• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • Press
    • Privacy Policy
    • Photo Use Policy
    • Media
    • Podcast
    • Videos
  • Pro Tips
    • Resources
    • Blogging
      • How to Start a Blog
    • My Presets
  • Recipes
    • Recipes by Season
      • Christmas Recipes
      • Fall
      • Easter
      • Summer
    • Meals
      • Breakfast
      • Side dish
      • Appetizers
      • Dinner
      • Dessert
    • Special Diets
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Healthy recipes
      • Keto
      • Paleo
      • Sugar free
      • Mediterranean Diet
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
    • Ingredients
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Seafood
    • Popular
      • American Recipes
      • Baking
      • Bread
      • Cookies
      • Sourdough
      • Slow cooker
      • Soup
    • Recipe Stories
  • Italy
    • Italian Baking
    • Italian Recipes
    • Italian Travel
    • Italian Language
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
    • Freebies
      • Lightroom Filter Freebie
      • Packing List Freebie
      • Content Scheduler Freebie

Savoring Italy logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Italy
  • Resources
  • About
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Italy
    • Resources
    • About
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Popular » Italian Recipes

    January 2, 2020 Dinner

    Slow Cooker Beef Broth-Brodo di Carne

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Making Slow Cooker Beef Broth-Brodo di Carne using your slow cooker is very simple and requires almost no hands-on time at all with delicious results. Homemade bone broth has many health benefits and can be used in various Italian recipes.

    When the temperatures finally cool down here, you can find a regular rotation of soups and broths being made in my slow cooker or Dutch oven and even your Instant Pot.  Beef broth (brodo di carne)is one of my favorites to make!

     
    image of 3 jars with slow cooker beef broth

    There are so many different broth options available, but no matter how fancy the brand, nothing compares to your own homemade Slow Cooker Beef Broth-Brodo di Carne. It is so comforting to come home and smell the lovely broth that has been cooking away in the slow cooker all day. It is just delicious to take a cup out and sip it slowly at the end of a stressful day. It's sometimes even better for me than a hot cup of coffee.

    Slow Cooker Beef Broth

    Originally published January 25, 2017, updated on January 2, 2020.

    Making your own bone broth is definitely economical and very rewarding. Bone broth is Whole30 compliant, gluten-free, keto, and paleo-friendly, and it is very good for you. It’s super simple to make but it takes time.  A nice homemade beef broth is an important part of Italian cooking. With this bone broth, you could make different soups, sauces and risottos (just to name a few things!).  This paprika cauliflower soup is another soup we just love! Find more comfort inspiration in this delightful lentil soup!

    overhead image of broth in a slow cooker

    Is homemade bone broth good for you?

    Your own homemade bone broth is so good for you! Whenever I am feeling a little under the weather, I try to drink 2-3 cups a day. While I am not a medical professional, I have learned over the years about the benefits of bone broth. Check with your doctor to confirm if it's something you should add to your diet to help with any issues you may have. I just know it makes me feel much better!

    • The nutrients could help your brain feel a little less foggy and the gelatin helps to seal  a leaky gut.
    • It has collagen (so good for your skin!), minerals and healthy fats.
    • Homemade bone broth  promotes healthier digestion, inhibits infection, assists in reducing inflammation, and is great for your joints and bones.
    • Add a little bit of turmeric and black pepper to it to really help out inflammation (I do that when I'm making it just for myself because the kids don't really like the flavor).

    And you don't need any fancy cuts of meat to make this broth. I used a $5.00 package of ribs from Whole Foods. It was grass fed beef and it definitely wasn't enough meat to make a meal for a family, but it did make the most rich and flavorful broth.

    overhead image of slow cooker beef broth

     

    HOW DO YOU  MAKE BEEF BROTH IN THE SLOW COOKER? 

    The whole thing is pretty simple to put together. A really great homemade broth has a variety of bones and meat scraps from beef and chicken. For this broth, I stuck with just beef. For a richer and more intensely flavored broth, use more beef. If you want a lighter broth, you could also add some chicken to the broth.

    • Getting it started: You have to first brown your meat. Once they are nicely browned, you add the meat to the slow cooker. The next step is to add in all your chopped vegetables. I chopped mine in large pieces. Cover it all with water, season with some salt to your taste,  and set the temperature to low.
    • Be sure to check the broth occasionally and skim off any foam from the surface and add more water if needed to keep the ingredients covered. There may not be any foam, as some cuts of meat make more foam than others. I cooked mine on low for about 10 hours. You can cook it for 8-12 hours. The broth is done when it is a rich color and very flavorful.
    • When it's ready: Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer. You could reserve any meat and vegetables to use for another recipe or for a soup.
    • I usually make the broth a day in advance, let it cool to room temperature, and refrigerate overnight. The next day you can easily remove all the fat that solidifies on the surface. Don't be alarmed if it's a jelly like consistency; it will turn to liquid again once you heat it up.

    Can you freeze homemade bone broth?

    If you don't use up your broth within 5 days, it can be frozen! Or freeze it once it cools down to have your own homemade and delicious bone broth whenever you need it. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.

    • Freeze your bone broth in silicone trays. Store each portion (it's a puck of broth) in zipped lock freezer bags.
    • Each portion is 1/3 cup. I freeze my bone broth in silicone trays, and then store the broth “pucks” in zip top freezer bags. So convenient for when you're using in a recipe. It is essential if you're prepping for recipes and such a lifesaver for when you're craving a cup of broth to have it frozen and on hand!

