Making bone broth in your Instant Pot is easy, economical, and healthy. It’s a great way to stretch your food dollar and provide your body with a boost of nutrients and protein. In this post, we show you step-by-step how to make Instant Pot Bone Broth.
This post was originally published on February 16th, 2017. Updated on February 8th, 2021.
This post may contain affiliate links that won’t change your price but will share some commission.
Instant Pot Bone Broth is always a good idea. For many reason!
Have you made a whole chicken in your Instant Pot yet? If not, you’re missing out. It’s by far the easiest and most economical way to get a big pile of tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken you’ll ever make. And it’s so juicy and delicious.
After you Make A Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot, the next natural step is to make delicious and nutritious homemade bone broth in your Instant Pot.
But if you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can still make bone broth in your slow cooker. If that’s what you’re here for, head over to our Slow Cooker Bone Broth Recipe. Just know that it takes quite a bit longer to make broth in your slow cooker (24-36 hours) versus the less than 2 hours needed to make bone broth in an Instant Pot.
Why Bone Broth is Good For You
Making bone broth in your Instant Pot is easy, economical, and healthy. As the bones and connective tissue slowly simmer, the nutrients get released into the water, making a very nutritious liquid. Here are the main nutrients you get from bone broth.
- A protein called collagen contains joint-supporting amino acids, such as glucosamine and chondroitin
- Minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron)
- Vitamins (A and K2)
- Essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6)
Read more about bone broth health benefits, such as improved digestion and gut healing in this post: All About Bone Broth. Also, this post from Healthline provides a good explanation about the researched health benefits of bone broth.
Broth has become a staple in our households, appearing in soups and stews on a weekly basis. We also use it for mashing potatoes (in place of milk or cooking water), steaming vegetables, preparing rice (subbing broth for water), and we sip it from a mug when we want a little ‘something’ but don’t want a full meal or a snack. It’s great for breaking cravings and it’s one of our go-to home remedies for colds and stomach bugs.
How to Use Bone Broth
You can use bone broth in any recipe that calls for broth. Using homemade bone broth gives recipes a real depth of flavor that makes it extra delicious (you’ll see what we mean when you try it). Here are some of our favorite recipes calling for broth:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder
- Instant Pot Tortilla-less Soup
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Creamy Ham Soup Potato Soup
You can use bone broth in so many more ways than just as a standard broth replacement in recipes. Here are some ideas:
- Sip bone broth warm in a mug to replace morning coffee or an afternoon cup of tea
- Make a homemade gravy using bone broth
- Use bone broth in place of water to cook rice, quinoa, or any pasta or grain
- Add it to a smoothie for a nutrition boost
- Use bone broth instead of water when making homemade BBQ Sauce
- Use bone broth to make perfect chicken breasts every time
Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth Ingredients:
- Bones from (1) 3-4 lb chicken – we like to use the leftover bones from our Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe or leftover bones from a rotisserie chicken to make things easy.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – vinegar is a key ingredient as it pulls the nutrients from the bones into the broth.
- Vegetables – Carrots, Celery, Parsnip, Onion, and Garlic. We recommend adding vegetables as they add great flavor and nutrients, however, they are optional.
- Fresh Herbs – we like to use a mix of sage, rosemary, thyme, and/or parsley. Like vegetables, herbs are optional.
- Seasoning – salt, peppercorns, and a bay leaf
Pro tip: we like to collect leftover bones and vegetable trimmings (like the ends of onions or celery, mushroom stems, ends or peels of carrots or parsnips) in separate bags in the freezer. Throughout the week, we’ll throw in any leftover bones from our meals, plus any veggies or herbs that are starting to go downhill. Then, when we’re ready to make some bone broth, we have everything we need in the freezer!
How to Make Instant Pot Bone Broth:
It might sound intimidating, but bone broth is truly so simple to make in your Instant Pot. Each step is explained in more detail (with pictures) below, but here’s the game-plan:
- Add bones, veggies, herbs/seasonings, apple cider vinegar, and plenty of water to your Instant Pot. Your water level should be just below the “max fill” line.
- Lock Instant Pot lid into place, flip vent valve to “Sealing”
- Select “Manual” (if you have a newer Instant Pot and don’t have a manual option, select “Soup/Broth” and make sure the setting is on “High Pressure”) and adjust the time to 120 minutes.
- When cooking time is done, allow pressure to naturally release (this should take 20-30 minutes).
- Allow to cool, then strain into storage containers (I like to use mason jars) to store in the refrigerator or freezer.
How to Make Bone Broth: Photo Tutorial
If you’ve just made the Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe, then place the bones, skin, cartilage, and other ‘bits’ from the chicken along with any innards (gizzard, heart, liver, etc.) that may have come with your chicken (FYI: they’re usually stuffed inside the cavity in a small bag) into the Instant Pot. You should still have a few cups of cooking liquid and herbs left in the pot from cooking the chicken.
If you haven’t made the Instant Pot Whole Chicken and you’re just starting with bones (either from a rotisserie chicken or leftover bones you’ve been collecting in a bag in the freezer), place those in the bottom of the Instant Pot. No need to thaw them, just put them in there.
To the pot, add the vegetables, aromatics (that’s fancy talk for garlic and onions), bay leaf, any herbs you want to use – we use sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley if we have it on hand – then a glug of apple cider vinegar and a few peppercorns.
Don’t worry, there’s a full recipe coming (at the bottom of this post) so you’ll know exactly how much we add of each thing. Though you can totally wing it and use what you have and it will still be fabulous.
Then cover everything with water (about 4-5 cups depending on how many bones you used), lock the lid in place, and cook for 120 minutes on high pressure.
Once the timer sounds, allow 20-30 minutes for the pressure inside the pot to naturally release before flipping the vent valve to ‘Venting’ to release any residual pressure.
Voilà! You’ve just made broth!
Remove the insert and allow the broth to cool enough so that you can taste it without burning your tongue. Add sea salt to taste or leave it unsalted for use in recipes and as a cooking liquid for potatoes, vegetables, or rice.
Strain the broth into a large bowl with a pouring spout (we use this bowl and this strainer) to separate the liquid from the solids. Transfer broth to glass jars with lids – leaving the lids off until the broth has cooled enough to be refrigerated – usually 1 1/2 – 2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
How to Store Instant Pot Bone Broth
Broth can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container, such as mason jars, for up to 5 days. Freeze or pressure can for longer storage.
How to freeze bone broth:
- Freeze broth in silicone muffin cups or ice cube trays
- Once broth blocks are solid, remove them from the tray and store the blocks in a ziplock bag or other freezer-friendly sealed container in your freezer.
- When you’re ready to use, simply remove the amount you need and reheat on the stove or in the microwave, or throw frozen blocks directly in soups for a flavor boost.
