Bone broth or stock, whatever you call it, we love having it in our freezer to add flavor and nutrition to soups or cooking liquid for rice or quinoa.
We typically use Ina Garten’s recipe for chicken stock with the addition of a bit of acid to draw the minerals from the bones and cook it for at least 24 hours. Not everyone has the ability or the extra large stock pot to cook 15 lbs of chicken parts for a day.
Enter the lowly chicken carcass – the neck and backbone left over after the bird has been cut into pieces. Bone broth is a great way to use this leftover and your Crock-Pot simplifies the process.
There is something for everyone with these two recipes. The first one shows a typical stock with traditional seasoning. The second removes any excuses for you not to try it because of its simplicity. We may never make stock the same again. Add some chicken feet for additional collagen if you’re really adventurous. 😉
Slow Cooker Chicken Bone Broth, 2 ways
Method #1
In the bottom of a 6-quart slow-cooker, place
1 frozen chicken carcass (approx 2 lbs)*
1 stalk of celery
1 carrot
1 unpeeled yellow onion, cut into quarters
3 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
12 cups water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½  teaspoon dried parsley (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (optional)
½ teaspoon black peppercorns (optional)
Cook on low approximately 24 hours. Strain to remove solid pieces, remove fat if desired, and store broth in the freezer for several months or the refrigerator for 2 days. Yields approximately 10 ½ cups.
Method #2
This broth is clearer and lighter yellow in color compared to the broth in method #1.
Place in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker,
1 frozen chicken carcass*
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Cook on low approximately 24 hours. Fill the pot with water making sure to cover the carcass completely. Strain to remove solid pieces, remove fat if desired, and store broth in the freezer for several months or the refrigerator for 2 days. Yields approximately 12 cups.
*Don’t bother unthawing your chicken carcass. It is easier to handle and works just as well leaving it frozen. 🙂
A note about food safety
It is especially important to keep stock/broth above 140 degrees F or below 42 degrees F to prevent bacterial growth (and potential food poisoning). We do this by cooling the broth quickly in an ice water bath and by bringing it to a boil when reheating.