Bone Broth Recipe | Life Made Sweeter

Learn how to make this quick and easy homemade Bone Broth recipe in your Instant Pot, slow cooker or on the stove-top! Use your choice of chicken, pork, beef, and turkey plus a combination of nourishing vegetables, for a protein-packed soup.

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Updated February 2024

Nourishing Homemade Bone Broth Recipe: A Healthful Elixir for Body and Soul

Unlock the wholesome benefits of homemade Bone Broth, a time-honored elixir that goes beyond flavor, offering a myriad of health advantages.

Whether you’re aiming for gut health, joint support, or a comforting sip, this nutrient-packed broth is your go-to foundation for nourishing soups, stews, and more.

Embark on your journey to a healthier you with this nourishing Bone Broth recipe. From its rich collagen content to the comforting warmth it provides, this elixir is a kitchen essential for well-being. Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, low carb, keto-friendly and Whole30 compliant.

Why make your own Bone Broth at Home:

• Nutrient Control: Ensure a nutrient-dense broth with high-quality ingredients.
• Customizable Flavor: Tailor taste profiles to personal preferences.
• Cost-Effective: Maximize value and reduce expenses, especially with leftover bones.
• Minimal Additives: Eliminate undesirable preservatives and additives.
• Environmental Impact: Reduce carbon footprint through local sourcing.
• Therapeutic Benefits: Extract maximum nutrients for potential health advantages.
• Salt Control: Manage and reduce sodium content for a healthier option.

Ingredients for Bone Broth:

• Beef Bones: The backbone of this recipe, contributing collagen and nutrients for joint health.
• Carrots: Infuse natural sweetness and additional vitamins.
• Celery: Adds a savory note and depth to the broth.
• Fresh Ginger: Bestows a subtle warmth and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Garlic (Optional): Introduces a flavorful boost and potential immune system benefits.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Enhances mineral extraction from bones.
• Water: The fundamental liquid to cover and simmer the ingredients.
• Pink Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt: Elevates flavor and provides essential minerals.
• Fresh Parsley (Optional): Adds a touch of freshness and extra nutrients.

Instructions: How to make Bone Broth

Method for Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot Bone Broth:

It’s easy to make bone broth in the Instant Pot, simply follow the steps below:

1. Place all bones in the Instant Pot, add vegetables, ginger, garlic, and apple cider vinegar.
2. Add water until 2/3 full. Cook on the SOUP setting for 120 minutes.
3. Allow natural depressurization, add salt, and parsley. Strain and enjoy!

Stovetop Method:

1. Place bones in a pot, add water and vinegar. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes.
2. Add vegetables, ginger, garlic. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 18-22 hours.
3. Add salt, parsley in the last 30 minutes. Strain and store as desired.

Slow Cooker Method:

1. Place bones in a slow cooker, add water and vinegar. Allow it to sit for 20-30 minutes.
2. Add vegetables, ginger, garlic. Cook on low for 12-18 hours.
3. Add salt, parsley in the last 30 minutes. Strain and store in jars or freeze.

Tips for Success:

• Roasting Bones (Optional): For extra depth, roast the bones before making the broth.
• Simmer Time: Extend simmering for 18-22 hours for maximum health benefits.
• Skim Impurities: During simmering, remove any impurities that float to the surface.
• Use Quality Bones: Seek a mix of bones, including marrow, knuckles, and shanks, for a well-rounded broth.
• Freeze Bone Scraps: Instead of discarding bones from meals, collect and freeze them in a designated container. This way, you can accumulate a variety of bones over time to create a flavorful and diverse bone broth.
• Mix Bone Types: Experiment with a mix of bones from different proteins, such as chicken, pork, or beef. This combination adds complexity to the flavor and enhances the nutritional profile of your bone broth.
• Utilize Leftover Roasts: After enjoying a roast chicken, turkey, or beef, save the leftover bones. These roasted bones can contribute rich, caramelized flavors to your broth.
• Vegetable Scraps: Alongside bone scraps, collect vegetable scraps like carrot ends, onion peels, and celery tops. Freeze them along with the bones to create a more robust and sustainable broth.

Variations and Substitutions:

• Assorted Bones: Experiment with chicken for chicken broth, pork, or fish bones for diverse nutrients.
• Extended Simmering: Simmer for 36 hours for an even richer and more nutrient-dense broth.
• Herb Infusion: Customize with thyme, rosemary, or bay leaves for added flavor complexity.