How to make gelatinous bone broth?
Simply run the 120-minute cycle a second time on ‘low-pressure’ this time to produce a gelatinous bone broth. A gelatinous broth is a good indicator that it’s is rich in nourishing collagen. Note: the bone broth has to be cooled for it to gelatinize. Once it’s reheated it will return to a liquid consistency.
Other How-to tutorials:
- How to Make Ghee
- How to Make Butter
- How to Make Easy Peel Hard Boiled Egg
- How to Make a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
- How to Make Grain-free Tortillas
- How to Make Corn Tortillas
Hungry for More? Subscribe to get our newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And be sure to stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
How to make Instant Pot Bone Broth
Easy, nourishing, and incredibly economical, bone broth is a great way to stretch your food dollar and provide your body with wholesome goodness.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 mins
- Yield: ~3 quarts
- Cuisine: Paleo, Whole30

Ingredients
- Bones from (1) 3-4lb. chicken
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- Water
- Salt to taste
We recommend adding vegetables and herbs as they add great flavor and nutrients, however, they are optional.
- 2 medium carrots, scrubbed and cut in half
- 1 medium parsnip, scrubbed and cut into large chunks (may substitute more carrots, if desired)
- 3 celery ribs (or ends and leaves to equal 1 cup)
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered with skin and root end intact
- 6 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 8–10 peppercorns
- A handful of fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, and/or parsley)
Instructions
- Place bones, vegetables, peppercorns, herbs, and vinegar into the pot of the Instant Pot.
- Add enough water to just cover the bones and vegetables in the pot, about 3/4 full.
- Wipe rim of insert dry with a towel. Place lid on Instant Pot and lock into place.
- Flip vent valve to ‘Sealing’.
- Select ‘Manual’ or High-Pressure setting and adjust the cooking time to 120 minutes.
- Optional: to ensure a gelatinous bone broth, run the cycle a second time for 120 minutes on low-pressure.
- When cooking is done, allow pressure to release naturally (10-20 minutes).
- Release any residual pressure using the vent valve before removing the lid.
- Allow broth to cool before straining the broth through a mesh lined strainer into jars for storage.
- Add salt to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 0
- Sodium: 270 mg
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 0
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 20 g
Pin it now, Make it later!
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
Fonda says
I don’t have an instant pot and really don’t want another kitchen appliance. Can I use a slow cooker instead?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Fonda,
You sure can – try our Slow Cooker Bone Broth recipe.
Tammy says
I.t takes about 24 hours in a crockpot. I’ve done it many times and It turns out great.
Candace says
It is fortuitous to receive this recipe today! I have bones in the freezer waiting for this weekend to make broth. I usually make it in my crockpot and have been a bit reluctant to make it in my Instant Pot. BUT you have given me this recipe…..so I’m going to do it tomorrow! 🙂
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Candance,
We love hearing when a recipe fills a reader’s needs! I made my broth in the slow cooker for years until I switched to the Instant Pot a little over 2 years ago. It’s so simple and it gels every time (in the slow cooker it was hit or miss unless I added chicken feet for extra collagen).
Hope you enjoy the recipe – I’d love to hear your experience with it.
Denice Drury says
Thanks for posting this great recipe! Love the ad for chicken feet and I actually have some. Can’t wait to try it!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Denice,
Thank you – you’re so welcome. I always try to sneak a few chicken feet into every batch since they’re very inexpensive and easy to obtain from my local farmer.
Laura says
Looking forward to making this. Your cooking chicken in the instant pot is so yummy. I was hoping you got to use the residual liquid in making bone broth.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Laura,
Thank you! Yes, all that tasty liquid left over from cooking the chicken gets put to use in this broth. I waste nothing in the kitchen! And it’s also a great source of gelatin and those prized golden fat droplets that made homemade broth so amazing.
Enjoy!
Laura says
I just made this tonight. Seriously good. I do however need to actually measure the vinegar or get better at a glug.
Jessica Beacom says
Ha! The perfect ‘glug’ is definitely an art form. Glad to hear you loved the broth – cheers!
Ted says
I usually wait until I’ve got two bird carcasses in the freezer to make bone broth. After the first batch is done, I fish the used veggies out and put fresh veggies and the same bones into the pot for a second batch. It’s not as rich as the first, but is still mighty tasty.
Jessica Beacom says
Great idea, Ted. Thanks for sharing!
Nicole says
Do they both gel when you do this method? My gelling has been been hit or miss,mostly miss. Sometimes I spend a lot on chicken backs and feet only to get little to no gel. I’d like to reuse bones as you have recommended.
Allen says
Can I reuse the lids on the Mason jars?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Allen,
If you’re not pressure canning the broth you can reuse the lids (assuming you means the metal band + sealing lid setup).
Monique says
Do you have a recipe for pressure cooking the broth so to keep in a pantry for quick use? I have both an electric/ and stove top pressure cooker.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Monique,
I use the method from the old Ball Blue Book of Canning (now retitled and updated as the All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving) which is:
PROCESS filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure – 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude, according to your pressure canners directions.
Hope that helps!
Cameron says
Thank you for sharing. I love drinking bone broth but can’t make one. I’ve been drinking Au Bon Broth and I love its taste and flavor. It has also helped me with my joint pains and sleeping problems.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Cameron,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I love bone broth and sip on it daily in the colder fall and winter months. I’ve even added some to smoothies in the summer – I love the sweet and savory combo and you really can’t taste the broth. I’m thrilled to hear that such a simple and time-honored practice of making something from next to nothing has been so healing for you as well.
Sara says
Hi, I made this last night and it’s delicious!! How long can this last in the mason jars in the fridge? I’m going to freeze half of it but I’d love to have the rest in the fridge on hand for cooking. Thanks!!!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Sara,
I keep mine in a sealed jar in the fridge about 4-5 days. Glad you loved it. I freeze mine in ice cube trays or silicone muffin liners so it’s fast to thaw (or for when I just need a little bit).
Carolyn says
My big dog Tex loves the left over veggies! Just sayin’ – nothing goes to waste!
Stacie Hassing says
That’s awesome! And I love the name Tex! So cute.
Susan says
I realize this is an older comment that I am replying to, but onions and garlic (& other veggies from the allium family) are harmful to dogs.
Kathy Roach says
I was going to say the same thing. Garlic, onions, and many spices are poisonous for dogs!! Hopefully everyone knew that.
Melinda Jordan says
Love this recipe! I just bought my Instant Pot Duo60 and its a newer version and does not have the Manual button. Can I just use the Soup/Stock button it has and set it to More as recommended and set the time to 120?
Thanks
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Yes, that will work just fine.
