Slow Cooker Broth

In my opinion, the slow cooker is the MVP of the kitchen appliances, hands down. I use mine instead of my oven in the summer to keep the kitchen from overheating, I simmer soups in it all winter long, and yes, I have even made Thanksgiving turkey and Easter ham in mine. Well, in one of them, anyway. I have three, and as I sit here, I have two of them cooking away, preparing my supper.

My two favorite (and easiest) things to make in the slow cooker are roasted chicken and pot roast. They’re nearly foolproof and turn out tender and juicy every time. The only problem is that when I’ve finished cooking these items, I have no use for all those leftover juices and bones. Until now.

Today, I’m going to give you a recipe to make your own beef, chicken, and turkey broth using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. You’ll save those leftover juices and bones, you’ll save money by not having to buy it, and you’ll save your family from the many toxic ingredients found in a lot of manufactured broths. It is possible to buy broth without all those additives, but it costs a lot more than regular broth, and who won’t feel an amazing sense of accomplishment from making their own broth? (You don’t have to tell anyone that it was nearly effortless.)

After you’ve made a chicken, turkey, or roast in your slow cooker, pull most of the meat off, then leave the bones, drippings, fat, etc. right in the slow cooker.

Add the following ingredients (based on Better Homes and Gardens' broth recipe):

3 cut up carrots
An onion, cut up
2 celery stalks (leave the leaves on)
1 Tbsp. basil
1 ½ tsp. sea salt
10 whole black peppercorns
1 Tbsp. parsley
4 bay leaves
Clove of garlic

Once everything’s in there, add enough water to cover everything, then cook on low overnight (or for about 8 hours). Pour the broth through a wire mesh colander or a regular colander lined with cheesecloth into a large glass bowl. Refrigerate until all of the fat rises to the top, then scrape it off the top.

Pour the broth into ice cube trays, freeze, then dump the broth cubes into a large baggie to pull out as needed. You can also freeze it in 1 cup containers to pull out a cup at a time.

Check out the article, Ditch the Package: Taco Seasoning, Chicken Broth, and More for an alternative list of ingredients to add to chicken or turkey.

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