Serving Suggestions:

• Sip Bone Broth: Sip a warm cup of bone broth daily for a nutrient-packed boost.
• Use as a Soup Base: Use as a base for soups, stews, or in place of water for enhanced flavor.
• Add to Stir-Fries: Add a splash of bone broth to sautéed vegetables for an extra layer of richness.

Storage and Freezer Instructions:

• Refrigeration: Store in jars in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months for convenient future use.
• Make-Ahead: Prepare bone broth in advance; it deepens in flavor when allowed to rest for a day.
• Portion Control: Freeze broth in ice cube trays for smaller portions when needed.
• Extended Freezing: Bone scraps can be frozen for an extended period without compromising their quality. This makes it convenient to accumulate a substantial amount before making a batch of broth.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. Can I use different bones for bone broth? Absolutely! Experiment with chicken, pork, or fish bones for a diverse nutritional profile.
2. Is there a specific duration for simmering? Simmer for 18-22 hours for optimal health benefits, but extending to 36 hours enhances richness.
3. Can I freeze bone broth? Yes, freeze it for up to 3 months for a convenient and always-available nutrient boost.
4. Do I have to roast the bones before making the broth? While optional, roasting the bones at 450°F for 30 minutes adds extra depth to the flavor.

More Instant Pot soup recipes you will love:

Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Bone Broth

Learn how to make this quick and easy homemade Bone Broth recipe in your Instant Pot, slow cooker or on the stove-top! Use your choice of chicken, pork, beef, and turkey plus a combination of nourishing vegetables, for a protein-packed soup. 

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef broth, bone broth, gut health, homemade bone broth, homemade chicken broth, how to make bone broth, instant pot dinner, instant pot recipe, instant pot soup recipe, making broth from bones

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 125 kcal

Author: Kelly

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef bones*
• 2 medium carrots cut into thirds (I usually only use 1)
• 1 rib celery cut into thirds
• 1 knob fresh ginger about 1 inch
• 2 garlic cloves optional
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• 8 cups water or as much as needed to cover the bones
• 2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt or sea salt, to taste
• handful of fresh parsley optional

Instructions

1. For extra depth of flavor and to cut down on the fat rendered from the bones, you can roast them on a baking pan in the oven at 450 F for 30 minutes prior to making the broth.

FOR THE INSTANT POT OR PRESSURE COOKER METHOD:

1. Place all the bones in the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Add carrots, celery, ginger, garlic, and apple cider vinegar.

2. Add enough water until the pot is 2/3 full.

3. Close the lid and turn the valve to SEALING. Press the SOUP button and increase the cook time to 120 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure – this can take about 20-40 minutes.

4. After the 120 minutes when the soup has finished cooking (the Instant Pot beeps), allow to naturally depressurize (this can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

5. Open the lid, add salt to taste and parsley, if using and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes.

6. Strain the broth through a fine metal strainer and discard the bones and vegetables. Enjoy immediately or allow to cool and pour broth into jars and store in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

FOR THE STOVETOP METHOD:

1. Place bones in a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot.

2. Pour water over the bones and add the vinegar. Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes (helps to bring out the minerals from the bones).

3. Add carrots, celery, ginger, garlic, and apple cider vinegar.

4. Turn the stove to high heat and bring to a vigorous boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 8-10 (to really get the health benefits of bone broth – simmer longer for 18-22 hours). Using a skimmer or spoon, remove and discard any impurities that float to the surface.

5. During the last 30 minutes, add salt to taste and parsley, if using.

6. Strain the broth through a fine metal strainer and discard the bones and vegetables. Enjoy immediately or allow to cool and pour broth into jars and store in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

FOR SLOW COOKER METHOD:

1. Place bones in a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Pour water over the bones and add the vinegar. Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes (helps to bring out the minerals from the bones).

2. Add carrots, celery, ginger, garlic, and apple cider vinegar.

3. Cook on low and cook for 12-18 hours (to really get the health benefits of bone broth, simmer longer for 18-36 hours). Add salt to taste and parsley, if using the last 30 minutes of cooking.

4. Strain the broth through a fine metal strainer and discard the bones and vegetables. Enjoy immediately or allow to cool and pour broth into jars and store in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

Regarding bones for bone broth:

I use an assortment of chicken, pork or beef bones that I gather and freeze throughout the week – a whole roasted chicken, bone marrow, knuckles, cross shanks , oxtails, neckbones and short ribs would all work.

Nutrition Facts

Bone Broth

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 125 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Protein 5g10%

* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.