Dana says
Hi, my mom used to can fruits and jam all the time, but I don’t know how to do canning. How would you put this in jars to keep for future use that won’t need to be kept in the fridge? Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Dana,
The only way you can preserve the broth for shelf-stable storage is to pressure can it (using a pressure canner). You can freeze it for longer storage – I often freeze mine in a muffin pan so the ‘pucks’ are easier to thaw.
Claudia says
I am a vegetarian so will not partake, but my dogs, and my boyfriend will love this, I’m sure. Just now making my first batch. Thanks for the “how-to”
Jessica Beacom says
Great! I hope your dogs and boyfriend enjoy it as much as we do.
Mary says
I just made this last night but the bones didn’t crumble or go to mush like they do when I’ve done this on the stove for 2 days. Did I not get all the good benefits of collagen, etc., because the bones are still in tact? I did it on the Soup for 2 hours. Hmmmm…..??
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Merry,
I don’t get really mushy bones either using the Instant Pot but I go get softer bones really great broth that gels better than when I use the slow cooker. Based on what I’ve read in the past, the crumbliness of the bones (or lack thereof) doesn’t necessarily mean your both is good or bad. Sometimes it can be related to the fact that most poultry are harvested young when their bones are still quite porous whereas other brands may have older birds (or they may have been fed different feed, or been pastured vs. grain-fed, etc.) You can try increasing the apple cider vinegar a bit and letting the pressure cooker sit for 1-2 hours (it will automatically switch to ‘keep warm’) to see if you get softer bones next time.
Heather says
I just made this for the first time. How do I know when the bone broth is done? I already put it in mason jars, but the broth is light in color- much lighter than store bought broth. Is it not done and if not is there anything I can do now that I’ve thrown out the bones?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Heather,
After 2 hours of cooking and the time spent cooling/releasing the pressure, the bone is technically done. It may be a lighter color if you used more water in relation to the amount of bones you had (which would depend on the size of your chicken, if you used the giblets and skin, the amount of vegetables used, etc.) I often have variations in the color of my broth based on these factors and it doesn’t always gel right away after cooling. Sometimes I find that after I’ve made a soup with it then cooled it that it then gels.
Meredith says
I made this tonight, but I left out the apple cider. What does that do, is it for taste? Also, do you skim the fat off the top after it’s cold or is that part of the good nutrition? I’m a bone broth beginner. 🙂
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Meredith,
The apple cider vinegar is used to make the liquid slightly acidic which helps leach calcium and other minerals from the bones during cooking. You can also use fresh lemon juice if you prefer – it just has to be acidic.
I don’t skim the fat. In fact, leaving the fat to congeal on the surface actually extends the ‘shelf-life’ (though it’s kept in the fridge) of the broth as another reader pointed out. Sometimes I’ll remove the congealed fat from cold broth before cooking if there’s a lot – or I’ll even scrape it off and use it to roast vegetables. It’s super flavorful!
Tess D says
In addition to the vinegar/acid, I read years ago in an article about repurposing the Thanksgiving turkey carcass – adding leeks to the broth will help to leach the marrow and minerals, etc from the bones.
Curious – Jessica, do you ever crack some of the thicker bones to allow better access to the marrow? Or would that just muddy the broth?
Jessica Beacom says
I hadn’t heard that about leeks but that’s good to know – they’re so delicious in soup and I often toss the tough green ends into my ‘scrap’ bag in the freezer to use when I make broth. I don’t crack open the chicken bones but I do ask my butcher to cut pork and beef bones open.
Jack Van says
What do you do with the solids like the veggies etc? Are they too overcooked to eat?
Thanks
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jack,
You could eat the leftover veggies and bits of meat though they’ll be rather overcooked.
I save those bits (including the very soft cartilage pieces, or ‘knuckles’, from the ends of bones) to mix in with our dog’s and cat’s food a long with a little of the cooled broth. They love it and it saves me money too.
Bev says
The instant pot has an aluminum pot, I don’t like to cook in aluminum. Is there another fast cooking pot?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Bev,
The Instant Pot inner pot is actually made from stainless steel rather than aluminum and does not contain any non-stick coatings. If you’re not looking for pressure cooker per se but rather a multi-cooker, check out the cookers from Vita Clay. They have a clay insert rather than metal. Hope that helps!
Kim says
Try using an ohsawa pot. It is designed to be used in a pressure cooker. I use mine in the IP all the time.
Teresa Guthrie says
Do I leave in the vegatables from when I made the whole chicken or remove everything other than the liquid to make the bone broth?
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Teresa,
Just remove the meat from the bones then return the bones back to the pot to make the broth.
Tammy Aubuchon says
I love the information here, but with my aging eyesight, & my strongest, new, reading glasses from my eye Dr, I have trouble reading the skinny, light Gray, faded looking font you use.
I can barely see the whole content, to be able to choose where to start copying it, & where to stop. It’s MUCH lighter than “this” font it’s using, on the comment, which is Gray also.
Very hard for your older fans of the site. Sorry I couldn’t rate the article, I couldn’t read it.
Thanks
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Tammy, we are in the process of fixing this issue. Thanks for your feedback.
Debbie says
Hello,
I made some chicken bone broth yesterday, but it did not yield three quarts of broth. It only made 1/2 quart of broth. I followed the instructions and added water up above the bones. What would be your suggestion to ensure I get close to three quarts of broth from my instant pot. I was so excited about making this broth, but when it didn’t even make one quart, I was a bit disappointed. However, I do like the taste of it.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Debbie,
It sounds like you may have had fewer bone and veggies in your pot which means that ‘water to cover’ didn’t bring you up to the Max Fill line inside the inner pot (which, depending on how much bones/veggie mass you have) will get you about 3 quarts of broth (sometimes I get only 2 ½ quarts). If you have a small chicken frame I’d recommend saving it in the freezer until you get another one (or bones from an organic rotisserie chicken, etc.) then make the broth. I like to toss all trimmings from onions (peels, too!), carrots and celery into the same bag to cut down on kitchen waste and make it easier when it’s time for broth. I hope that helps!
Renee says
I’ve only made beef bone broth once in a stainless steel stock pot. Pot was not “stainless” even after scrubbing, and scrubbing. I wouldn’t want that same staining in my instant pot! I did not cook the beef bones beforehand. Has anyone else had that difficult residue in their stainless pot? Any secrets on how to remove that residue?
Jason says
I use barkeepers friend
Tess D says
If you don’t want to use something chemical, i’ve found scrubbing with stainless steel wool is very effective and not too scratchy.
Vampy says
I would not ever use steel wool it WILL scratch. Use Scotch-Brite pads, the type without the sponge and they will clean and not scratch the insert. Dollar Tree sells these in a generic 3 for $1 and you can’t beat that price. They are green and flat it you don’t know what they look like. Some people cut them in half because they are large and you get more of them this way.
