fat off if you want a lean broth, or leave it on if you want to live dangerously. (I leave it on and call it “winter insulation.”)
Slow Cooker Bone Broth Recipe | TheFoodist
Bonus tip: That solid cap of fat is called “tallow.” You can use it to fry eggs. Your eggs will taste like they got a PhD in deliciousness.
