Quarto Publishing - The Little Slow Cooker Cookbook: 500 of the Best Slow Cooker Recipes Ever

Cover with water. Add the pepper and thyme. Cook on low 8 to 9 hours. Remove the beef and bones from the pot and let cool until easy to handle. Remove the meat from the bones and save for another use. Strain the vegetables from the stock and discard.

Chill the stock in the fridge and remove the fat from the top. Yield: 8 servings

Roast for about 1 hour, or until browned. Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Cover with water. Add the pepper and thyme. Cook on low 8 to 9 hours. Remove the chicken and bones from the pot and let cool until easy to handle.

Remove the meat from the bones and save for another use. Strain the vegetables from the stock and discard. Chill the stock in the fridge and remove the fat from the top. Yield: 8 servings

A slow cooker is absolutely the best tool ever for making perfect broth because all you do is prep it and leave it.4 ribs celery with leaves, quartered4 carrots, unpeeled and quartered (with greens, if possible)3 parsnips, unpeeled and quartered1 large yellow onion, unpeeled and quartered1 large leek, well rinsed and coarsely chopped2 portobello mushrooms, including stems (Use 6 or 8 cremini mushrooms if you prefer a lighter-colored broth.)1 small zucchini, coarsely chopped2 cabbage leaves, optional1 bunch Italian parsley, thicker stems removed4 cloves garlic, unpeeled and crushed2 star anise, optional/ teaspoon green peppercorns or / teaspoon black pepper In a 6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker, combine all of the ingredients. Cover with water to about 2 inches (5 cm) from the top of the insert. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 10 hours (or overnight). Cool slightly and strain the mixture through a double-mesh sieve into one or two large storage containers. Reserve the vegetables for another use or discard. Store the broth in the fridge or in pintsize containers in the freezer for later use.

Place a layer of microwave-safe plastic wrap on the surface of the cold soup and under the lid before freezing to keep it airtight. Yield: 3 to 4 quarts (2.8 to 3.7 L) Recipe VariationAn easy and economical way to make vegetable broth is to hang on to all the peels, cores, and ends of your vegetables from the week and use them over the weekend to make broth. Just keep them fresh in a container in the refrigerator.Different herbs and vegetables lend different qualities to your broths. Many peels, such as onion skins, tend to darken the color. You can also sweat chopped veggies in a skillet on the stove for 5 to 10 minutes before adding to the slow cooker to further concentrate their flavors.Did You Know?Even though broth and stock are different, many people use them in recipes interchangeably.

You can use this in the same way as you would a one-serving envelope of one of the commercial brands. Some brands make multiple servings per envelope.1 tablespoon (15 g) dried minced onion1 teaspoon sodium-free beef bouillon/ teaspoon onion powder/ teaspoon black pepper/ teaspoon paprika In a bowl, stir all of the ingredients together. Store the mixture in an airtight jar or bag. Yield: 1 serving Recipe Tip!Mix this Onion Soup Mix with a pint of sour cream. It makes a great dip.

Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until well pured. In an airtight container, shake together the milk and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick. Stir in the vegetable mixture.