The Liquid Gold We Usually Throw Away

Let us talk about the roasted chicken carcass. Most people look at the leftover bones and skin after a Sunday roast and see trash. I used to be one of those people. I would just wrap it up and toss it in the bin. Then I had a baby, my body felt like it had been hit by a freight train, and I realized I needed every single nutrient I could get my hands on.

This slow cooker bone broth is my ultimate postpartum healing potion. It takes twenty minutes of actual effort, and then the slow cooker does the next twelve to twenty four hours of heavy lifting while I am busy negotiating with a toddler who refuses to wear pants.

The Apple Cider Vinegar Secret

The instructions have a very specific step that most people skip. You put all the bones, the unpeeled onions, the whole head of garlic, and the veggies in the pot with the water and apple cider vinegar. Then you just let it sit there for thirty to sixty minutes before you even turn the heat on. Do not skip this. The acid in the vinegar starts drawing the calcium and minerals out of the bones before the cooking even begins. It is a tiny pause that makes the final broth incredibly rich and gelatinous.

Pro tip from my tiny apartment. Leave the skins on the onions and carrots. The onion skin gives the broth this gorgeous deep golden color, and the carrot skin holds extra nutrients. Just rinse them well. We are going for rustic healing, not fancy French cuisine.

The Ultimate Blood Sugar Safe Haven

We need to look at the nutrition label because it is basically a miracle. At only 40 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrates, this is the holy grail for anyone watching their glucose. When I was navigating my gestational diabetes, finding a warm, comforting drink that did not spike my blood sugar was incredibly hard. This broth gives you 8 grams of pure protein and collagen with absolutely zero sugar crash.

When you are breastfeeding, your body is pulling minerals from your own bones to make milk. Sipping on this homemade broth helps replenish those stores. It is like a multivitamin, but it actually tastes like a warm, savory hug.

The Next Morning Magic

You strain it, let it cool, and put it in the fridge. This is where the magic happens. The next morning, you open the fridge and there is a solid layer of white fat on the top. Just take a spoon and scrape it right off. That fat is great for cooking, but if you want a clear, clean broth, just discard it. Underneath, you have this beautiful, jiggly, nutrient dense liquid.

Portion it into jars. Keep a few in the fridge for your daily soups, and freeze the rest. When the baby is teething and you are running on three hours of sleep, just heat up a mug, add a tiny pinch of salt, and sip it slowly. You are literally drinking liquid gold. Grab a mug and take a deep breath. You are doing a great job.

Slow Cooker Bone Broth

Name: Slow Cooker Bone Broth
Cook time: P12H
Total time: P12H20M
Yield: 12 cups
Ingredients: 2–3 roasted chicken carcasses (about 2 lbs of bones), plus any leftover skin and drippings; 1–2 medium onions, unpeeled and quartered; 1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise; 2 celery ribs, cut into 1–2 inch pieces; 2 carrots, unpeeled, cut into 1–2 inch pieces; 5 sprigs fresh thyme; 5 sprigs fresh parsley; 1 bay leaf; 1½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 to 2½ quarts cold water (enough to cover the ingredients by about an inch)

🥄 Prep: 20 mins 🔥 Cook: 12 h ⏱️ Total: 12 h 20 mins 🍽️ Yield: 12 cups ⚡ 40 cal

🥫 Ingredients

2–3 roasted chicken carcasses (about 2 lbs of bones), plus any leftover skin and drippings

1–2 medium onions, unpeeled and quartered

1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise

2 celery ribs, cut into 1–2 inch pieces

2 carrots, unpeeled, cut into 1–2 inch pieces

5 sprigs fresh thyme

5 sprigs fresh parsley

1 bay leaf

1½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 to 2½ quarts cold water (enough to cover the ingredients by about an inch)

📝 Instructions

Place the chicken bones, vegetables, herbs, peppercorns, and vinegar into a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Pour in enough water to submerge everything by roughly one inch.
Do not turn on the heat yet. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes so the vinegar can begin drawing minerals from the bones.
Cover and cook on low for 12–24 hours. The longer it cooks, the richer and more gelatinous the broth becomes.
When the cooking time is up, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the large bones and vegetable pieces. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or pot.
Let the broth cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight. The fat will rise to the surface and solidify, making it easy to scrape off and discard. (You can also use a grease separator while the broth is still warm.)
Portion the broth into jars or freezer-safe containers. Leave headspace if using glass, and freeze for up to 3 months. Keep a jar in the fridge for up to 5 days and use it in soups, risottos, or sip it warm on its own.

🔬 Nutrition Facts

Recipe