Warming bone broth is perfect for an unforeseen sickness or to maintain immunity via weekly soups. Today, I’m sharing how I make homemade bone broth in the instant pot.
Bone broth has been used for centuries to make soups and to support natural immunity. It has vital nutrients and is a way to be resourceful. You already bought the bird, might as well use all of it!
Broth is meant to be almost like a jello when stored in the fridge
Broth and stock you find at the stores won’t gel up if you put them in the fridge. Why is that?
Well, most store-bought brands are trying to get products out quickly!
True bone broth is not a quick process. It takes many hours of simmering to pull the gelatin out of the bones to create the jello-like broth you’ll find in the fridge the next day.
I wonder where jello gets its gelatin from? Hmm. You bet, from animal bones! But we’re not here to get gelatin from artificially dyed wiggly grossness (aka boxed jello).
We want the amazing health benefits from animal bone broth!
You can either drink it on its own or use it in soups or for rice dishes.
Our family tries to have soup at least once a week. As an easy one-pot meal this is a dream for a busy mom of 3 littles!
Tools
Mason Jars
Strainer
Funnel
Apple Cider Vinegar *optional
Veggies scrapes-carrot, onion, and celery tops *optional
How To Make Instant Pot Bone Broth
Making this is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Especially compared to the way they used to make broth, on the stovetop. It takes about 24 hours of simmering on the stovetop versus the 6 hours in an instant pot!
- As your family eats bone in meats throughout the week, pull the meat off and stick in the freezer till you have enough to make bone broth usually about 2 chicken carcasses. You’ll want the bones to take up about 3/4 of the instant pot.
- Cover with about half-gallon of water.
- Add a few 1-4 TBSP of apple cider vinegar.
- Place lid on instant pot and turn the valve to seal.
- Press manual and cook for a total of 360 minutes (6 hours). Some instant pots don’t go past 120 so you would do it three times. My instant pot goes to 240, so I do that once followed by 120 minutes for a total of 360 minutes
- When pressure is released, place a bowl or stockpot in the sink with a strainer.
- Strain out the bones and pour the liquid into a mason jar or use it right away.
Instant Pot Bone Broth
This tummy-warming broth is good on its own or in your favorite soups and recipes.
Ingredients
- Bones from a chicken
- Water
- 1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
Instructions
- After a baked chicken dinner or you've cooked a chicken in the instant pot, remove all the meat from the carcass
- Place bones in the instant pot (about 2/3 of the way full) and cover with water until bones are almost covered but not fully submerged.
- Add ACV
- Place lid on the instant pot, and turn the valve to seal
- Press manual for 240 minutes once and 120 minutes for a second round (that's 6 hours if your instant pot has different settings!)
- When all cycles are done you can either natural release or do a quick release
- Place a bowl or stockpot under a strainer (very important) and strain the broth
- Pour into mason jars or use right away for a delicious soup
Notes
Depending on your instant pot, it may not go to 240 minutes. Make sure the bones cook for 6 hours. If you don't have time for 6 hours that's fine too. Do what you can to get a healthy homecooked meal on the table even if it means simmering your bone broth for 3 hours instead of 6.
Try my Easy Acorn and Butternut Squash Soup with this bone broth.
Also good for chicken soup, chicken corn chowder, cheeseburger soup, or chicken risotto.