How to Make Homemade Bone Broth (And Why Every Homesteader Should)
- Save bones & veggie scraps in the freezer until you have 2–3 lbs
- Simmer chicken bones 12–24 hrs, beef bones 24–48 hrs with apple cider vinegar
- Good broth gels like jelly when cold, that means you nailed the collagen
- Freeze in mason jars for up to 6 months of nutrient-dense stock
- Costs nearly nothing and beats store-bought broth in flavor and nutrition
- Use only stainless steel, modern enameled cast iron, or modern food-safe ceramic for 12 to 48 hour simmers. The FDA warns that lead-glazed pottery, antique enamelware, imported or artisan glazed crocks, and leaded crystal can leach lead into acidic liquids. Bone broth is acidified with vinegar and cooked for many hours, which makes it particularly effective at pulling lead out of unsafe surfaces. When in doubt, do not use the vessel for long simmers.
- If you have histamine intolerance, MCAS, mastocytosis, or a known reaction to aged or long-cooked foods, long-simmered broths may trigger symptoms. Biogenic amines including histamine build up as simmer time increases (Maintz & Novak, 2007). Consider a shorter 4 to 6 hour stock, or a pressure-cooked batch, and talk with your clinician before adding bone broth to your routine.
Bone broth is liquid gold for the homesteader. It turns kitchen scraps that most people throw away, bones, vegetable trimmings, herb stems, into among the most nourishing foods you can make. Rich in collagen, minerals, and amino acids, bone broth supports gut health, joint health, and immune function. And it costs almost nothing to make.
I started making bone broth years ago when I realized I was throwing away the most nutritious part of every roast chicken. Now, broth day is one of my favorite kitchen rituals, the house smells incredible, and I end up with quarts of golden goodness for practically free.
What Do You Need to Make Bone Broth?
All you need are bones, veggie scraps, water, and time, plus a splash of apple cider vinegar to help draw out minerals. Save bones from roasted chicken, beef, or pork in a bag in the freezer until you have 2 to 3 pounds. Collect vegetable scraps the same way, onion ends, carrot peels, celery tops, garlic skins, and herb stems from your herb garden. When the bags are full, it is broth day.
How Do You Make Bone Broth Step by Step?
Place bones in a large stockpot, add vinegar and scraps, cover with water, and simmer low and slow for 12–48 hours. Here is the full method:
- Place bones in a large stockpot or slow cooker. Add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (this helps extract minerals from the bones).
- Add vegetable scraps, a few peppercorns, and a bay leaf or two.
- Cover with cold water by about 2 inches.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and keep the liquid above 185°F (85°C) for the entire cook. Never let a stockpot or slow cooker drop below 140°F (60°C) during a long simmer, which is the USDA bacterial danger zone. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface in the first hour.
- Simmer low and slow: chicken bones for 12 to 24 hours, beef bones for 24 to 48 hours.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth for the clearest broth. Season with salt to taste. Rapid cooling before refrigerating is important for food safety: place the pot in an ice bath (a sink filled with ice and cold water) and stir occasionally until the broth reaches below 70°F, this should take 30–60 minutes. Do not put a large pot of hot broth directly into the refrigerator, as it raises the internal temperature and can bring surrounding food into the danger zone.
- Cool and refrigerate. Good broth will gel like jelly when cold, that is the collagen, and it means you nailed it.
| Bone Type | Simmer Time | Best For | Gel Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 12–24 hrs | Soups, sipping, rice | High |
| Beef | 24–48 hrs | Stews, braising, gravy | Very High |
| Pork | 12–24 hrs | Ramen, beans, stir-fry | Medium-High |
| Fish | 4–6 hrs | Chowder, risotto | Low |
How Should You Store Bone Broth?
Bone broth keeps in the refrigerator for 4–5 days, use it or freeze it within that window. After 5 days, discard refrigerated broth even if it smells fine; long-simmered broths accumulate biogenic amines and bacterial metabolites over time. For longer storage, freeze in mason jars for 6+ months. For freezing, leave 1 inch of headspace for expansion. Ice cube trays and silicone muffin molds are great for portioning. You can also pressure can it for shelf-stable pantry storage that fits perfectly in your emergency food pantry.
Sip it from a mug on cold mornings, use it as the base for soups and stews, cook rice and grains in it, or deglaze pans with it for incredible flavor. Pair it with homemade sourdough bread for the ultimate comfort meal. Once you start making bone broth, you will never waste another bone again.
Why Is Bone Broth So Good for You?
Bone broth provides collagen, glycine, and key minerals that support gut lining, joint health, and immune function. According to research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the amino acids in bone broth, particularly glycine and glutamine, play a role in supporting intestinal health. A single cup can contain 6–12 grams of protein, making it a nourishing addition to any meal plan. The minerals released during long simmering include small amounts of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Peer-reviewed analyses (Hsu et al., 2017, Food & Nutrition Research) show these amounts are modest, so treat bone broth as a flavorful, collagen-rich food rather than a primary source of calcium or other minerals.
🌱 From Our Homestead
I started making bone broth to use up the chicken carcasses that used to go straight into compost. Now I keep a bag in the freezer for bones and veggie scraps, and a pot of broth simmers on our stove almost every weekend, the smell alone makes the whole house feel like home.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: The most common reasons are too much water, not enough bones, or not simmering long enough. Use a ratio of about 2 lbs bones per 8 cups water and make sure you simmer chicken bones at least 12 hours.
A: Absolutely. Pressure cooking for 2–3 hours gives similar results to 24 hours on the stovetop. I find stovetop gives a richer gel, but the Instant Pot is a great weeknight shortcut.
A: The acid helps extract minerals from the bones. You will not taste it in the finished broth, and it does make a difference in nutritional content. Two tablespoons is all you need.
A: They are very similar. Stock is typically simmered for a shorter time (4–6 hours) and is lighter. Bone broth simmers much longer, extracting more collagen and minerals, resulting in a richer, more gelatinous liquid.
A: You can, but the second batch will be lighter and less gelatinous. I sometimes do a second, shorter simmer and use it for cooking grains or as a light soup base.
A: Only in cookware that is certified food-safe for long, acidic cooking. Stainless steel, modern enameled cast iron (Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge), and modern ceramic slow cookers from reputable brands are fine. Do not use antique crockery, imported or artisan lead-glazed pottery, vintage enamelware with chipped surfaces, or leaded crystal for bone broth. The FDA and the National Capital Poison Center warn that these surfaces can leach lead into acidic liquids over long cooks. If you are unsure, a lead test swab from the hardware store is a cheap safeguard.
A: Yes, it can. Long-simmered broths accumulate histamine and other biogenic amines, which can trigger symptoms in people with histamine intolerance, MCAS, or mastocytosis (Maintz & Novak, 2007). A shorter 4 to 6 hour stock, or a pressure-cooked batch that is cooled quickly and frozen in single servings, is usually better tolerated. Check with your clinician if you are unsure.
