First, you need beef bones. Ask your butcher for “soup bones” or “marrow bones.” They’re cheap and full of flavor. If you have time, roast them in the oven at 400°F for 30 minutes until they’re browned. This step is optional, but it adds a nutty, deep color that makes your broth look like liquid mahogany.
Making Beef Stock In Slow Cooker at Johanna Engles blog
Next, grab your aromatics. One onion (skin on—it adds color), two carrots, two celery stalks. Chop them roughly, because nobody is judging your knife skills here. Add a few garlic cloves, a bay leaf, and a teaspoon of peppercorns. That’s it. Really.
Now, the secret ingredient: a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. It sounds weird, but the acid helps pull collagen and minerals from the bones. Don’t worry—you won’t taste it. Your broth will just be extra silky and healthy.
The “set it and forget it” method
Place the roasted bones and veggies in your slow cooker. Pour in enough cold water to cover everything by an inch. Add the vinegar. Put the lid on, set it to low, and walk away for 12 to 24 hours. Yes, you read that right—overnight is ideal. Your home will smell like a cozy steakhouse all day.
Don’t peek. Every time you lift the lid, you let out precious steam and lengthen the cook time. Trust the process. Go read a book, take a nap, or finally organize that junk drawer. The broth is doing its thing.