    If you don't have a slow cooker, simply make it in a Dutch oven or large stock pot on the stove and let it slowly cook. If you just roasted a chicken, don't throw out those bones! Follow the same recipe using the chicken bones. Nothing goes to waste and you'll have an incredible homemade bone broth to start out the year!

    Pin it to your HEALTHY RECIPE, DINNER,  or LUNCH  Board to SAVE for later!

    Find me on Pinterest for more great recipes!  I am always pinning :)!

     

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Slow Cooker Beef Broth-Brodo di Carne

    Making beef broth using your slow cooker is very simple and requires almost no hands-on time at all with delicious results. Homemade bone broth has many health benefits and can be used in various Italian recipes.
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time8 hours hrs
    Total Time8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: beef broth, slow-cooker
    Servings: 8 cups
    Author: Lora

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs. beef bones
    • 1 large onion peeled and quartered
    • 4 large carrots peeled and cut in half
    • 4 celery stalks cut in half
    • 1/2 bunch of parsley
    • bay leaf optional
    • 1-2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Brown the beef bones in a medium sized skillet over medium heat in the vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper to your taste (I used about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 of pepper).
    • When the beef bones are browned (approximately 10-15 minutes), transfer them to the slow cooker.
    • Add in the vegetables, parsley and bay leaf (if you're using one).
    • Cover with water. At the this point, add a little more salt if needed (to your taste).
    • Cook on high for about 3 hours and skim the any foam that comes to the top.
    • Once it is simmering at a low boil (mine was at about 3 hours), change the temperature to low, and cook for about another 5-7 hours (I cooked mine total 8 hours).
    • Remove the parsley, bay leaf, vegetables and the bones; strain the broth.
    • Refrigerate overnight and the next day remove any fat that has solidified on the surface.

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @savoringitaly or tag #savoringitaly!

    © SavoringItaly.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

    « Pandolce Genovese - An Italian Christmas Bread
    French Onion Soup »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jocelyn Delk Adams says

      January 25, 2017 at 5:45 pm

      Well I definitely want some of this!

      Reply
    2. Dorothy Reinhold says

      January 26, 2017 at 1:05 am

      What an amazing thing to have on hand!

      Reply
    3. Erin @ The Speckled Palate says

      January 26, 2017 at 2:07 am

      YUM! What an amazing broth to have on hand! I need to do this more often since we use so much broth during the wintertime, and I know this has got to taste so much better than the canned variety.

      Reply
    4. Cathy Trochelman says

      January 26, 2017 at 3:08 am

      I've never made homemade broth...I bet this tastes amazing!

      Reply
    5. Sabrina says

      January 26, 2017 at 4:30 am

      I love using the slow cooker! What a useful recipe!

      Reply
    6. Lisa DeNunzio says

      January 26, 2017 at 2:23 pm

      Even when living in sunny, warm Florida, my husband does not miss an opportunity to make chicken broth. It is sort of a 'fringe benefit', an extra gift from the chicken.

      Reply
    7. Krista says

      January 27, 2017 at 3:38 am

      Nothing beats homemade! I am going to have to try this recipe!

      Reply
    8. Gust și Aromă Moldavia says

      January 27, 2017 at 3:15 pm

      I adore brodo di carne! I make it every week. With tortellini is the best!

      Reply
    9. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

      January 12, 2020 at 8:04 pm

      5 stars
      I need to try this immediately, it looks so good!

      Reply
    10. Beth says

      January 13, 2020 at 12:16 am

      5 stars
      This is such a great idea! I use so much broth in the winter making soups that I definitely need to learn to make it at home! Trying this ASAP!

      Reply
      • Lora says

        January 13, 2020 at 6:48 am

        Fantastic, Beth! Hope you love it!

    11. annie says

      January 13, 2020 at 10:47 am

      5 stars
      I tried this over the weekend and it was great!

      Reply
    12. Sara Welch says

      January 13, 2020 at 6:17 pm

      5 stars
      I can practically smell all the savory aromas through my computer! Looking forward to cooking with this broth for dinner tomorrow!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    lora and gabby

    Welcome to our Italian kitchen! We are Lora and Gabriella, the mother-daughter team behind Savoring Italy. With more than 30+ years of experience in the kitchen, Lora has had a great advantage – receiving guidance from both her husband who is an executive chef/restaurant owner and her mother who is a renowned private chef. 

    More about me →

    Thanksgiving Menu Ebook

    Popular

    • Easy Sweet and Spicy Nuts (One Pan!)
    • italian rainbow cookies
      BEST Authentic Italian Rainbow Cookies (AKA Tri Color Cookies)
    • Follow the road to some of the best hotels in Monticchiello
      Where to Stay in Monticchiello, Italy- Tuscany's Hidden Gem
    • 35 Things to do in Florence, Italy
      35 BEST Things to do in Florence, Italy (2024 Travel Guide)

    Pasta

    • vegan butternut squash pasta
      Easy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
    • overhead image of pasta with pumpkin and turkey
      Ground Turkey Pasta (with Pumpkin)
    • overhead image of vegan pumpkin pasta with sage in white bowls
      Easy Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Recipe
    • pasta rapini closeup image
      Easy Pasta with Rapini Recipe

    Lake Como Travel Guide

    lake como

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Photo Use Policy
    • Podcast
    • Press
    • Videos

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Buy us a coffee:)

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Savoring Italy