Homemade Bone Broth — Slow Cooker Caldo de Huesos

Homemade bone broth in a pot, rich and gelatinous after a long simmer — Homemade bone broth

Homemade bone broth, or caldo de huesos, is made by roasting collagen rich bones, then simmering them for many hours in a slow cooker with filtered water, crushed garlic, and apple cider vinegar, before straining, chilling, and skimming off the fat. It takes 40 minutes of preparation and from 8 to 48 hours of cooking, depending on the bones, and makes 12 servings.

It is one of the most nourishing preparations of traditional cooking, rich in collagen and minerals, and a great base for soups, stews, and sauces.

How to Make Bone Broth Step by Step?

For beef or pork broth, use knuckle and tail bones, which add collagen, and ideally a pig’s foot. For chicken broth, add heads, feet, and necks. The bones are roasted at 200°C (392°F), soaked with vinegar for 30 minutes, then simmered on low for 8 hours for fish, 24 for poultry, or 48 for beef or lamb.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of bone broth contains approximately 30 kcal, 5 g of protein, 1 g of fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 1 g of carbohydrates, 0 g of sugars, and 80 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

Preparation: 40 minutes
Cooking: 8 to 48 hours, depending on the bones
Servings: 12

Ingredients

1½ kg of beef bones (knuckle, tail, or marrow bones)
6 garlic cloves
5 liters of filtered water
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) and roast the bones on a tray for 45 minutes until browned. Transfer them to a slow cooker, add the vinegar and crushed garlic, and cover with filtered water to 3 to 4 cm below the rim. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Beef bones roasted for homemade bone broth — Beef Bones

Turn the cooker on high until it starts to boil, then switch to low and skim off any foam with a spoon. Cook according to the bones used, 8 hours for fish, 24 hours for poultry, and 48 hours for beef or lamb.

Slow cooker for simmering bone broth for many hours — Slow Cooker

Strain the broth through a fine sieve. If you like, reduce it in a pot over medium high heat to the strength you want. Let cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight so it gels.

Fine strainer for straining homemade bone broth — Strainer

Carefully remove the solid fat from the surface with a spoon and discard it. Keep the broth in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze it in small containers or ice cube trays to use as needed.

Additional Tips

Use a slow cooker

Because the cooking is so long, an automatic slow cooker is the safest, most convenient way to keep a steady low simmer.

Skim in the first hour

Remove the foam that rises during the first hour. If the broth smells too strong, add aromatic vegetables such as onion, carrot, and celery halfway through.

Make a second batch

After the first broth, you can cover the bones with fresh water and cook a lighter second broth, called remouillage, and mix both.

Original ingredient	Substitute	Ratio	Flavor note
Beef bones	Chicken carcasses, feet, and necks	1½ kg	Lighter, 24 hours
Beef bones	Fish heads and bones	1½ kg	Delicate, 8 hours
Apple cider vinegar	Lemon juice	2 tablespoons	Similar acidity
Garlic only	Add onion, carrot, celery	1 of each	Rounder flavor

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why let the bones rest with vinegar for 30 minutes?

The acid begins to soften the bone matrix before cooking, which helps extract minerals and collagen from the start.

2. Do I need to remove the layer of white fat?

That layer protects the broth while it is in the fridge, but remove it before using the broth for a lighter, cleaner result.

3. Can I reuse the bones for a second broth?

Yes, it is called remouillage. The second broth is lighter but still contains some collagen, and you can mix both batches.

4. What if my broth smells very strong?

Add more aromatic vegetables halfway through cooking and make sure to skim all the foam that rises during the first hour of boiling.

Nutrients in Bone Broth

Bone broth contains collagen and amino acids such as glycine and proline, along with minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. It is light in calories and a flavorful base for many dishes.

How to Use Bone Broth

Drink it warm in a mug, or use it as the base for soups, cazuelas, risottos, and sauces. Freezing it in ice cube trays lets you add small amounts of concentrated flavor to any dish.