Slow Cooker Beef Stock

Clockwise from top left:  canned stock in 12 oz. jars, starting to fill slow cooker,
Roasted vegetables and bones, ready for roasting

 My brother-in-law, Don, gave us some really meaty soup bones from their last processed homestead-raised beef.  To make it easier for me, I roasted the bones and vegetables like I usually do, then placed them in the slow-cooker to cook unattended instead of a stock pot on the stove.

I canned my stock the next day; if you want more detailed directions for canning, check here.  It's perfectly good to simply freeze the stock in the size portion you usually use.   

I removed the meat from the bones after 5 hours, so we could still use it for soup making.  8 hours makes it just too done. 

I also save the beef fat and use it for cooking, just like Grandma did.  It’s wonderful for making beef gravy, instead of using other fats; as it has all that good beef flavor.  You can freeze it in portions the right size for the gravy recipe you usually make.               

Slow Cooker Beef Stock

  2        Tablespoons  Tomato Paste

  5        Pounds  Meaty Beef Marrow Bones

  2        Stalks  Celery -- 2" pieces

  1        Large  Carrot -- 2" pieces

  1        Large  Onion -- peeled, 8 wedges

  2        Each  Bay Leaves

  1        Tablespoon  Peppercorns

  6        Cups  Water

1. Preheat oven to 500°.
2. Brush tomato paste evenly over bones, place in a large roasting pan.  Add celery, carrot and onion; bake for 30 minutes at 500°.
3. Place bones and vegetables in a 6 quart slow cooker; add seasoning and water.
4. Cook on low for 8 hours.  Optional: remove meat from bones after 5 hours and save for another use.  Return bones to cooker and continue cooking for the total 8 hours.
5. Strain stock; discard solids.  Cover and chill overnight. (I don't strain mine through a cheese cloth, I don't mind having some of the tiny bits of meat and vegetables in my stock.  My strainer is fairly fine, however.)
6. Remove solid fat from the surface; place in a covered jar and save to use for cooking and gravy making.
7. Freeze stock or can it.
8. To can; reheat stock.  Pour into hot jars, leaving 1" headspace, adjust lids and process in a pressure canner for 20 minutes at 10 pounds pressure.

Yield:  "9 Half Pints"