Lindsay Rasure says
I left my instant pot on high pressure and literally there was maybe 1 cup of broth when finished. I made sure the valve was sealed too. I reused the bones and did it again on low pressure and then it yielded the correct amount of broth. Do you always do it on high pressure?
★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Lindsay,
Yes, I always do my broth on high pressure. Typically I add enough veggies to the chicken bones so that when I cover it all with water it’s just a couple inches below the ‘max’ line. If you used less veggies, water or bones you would get less broth.
Cynthia says
Thank you ever so much for this recipe. I am preparing this today and plan to use the broth as my husband and I start a keto WOE. It is excellent for health purposes we’ve heard but especially for the keto “flu” associated with people new to keto. We already cook almost everything with store bought broth so it will be good to make this in my new IP. Oh, also, a viola is a musical instrument my grandson plays. Perhaps you were looking for, voilà? Pronounced, /vwäˈlä/. Unless you are making an American TV commercial or attempting to sound cool on FB. Then you pronounce it wallah. Ha, ha! Thanks for all you do!
Cynthia says
Thank you so much for this recipe! We got a new IP for Christmas and love it. March 1 we will start a keto WOE and bone broth will play an important role in our food plan, especially if the keto flu hits in the beginning.
By the way, a viola is a musical instrument. Perhaps you were looking for the word, voilà? It is pronounced, vwäˈlä, unless one is making an American TV commercial or trying to look intelligent on FB. In those cases it is pronounced without the vw blend and pronounced wallaw. Just some Saturday humor. Have a wonderful day!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Cynthia,
So glad to hear you’ll be able to put that Instant Pot to good use with this broth. Fingers crossed that you stay kept flu-free.
Thanks for the laugh – you know what, the spell checker used by WordPress apparently hates the word voilà and insists on changing it to viola (repeatedly) but now that you’ve typed out the word with the correctly punctuation I’m going to update the post but cutting and pasting the word into the text to see if I can finally outsmart the smarty pants spell checker 😉
P.S. It worked!
Kathi says
Hi – maybe I missed it, but did you say to set the pressure cooker on low, med or high pressure for the bone broth recipe. Super excited to try this recipe in the pressure cooker. Thank you, Kathi
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Kathi,
You’ll want to set the pressure cooker to HIGH pressure. Enjoy!
Marianna Jones says
i Have a question.. I thought that for the most healthy broth it was important to use low heat to keep the collagen intact. I have not even used a crock pot as it brings my broth above a low simmer? Have you heard the same? Wondering how the pressure cooking effects the nutritive qualities of the broth? thanks for any insight you have!
marianna
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Marianna,
Great question! This article from Wellness Mama explains how a pressure cooker can actually improve the nutrition of broth (and other foods) since it’s not increasing the temperature of the food but rather increasing the pressure it’s cooked under and thus shortening the time.
Gary T says
Actually the reason you pressure cook is to increase cooking temperature. As you increase pressure, the boiling point of water increases. At high pressure in an Instant Pot the cooking pressure is about 11 psi which equates to about 240 deg F cooking temperature, 28 deg F higher than the boiling point of water at sea level (212 deg F). So the question about nutrient degradation with higher temperature is valid. I have read that higher temperatures above the typical boiling point can degrade the collagen gelling properties. Would be interesting to see if there is any definitive research on this question.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Gary,
Thanks, you make a very valid point in that high temperatures can affect collagen and thus whether or not a broth will gel when cooked. I’ve made broth the same way for years (first on the stove, then in the slow cooker and now in the Instant Pot) and ruling out variables such as amount of bones and vegetables (yes, I’ve weighed them), amounts of water, filtered water vs. re-mineralized filtered water and even tested methods side-by-side using the same breed of chicken (we’ve raised our own over the years) and I’ve had all three methods produce ‘non-gelling broth’. Though it didn’t gel, I doubt that it was because it wasn’t nutritious. Though I can’t quote the page I know that Sally Fallon Morrel addressed this in her Nourishing Broth book a few years ago – if that’s helpful.
Carol Lindsay says
I forgot to add the vinegar. Hope this won’t ruin it.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Carol,
It will be fine. You may not get as much gelatinization but it will still be nourishing and delicious.
Rosa Carrillo says
Hi! I was just wondering what the nutritional value of your recipe is if followed step by step. Thank you!
This was my first time making broth, and it was easy and delicious!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Rosa,
Great question! This is a tough one as many sources vary and few seem to be in agreement as to how much protein, minerals, etc. are in a particular recipe. Since most broths are made from water, bones, veggies and a small amount of acid you may find that searching ‘nutrition facts for homemade bone broth’ will give you a good starting point.
I’m sorry I can’t give you exact figures, I just haven’t found a reliable way to quantify this without have a batch lab tested.
P.S. Glad you loved the broth, I’ve got some cooking right now!
Dana says
Are there certain veggies you should avoid putting in? I’m assuming you’re going for flavor and also nutrients leaching into the broth. I have some thick broccoli stalks and I’m wondering if there’s any value in throwing those in. Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Dana,
I’d suggest not using cruciferous veggies like broccoli or cauliflower as they tend to get very sulfurous with the high temp cooking.
Kimberly says
hi! I just made my first batch and it seems really greasy? I know I can cool and skim the fat later, I just feel like I did something wrong because no one else has mentioned how greasy it is! Thank you!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Kimberly,
It really depends on how much skin and fat are left on your chicken bones. I sometimes have batches that are really ‘greasy’ and others that aren’t so much. A tip that another reader shared with me is to pour the hot broth into jars then allow them to cool for an hour or so before refrigerating. Once cold, the fat will form a solid layer on top of the broth that should be left in place until you’re ready to use the broth because the fat forms a relatively air-tight seal that will keep your broth from spoiling (I used to keep mine for only 3-4 days and now with this method I can keep it almost a week before it smell ‘off’).
But long story short, you didn’t do anything wrong!
J Babygot says
What level is your manual pressure? Low? High?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi!
The default for Manual on my Instant Pot is high (though you can change that to low but for this recipe you want it at high).
Robyn Nichol says
Just curious what you typically do w the veggies after you’ve used them for broth? Would you snack on them? Add them to a meal? Dispose some way, like giving to chickens?
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Robyn,
I don’t eat the spent veggies but I do give them to our chickens and when we had a dog he enjoyed having the carrots mixed into his food (to help soften it a bit in his later years). You can also compost them. Or, you could snack on them if you find them pleasurable – I’m personally not a fan of really mushy carrots (thankfully my chickens are).
Intant Pot n00b says
Then you cook one of the chickens in the Instant Pot and use its carcass for more bone broth completing the circle of life yet again.
★★★★★
Raquel says
Holy cannoli this is freaking liquid gold!!!
I completely skimmed over the “add acid” step and am now realizing why that is so important. But man this stuff is awesome. I never understood the obsession, but I’m a believer now! So cool and the instant pot makes this recipe so so so simple and quick.
