Learn how to make homemade bone broth to use in just about any meal. You can use this same method for chicken or beef bone broth. You can use this bone broth to make soups, sauces, or just to drink for added nutrition throughout your day.
We’ve been making bone broth for some time now, and there is not a week that my family can go with out it. I love to have it in bulk in the fridge and freezer because we are always making something here on the homestead for dinner.
Bone Broth is so nutritionally beneficial for our guts. Once I learned about all the benefits homemade Bone Broth has to offer, I knew I had to make my own instead of purchasing it form the store.
WHAT ARE THE NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF BONE BROTH?
There are many nutritional benefits to making Bone Broth from scratch and I’m here to tell you all all of that. Bone Broth contains trace amounts of iron, Vitamin A and K, selenium, zinc, and fatty acids. It also contains trace amount of manganese.
Bone Broth contains gelatin. Gelatin helps break down the collagen in the body which is very important to the joints. Studies have shown that gelatin increases the amount of collagen in the tissues, overall helping the joints being able to thrive. With an increase in the collagen production, Bone Broth can also help prevent osteoarthritis.
Bone Broth can also help with digestion. I will say I have experienced this myself where Bone Broth I feel has helped my gut tremendously not have the the issues I was facing (I will talk more about that another day). Bone Broth contains an amino acid called glutamine. Glutamine has been known to help heal the intestinal barrier in the gut, so I would be willing to say that Bone Broth has some healing properties to it.
Bone Broth is high in natural protein. Protein helps keep you fuller longer and is great for bones and muscles building. Drinking a cup of this everyday will help increase your protein intake.
This post contains affiliate links which means I make a small commission at no cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T BUY STORE BONE BROTH
I have gotten many questions from people asking “why not just buy the bone broth from the store”? I’ve actually thought this myself, but after looking more into it I see why I should make it from home.
Reasons why you shouldn’t buy store bone broth:
- Store Bone Broth is typically made of water and salt. There are some other ingredients added also, but it is mostly made of water and salt.
- Since Store Bone Broth is made of water and salt mostly, it is high in salt. When you make Bone Broth from home you can control the salt amount you put in the broth.
- Store Bone Broth is not refrigerated. If you did not know, Bone Broth has to be refrigerated to prevent molding. When you make Bone Broth from scratch you are boiling the nutrients from animal bones, therefore exposing the water that makes the Broth to animal parts (which animal parts need to be refrigerated).
- Store Bone Broth doesn’t taste as good as homemade and it doesn’t have the same nutritional content. Homemade Bone Broth has so many nutrients to it that help with the gut, joints, and sleep and Store Bought will not give that same nutrition you are looking for.
SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED
INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED
Bones from chicken
Apple Cider Vinegar
Water
1 Small White Onion
Whole Head of Garlic
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CHICKEN BONE BROTH
- Collect bones from carcasses of chicken. I will usually make a whole chicken at the beginning of the week to have as our main protein source for a few days or for Apple Chicken Salad.
Check Out: How to Make A Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot
I also will make chicken thighs throughout the week and use the bones for that. If you are not using the bones right away, then I recommend storing them in a freezer bag in the freezer until you are ready to use them. You do not need to unthaw them to make the bone broth.
2. Put Chicken Bones in the Instant Pot. You can put as little as you want, but do not go higher than 3/4 of the way in the Instant Pot – you don’t want it to overflow!
3. Chop 1 small white onion into slices. Peel 1 head of garlic but DO NOT mince. You will put the cloves of garlic whole in the Instant Pot. Add garlic and onions to the Instant Pot when finished.
4. Measure out 2-3 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar. Pour over chicken bones.
5. Fill up a Half Gallon Mason Jar with water. You may need more depending upon how much bones you put in the Instant Pot. Fill the water just below the top of the bones.
6. Put the lid of the Instant Pot. Click the Soup/Stew button on Normal for 120 minutes.
7. Once the timer goes off I will usually do another 120 minutes on the Soup/Stew function to make sure that my Bone Broth gets as much nutrients from the bones as it can.
8. When the timer goes off for a second time you can do 1 of 2 things: Go onto the next step as soon as its done or let it sit on warm for 12-24 hours (this is the route I choose).
9. Let the steam out of the Instant Pot if it needs to be let out. Take a large bowl (I would recommend stainless steel) and put a strainer in it.
10. Once the steam has all been let out, carefully (with oven mitts if still hot) take the pot out. Pour the broth and the bones into the strainer. Remove the strainer from the bowl, leaving the broth only in the bowl.
11. Put into a separate mason jar and you have BONE BROTH!
WHAT YOU CAN MAKE WITH BONE BROTH
There is a ton you can make with Bone Broth but here are some of my favorite recipes at the moment:
My easy From Scratch Gravy
Homemade Chicken Bone Broth
Ingredients
- Chicken Bones
- 2-3 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Small Onion chopped
- 1 Head Garlic peeled
- 1/2 Gallon Water maybe more depending on how much bones
Instructions
- Collect bones from carcasses of chicken.
- Put Chicken Bones in the Instant Pot. You can put as little as you want, but do not go higher than 3/4 of the way in the Instant Pot – you don't want it to overflow.
- Chop 1 small white onion into slices. Peel 1 head of garlic but DO NOT mince. You will put the cloves of garlic whole in the Instant Pot. Add garlic and onions to the Instant Pot when finished.
- Measure out 2-3 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar. Pour over chicken bones.
- Fill up a Half Gallon Mason Jar with water. You may need more depending upon how much bones you put in the Instant Pot. Fill the water just below the top of the bones.
- Put the lid of the Instant Pot. Click the Soup/Stew button on Normal for 120 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off I will usually do another 120 minutes on the Soup/Stew function to make sure that my Bone Broth gets as much nutrients from the bones as it can.
- When the timer goes off for a second time you can do 1 of 2 things: Go onto the next step as soon as its done or let it sit on warm for 12-24 hours (this is the route I choose).
- Let the steam out of the Instant Pot if it needs to be let out. Take a large bowl (I would recommend stainless steel) and put a strainer in it.
- Once the steam has all been let out, carefully (with oven mitts if still hot) take the pot out. Pour the broth and the bones into the strainer. Remove the strainer from the bowl, leaving the broth only in the bowl.
- Put into a separate mason jar and you have BONE BROTH!
PIN IT FOR LATER
Um, yum! Thanks for the great recipe!