Jan says
Sounds amazing n will be trying this recipe even though I usually make a bigger batch In my biggest pot over the stove. Only thing I noticed is that waiting 2hrs to cool seems too long I’ve read so after 45 min I put the jars of still warm broth in the refrigerator with out the lids. Then they cool much faster when I screw the lids on n ur good to go! Thx
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jan,
Thanks for sharing your tip for cooling the broth. I haven’t tried it this way but will give it a try next time.
Lisa S says
I suggest waiting until the last 20 minutes to add the veggies. Your broth will taste better. Overcooking the veggies imparts a more bitter broth. Try it!
Stacie Hassing says
Thanks for the recommendation!
Olivia says
Hi!
FYI, in the recipe card part of this post, item 6 currently lists a range of 20-20 minutes. 🙂 And in item 8, “straining” is written as “staining.”
Thank you for this recipe! I’m attempting it right now! 🙂
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Olivia,
Thanks for the catch – I’ve updated those directions accordingly 🙂
KB says
I make my own chicken based cat food and have been tossing out the bones (thighs) as of late, now I realize I could be using them for bone broth. Do you have an idea of how many bones I might need to be the same as an entire 3-4 pound chicken? OR would I be better off making the entire chicken and adding in the thigh bones?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi KB,
I would save the thigh bones in a zip-top bag in the freezer then add them to the bones of a whole chicken the next time you make broth.
Donna says
I’m able to make some nice bone broth in more like 1 – 1 1/2 hrs with a stovetop pressure cooker or my crockpot in 12-15 hrs. Lovely bones from our butcher for some great jelly-like broth!
★★★★★
Kimberly Haney says
Just back from the Doc…she says I have pneumonia. A friend of mine made bone broth the traditional way, and said I needed to get my hands on some quickly. I found your site and I remembered that I had half a rotisserie chicken in the fridge. The timer just clicked off, so only 30 more minutes to wait! I’m freezing mine in muffin pans for quick use!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Kimberly,
Hope you’re feeling better soon!
Kathy Moore says
Thanks for the recipe. I noticed that many people in the comments give the left over veggies to their dogs. I give caution to this as onions and garlic can be toxic to them.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Kathy,
You make a great point here. I typically only give the carrots to my animals, removing the onions and larger pieces of garlic (since garlic is often found in pet food and treats I don’t worry about removing every little bit). Thanks for sharing this piece of advice!
Allison says
Stacie and Jessica, I wonder if either of you could help me determine if I need to use the soup/broth setting or just the generic pressure cook setting. I have the instant Pot Duo Plus and it does not have a manual setting. Although I’m betting in my case I should just use the pressure cook setting to achieve this. However, why would I not use the soup/ broth setting, which is also a pressure cook setting? I’m new to instant pot and not very savvy, but I know I would like to achieve a gelatinous broth done at the right temp and time 🤪
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Allison,
You can certainly use the Broth/Soup setting. After all, it’s there to make things easier! I don’t know what the preset time is for that setting with the new Duo Plus so you may have to adjust it up or down to get 2 hours. I hope that helps!
Olivia says
I have the mini instant pot. Should I cut the whole chicken into pieces and make single or two person serving portions instead of cooking the whole chicken and only have a little broth?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Olivia,
That is a great question! Though I’ve never used the 3-quart Instant Pot I imagine you could do it either way. To save time, I would cook the biggest portion of chicken you can in that size pot. Though you might have less liquid it would, in theory, be more concentrated so after making the broth you could add water to ‘thin’ the broth as needed.
Raquel Hoffman says
To make sure I get every bit of collage from the bones I load the bones, acv, and just enough water to cover and keep in the fridge overnight. In the morning I add the veggies and spices and I actually set it on my back porch table to cook. I set it out to keep the steam from perfuming the house with soup odor! It’s yummy but don’t like for the whole house to smell like food. When it’s done the bones are a mush and the broth is always jelly 🙂
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Raquel – this is great! I agree that allowing the bones to soak overnight with the ACV is very helpful for getting the most collagen from the bones. Thanks for sharing your tip!
Barbara Mihalchean says
Hi there, I’m on a feeding tube and will be. I use the broth in my tube hopefully to maintain my bone health. I’m hoping the collegen from chicken wings and beef marrow bones will help. How many pounds of wings or bones versus water do I use? Thank you for any help. Barb
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Barbara,
I’m sorry to hear that you need to be on a feeding tube but happy to hear that you’re using bone broth to supplement your diet. The general rule of thumb for this is use just enough water to cover the bones (and if making it in a slow cooker or on the stovetop you’d want to add water during the cooking process, as needed, to keep them covered).
I never measure, just fill the pot until the bones are covered but never exceeded the ‘Max’ line on the inside of the Instant Pot inner pot.
I hope that helps. Wishing you well.
Mel says
So easy and it smells amazing! I made your IP whole chicken first for dinner, which was perfectly cooked and so juicy. Then made bone broth with what was left. So excited to start incorporating it daily, I have digestive issues and my husband has joint pain so we are hopeful bone broth will help.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Mel,
I’m so happy to hear you found the whole chicken and broth recipes so delicious and useful. Cheers to daily bone broth!
P - says
Just found your recepie …I usually make my broth in the slow cooker. I’m an Instanpot Newbee and can’t wait to make this today
Lori Divine says
What size instapot do you need? 6 qt or 8?
Stacie Hassing says
We both use a 6 qrt.
Sheryl says
Do you have a bone broth instapot recipe for beef or pork bones?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Sheryl, we do not at the moment but here is one I found with a quick google search: https://lowcarbyum.com/savory-beef-bone-broth-recipe/
Charr Crail says
Made the whole toasted chicken last night and it was phenomenal! Making bone broth now. Thank you for such beautifully simple directions!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Charr,
I’m so glad you loved the chicken – and I’m thrilled to hear that the directions were so simple to follow. Happy eating!
Jessica says
I use it for sipping mostly, it is my morning go to when I have it around. I really like to put a dollop of coconut oil, ginger, and turmeric in there as well! Yum, especially this time of year!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jessica,
I’m with you when it comes to sipping broth when the weather is cold! I love the idea of adding coconut oil ginger and turmeric for an added boost.
Shanna says
Does the apple cider vinegar have a purpose, tjectaste is very obvious and not in a good way
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Shanna,
Yes, the purpose of the ACV is to acidify the cooking liquid which helps draw minerals like calcium from the bones. You can use fresh lemon juice instead, if you prefer.
Mikala Dunn says
Will it gel though? Guess I’ll find out tonight!
Stacie Hassing says
It usually gels for me when I make it. Hope you enjoy it!
Angela says
Hi there, I have a few questions about this process. I would love to cook bone broth in my Instant Pot, to save time, but I keep wondering if the pressure cooking will affect the beneficial ingredients. For instance, will the bone broth gel if it’s only been cooked for 2 hours? Will the broth contain the same amount of beneficial ingredients? Will the pressure cooking affect the structural integrity of the resulting bone broth? I would love to hear your opinion! Thank you!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Angela,
There is inconclusive evidence (and many, many opinions) as to whether or not cooking broth in the Instant Pot vs. slow cooker or stovetop yields the same benefits. I can say, however, from my own experience that the broth does gel after a two hour cooking time provided I have enough bones and/or cartilage-containing bits (feet, knuckles, etc.) and I don’t have too much water in the pot — which has also been my experience with the slow cooker and stovetop.
Ultimately, in my mind, the method that gets you making and consuming broth is going to be the best method. Yes, there may be some differences in the amount of nutrients or minerals from batch to batch and method to method but these are likely to be insignificant over the long haul. I hope that helps!
Heather Todd says
When my instant pot says 120, it is set to one hour and 20 minutes. Is that a difference of model, or did you mean one hour and 20 min?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi there! It’s likely a different model. You’ll want to set it for 2 hours (120 minutes).
Phillip Loss says
I was taught that the best bone broth comes from cooking 24-26 hours at just below boiling. Source is Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Broth. Does bone broth made in an instant pot give as much nutrition?
Stacie Hassing says
Both are great! But yes, when made without pressure, slow is best. We love Sally Fallon’s books!
Tara says
We get rotisserie chickens from Costco and I’ve been told making bone broth from those isn’t healthy. Do I need to have organic, free-range chicken bones to make broth?
Stacie Hassing says
That would be what we recommend! 🙂
Diane DiPrete says
HELP!!!!! I HAVE AN 8 QUART INSTANT POT. I NEED DIRECTIONS TO CONVERT. THANK YOU
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Diane,
For an 8-quart Instant Pot, you would use the same amount of ingredients with just enough water to cover the bones and veggies. The cooking time will be the same.
Sheila story says
Thanks. Just got a new insta pot.
Henny Rose says
I don’t have fresh garlic. Can I use the dice garlic in a jar? Also I have fresh rosemary but the other herbs are dried. Does this sound like it will still work?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Henny,
Yes, you can use minced garlic from a jar. As a general rule, 1 teaspoon equals about 1 clove.
I use fresh rosemary all of the time and 2 or 3 sprigs should be plenty- just lay them on top of everything before locking the lid into place.
Robert Lawrence says
So great! My wife gave me an instant pot for Christmas and I found your recipe for the whole chicken which cleverly had this recipe linked inside. I made it. Took some home and gave some to my mom. We both used it to make chicken noodle soup the following week and received rave reviews. Yum!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hahaha! See how sneaky we are? Getting people to make killer bone broth so they can make amazing soups 😉 Thanks so much for sharing this – it totally made our day.
Mateo Pedersen says
I’ve been doing my bone broth on the stove top or in the slow cooker for years now. (I really only do it in the summer, but supplement with collagen peptides year round.) Now I keep hearing about this Instant Pot, and it’s sounding more and more tempting!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
The Instant Pot is pretty great!!
Susan Reagan says
Does cooking bone broth in instant pot have the same nutritional value as stove top?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Susan,
I can’t say for sure but I’ve now been making bone broth in the Instant Pot exclusively for the past 5 years (previously used the slow cooker or stovetop for the previous 10 years) and haven’t noticed any differences in color, taste, gelling, etc. so my guess is that yes, it’s just as good nutritionally (though I could be wrong).
Shasta says
hi Jessica I was wondering when you make the bone broth in the instant pot after you are done do you need to do anything else like skim off any fat from the top mine doesn’t have very much so I just used the entire liquid that was in it.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Shasta,
Great question. I don’t typically skim the fat off unless there is a lot of it and it would make my soup greasy. I also leave the solid fat in place in the jar while it’s in the fridge because the fat creates somewhat of an airtight seal that keeps your broth fresher for longer.
Lisa says
The fat is good for you 🙂
Lisa says
You should use distilled water- right?
Jessica Beacom says
Actually, filtered water is fine (even tap water is fine if you live in an area with good quality tap water). Distilled water isn’t necessary.
Sue says
I like using the vegetables with their skin because It gives A nice darker color to the broth plus
I always add turmeric, the yellow spice, for even more golden color And health benefits.
Jessica Beacom says
Great idea!
Tess D says
I’m an Instant Pot newbie, so I’m grateful for the step-by-steps here. I’ve made broth from my crockpot chickens for years, now I’m looking forward to cooking the chicken *and* the broth in the IP. Thanks for some great resources!
Jessica Beacom says
You’re so welcome – we’re so glad this is helpful. Happy Cooking!!
Teryn says
I’m curious to know what size instant pot you used for this recipe. I own a 3 qt and I want to find a recipe that give me the max that I can’t make in my ip. Thanks in advance!
Jessica Beacom says
I have a 6 quart Instant Pot. You can still use this recipe but you may need to reduce the amount of bones, veggies and broth to stay under the Max fill line in yours.
Michele Miller says
I googled this to see how much time (and energy) I can save by making broth in an Instant Pot. I have a senior Golden Retriever with arthritis and allergies, and a young Newfie who needs preventive joint care, so I make them very concentrated broth with chicken feet and whatever bones I save as a supplement. I cant even say how much it’s helped my Golden! It’s better than anything we’ve used over the years, and helps with many other things as well. Anyway, I’ve been simmering for 12+ hours to get the right consistency. I’m off to pick up an 8qt Instant Pot tomorrow and looking forward to a 2 hour process! Just thought I’d share one more benefit of this liquid gold, and thank you for your post!
Jessica Beacom says
This is so great! Thanks for sharing how you use broth to support your pets’ health.
Sarah Lilly says
Can you use this same recipe for beef bones?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Sarah,
Yes, you can. I do find that with beef bones it’s best to roast them in a 375F oven for 30-45 minutes or until lightly browned before adding them to the pot. This enhances the flavor of the broth (skipping this step often leads to broth that tastes ‘sour’). Also, if your Instant Pot can be set to 3 hours (180 minutes), beef broth benefits from that extra hour since the bones are so dense. I have an older version with a max cooking time of 120 minutes so when the 2 hours is up, I hit ‘cancel’ then set it for another 60 minutes.
Mari says
When the broth is properly completed, should the bones still be bones, of should they have disintegrated to some degree. The stuff I filtered out was still pretty hearty looking. I’m wondering if my Instant Pot was set on Medium instead of high, but it went for the full 120 minutes.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Mari,
You’ll still have bones in the pot after cooking. They may be very soft and the gelatinous ‘knuckles’ will be very soft but for the most part, the bones will look pretty much like they did when they went into the pot.
Corey Arasz says
Hello! When you make your bone broth, are you setting the timer to 1:20 (i.e. 1 hour 20 min) or setting the pot to cook for 120 minutes (i.e. 2:00 for 2 hours?) I am trying to make sure I do this right. It looks delicious! Thank you!
Stacie Hassing says
2 hours so 120 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Anna Smith says
Is the process same for beef bone broth?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Anna,
The process for beef broth is slightly different in that you need to roast the beef bones prior to pressure cooking them. This is my go-to recipe for making beef broth: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2018/11/pressure-cooker-beef-stock.html
Maxine Miller says
Hi Jessica – Would roasting the beef bones prior to cooking be necessary for using the slow cooking method as well? Thank you – Maxine
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Maxine,
Yes. Anytime you use beef, pork or lamb bones for broth you want to roast them so you’ll get a slightly sour, “off” flavor whether it’s in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stove.
Lisa says
I’m curious about why you use the manual setting instead of the soup setting. According to the user manual, the soup setting makes a clearer broth. I strain my broth anyway so I’m not sure of the exact benefit. Thoughts?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Lisa,
Great question. I honestly have never read the user manual since I have a very old Instant Pot that came with a very unhelpful guide (they’ve since revised and improved them though) so I guess I use the Manual setting purely out of laziness at this point 😉 It’s just an easy way for me to get 120 minutes at high-pressure. But I’m sure either method works great. Thank you for pointing that out though – I’ll give the Soup setting a try the next time I make broth and see if I notice a difference.
Linda says
Can I use a slow cooker or stove top
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Linda! Here is a slow cooker bone broth recipe that I personally use: https://thecleaneatingcouple.com/easy-crockpot-bone-broth/
Enjoy 🙂
Madeline Decker says
Thank you for the recipe
Jessica Beacom says
Absolutely. It’s our pleasure. Happy cooking!
Cindy Okusako, Retired Health Inspector for Yolo County, CA says
I would caution against adding vegetables, especially whole, large pieces, or unpeeled ones, to the broth. This is because cooked vegetables, under the wrong conditions, can develop botulism, an unusually dangerous form of food poisoning. Botulism spores (seeds) can be in the soil on vegetables. Vinegar added to bone broth may not provide high enough acid to prevent growth of botulism bacteria and is not assured of permeating the vegetables, especially whole ones with peels on. From what I’ve read, the Instant Pot has not been shown to kill botulism spores (seeds) with its pressure-cooking feature or any of its other cooking features.
One means of achieving safety lies in shortening the cooling period. If bone broth containing vegetables is allowed to cool too slowly after cooking, such as by leaving the pot turned off overnight, the long cooling period gives the bacteria a chance to grow and produce toxin. Methods of rapid cooling are found in the sources below. Please don’t get greedy like I did and fill the inner pot almost to the 2/3 max mark. It was too hard to cool that amount of liquid. I had added two sticks of celery so then had second thoughts about its safety. The shape of the pot made cooling harder. I gave up and wound up throwing it all out. On hindsight, making a much smaller batch would have helped make the rapid cooling more do-able. Most likely, I just won’t add any vegetables to the bone broth next time.
A means of destroying the botulism toxin after-the-fact is by bringing the broth to a strong boil for at least one minute. The broth would then need to be eaten right then or rapidly cooled.
Sources:
California Retail Food Code Sections 114002 (rapid cooling of cooked potentially hazardous foods) and 113871 (potentially hazardous foods include cooked vegetables and fruits),
US Food and Drug Administration APPENDIX 4: Bacterial Pathogen Growth and Inactivation
Diane Hill says
Just a quick thank you, I really enjoyed the broth & will be using this recipe again! One last comment to anyone with fur babies. I keep the bones from the chicken after making the broth. The bones are now soft and safe for your fur babies as a snack or I frequently crumble them up and add to their dinner. They love it either way. If you can break the bones by hand they are a safe nutritious addition to your pets diet.
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Diane! Thanks for the feedback and the idea for those who have pets.
Sheri Heffel says
I might suggest editing the intro’s “glug of apple cider vinegar, my glug was way too much!
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Sheri.
I’ll measure it out the next time I make broth (it’s probably 2 Tbsp).
Sharon Draper says
This is my first time making bone broth
I didn’t know whether you strain the fat on top
Thanks ahead of time
Jessica Beacom says
Personally, I leave it on until I use it to keep it fresher longer. And then if there is a lot of fat, I skim some off the top.
Lauren Thompson says
I have an electric pressure cooker/multi cooker – basically the same thing as Insta pot . Would I use high or low pressure to make bone broth ?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Lauren,
You’ll want to use high pressure.
Diane Mccracken says
I used my vege scraps I had in the freezer . Added onion & a couple garlic cloves & dry rosemary, thyme, & parsley. Oh my it smelled sooo good while it was cooking. I strained all the solids from broth before freezing it in little Dixie cups to empty & bag later. Can’t wait to use it!
Amanda says
How many times do you reuse the bones?
Jessica Beacom says
Typically they’re only good for one batch. I find that if I try to use them twice the broth tastes thin and weak and sometimes turns a muddy color.
Zahra says
Hey!! So excited for this! i’m getting an 8qt instant pot tomorrow. suggestions on how much to increase the recipe or pounds of bounds to adjust? Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
You could multiply the ingredients by 1.5 times for the 8-quart Instant Pot.
Vinnie says
Bone broth cooking as I type this ! i have an 8 Quart Instant Pot and somewhere I saw in the Comments section that stains are hard to remove ! Check Amazon for a cleaning kit that has a Chain Mail scrubber that works wonders on burnt spots on my stainless Wok, Paella Pan, and inner pot all with Bartender’s Friend and a final wash with Dawn or Palmolive to get rid of any residue from Bartender’s Friend
Vinnie says
It’s called Greater Good Chainmail scrubber on Amazon for $14.00 and change and it works really well even on Cast Iron !
Jessica Beacom says
Great tip! Thanks, Vinnie!
Lydia says
Yay! I did it! My first cooked whole chicken and homemade broth thanks to your site! I made the broth right after the Instant Pot Whole Chicken was done. For my first try it was pretty good! I followed the recipe except for the carrots and parsnips because my child is allergic to carrots. It was a little more “herby” than I’m probably used to but I just know to tone that down next time for my liking. I am so glad I tried this and cooking it right after the chicken makes it easier to keep going and be done with the full project! Thank you again for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Amazing! Thanks Lydia for sharing your experience. We love hearing from those who try our recipes! It makes our day!
Mrs Von Ruden says
Thank you for the information & the pictures, love it all. I put the carcasses of three chickens in & covered with water, added about a cup of vinegar& set my machine just like the picture 120 minutes. The bones turned soft and my dogs like them. The bone broth looks and tastes great. My house smells good, not at all like the stinky smell when cooking on the stove all day. Yikes, that permeates everything and takes days to dissipate. I cook bone broth every two weeks & my husband and I were so done with the smell. The instant pot is absolutely the answer for us. You helped me so much☺️💕
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
This is so great to hear – thank you for sharing!
Debbie Schlater says
Hi Jessica, This is the first time that I have made bone broth. After making it in my insta pot, I read that it is healthier to make it in a slow cooker because the insta pot can kill some of the nutrients. Do you know anything about that? Thank you for your delicious recipe!
Jessica Beacom says
I’ve read the same and I’ve done it both ways in the past and while they don’t differ much in flavor, I can’t say for sure if they would also differ in nutrients so I suggest using the method that works best for you. If you have the time to slow cook it and don’t mind your house smelling of broth for a few days, use that method.
Angela says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Keith Daniels says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I do have what might be some silly questions. When bone broth recipes say to use bones like short ribs, chicken wings, chicken necks, and so on do they mean to use pre-cooked or raw bones with the meat on them? If cooked, can I use the bones left over after the meat has been eaten off the bones? Or do you cook the meat and add the whole kit and kaboodle into the pot or remove the meat?
Jessica Beacom says
Not a silly question at all! Generally, broth is made from bones that have been cooked in some way. Whether that’s roasting neck bones or large beef soup bones (with just a little meat left on them) in the oven prior to tossing them in the pot or using the leftover bones from a roasted chicken or beef roast. Making broth from raw bones generally results in an unpleasant, sour flavor.
The exception here is when making a whole chicken then removing the meat and continuing on to make broth like we do in this recipe. The process of cooking the chicken is enough cooking to result in bones that don’t foul the broth.
Gretchen L Stewart says
I made this today and OMG it was absolutely heavenly. Hands down the most tasty, comforting, fragrant bone broth I have ever had. I used a bit more than a handful of very fresh herbs but followed the recipe exact. I have no idea how I will keep this in stock, I could sip a cup or more daily, it’s that good, and in only 2 hours, amazing. Thank you! I’d love to know the nutritional values on this.
Angela says
Good recipe. Very flavorful. I found the cook time needs to be 50% longer to achieve a congealed product
Debbie says
I use it for everything. Sipping , for Rice or potato soup. I make it in a pot on the stove and it’s a lot of work. Can’t wait to try it in the insta pot. Sounds a whole lot easier! Thanks
Denise Seigel says
DOES THIS INSTANT POT BROTH COOK LONG ENOUGH TO REALLY PULL OUT THE COLLAGEN IN THE BONES… OR IS IT MORE OR A SOUP BROTH ?
THANKS
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Denise. This is going to be depend on the bones. So if you want to be sure the cook time really allows for the collagen to be pulled out of the bones, you can run the Instant Pot a second cycle. That’s what I do and I get a very nicely, gelatinized bone broth.
Mary says
I am a diabetic, is there a way to get rid of or lower sodium?
Jessica Beacom says
Just omit the salt in the recipe.
Sarah says
I read in another bone broth blog that the fats can oxidize when left on the high pressure for too long (which is terrible for us). They recommended running a 30 min high pressure cycle, and pouring that off as a ‘meat broth’. The fat will have rendered (and can be scooped off the top when cooled). Then they said to fill the IP with water again and the 120 min cycle can safely be run for bone broth. With most of the fat rendered and poured off in the first batch of broth, you no longer have to worry about those fats oxidizing. I’m curious, as a registered dietitian if you’ve done any research on this? Was this information accurate? I can’t seem to find any other bone broth blogs that talk about it. I don’t want to think I’m doing something good for our family but actually be causing harm if the fats do, in fact, oxidize when cooked at high temperature and pressure for too long. I’m curious about the science behind it. Also, do you pour off the first batch of broth, refill with water and run again at low pressure for the gel-like consistency? Or are you running the same batch twice? Thanks! Just found your blog today. Looking forward to looking around more.
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Sarah, thanks for you insights on this topic. This is the first we have heard of this. You could always run two cycles on low pressure to keep the temp lower if that eases your mind. You’ll still end up with a delicious, gelatinous broth. We have never poured off any of the broth and have been making bone broth for years. I have never seen that in a recipe. Honestly, there are so many other things we can focus on like eating more fruits and veggies, reducing processed foods, making healthy lifestyle choices like moving our bodies, limiting alcohol intake, sleeping well, managing stress, mitigating environmental risks, etc. We our big proponents of doing your best and really focus on what truly matter and what is proven to make one healthier (and happier). There is a lot of misinformation out there (as you are aware), so unless it’s something we’re seeing show up consistently in research and in credible studies, we don’t let ourselves worry about something that ‘could’ be. So yeah, that’s a bit of our take on nutrition and how we approach healthy living and eating. In the end, making your own bone broth at home is going to be a better for you choice as compared to purchasing a box of it at the grocery store (which we also do from time to time when we’re out of our freezer-stash of bone broth). It’s all about doing your best and balance 🙂
Sarah says
Thanks! Made this using beef and pork bones from a local rancher who uses regenerative ranching practices and forest-foraged pigs. (In Black Forest, so if you’re still in Colorado and looking for good meat, you can check out Corner Post Meats) So good! We’ve had the best soup this week. I’m making it again next week after I try your instant pot whole chicken. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
★★★★★
Ma says
I’ve got beef bones that I want to turn into bone broth. Can that be done in the Instant Pot? If so, how? Do I need to roast the bones first or can I use them as they come from the farmer? How long should I cook them for? What volume of bones would I need? and what volume of water? Is there a specific ratio that I should use?
Jessica Beacom says
You can make beef broth using this method but you will want to roast the bones in the oven before adding them to the pot. I usually roast them at 375F for 40-45 minutes or until they start to brown a little bit. You’ll need about 3-4 pound of bones, just cover with water (not exceeding the ‘Max’ line inside the pot) and cook for 3 hours at high pressure. If your Instant Pot has a maximum cooking time of 2 hours, just run it for a second cooking cycle of 1 hour.
Lynne says
Hello,
I’ve been collecting scraps and bones to make this recipe but I was wondering how clean do the bones need to be? Like does every bit of meat, skin, cartilage need to be off? Please advise! Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
The bones don’t need to be really clean, in fact, leaving bits of meat, skin, and cartilage on them adds a lot of flavor and nutrients to the broth.
Sue says
Thank you so much for this! Any chance you have one for beef?
I am so ready to try this! Again, thank you!
Stacie Hassing says
We do not have a beef bone broth recipe at the moment. However I have made it following this recipe except I ran the Instant Pot Cycle on low pressure 3x to ensure the nutrients were pulled from the bones and it turned out great. Hope that helps!