Instant Pot Bone Broth [Recipe] by Chartered Wellness (2024)

Bone broth is a staple in my house. I use it as a base for soups and stews, and to it replace water in pretty much any recipe I make (except for dessert, that would be extreme, even for me).

The health benefits are numerous - I actually wrote a whole post about it here - but as a quick summary, it’s excellent for healing the gut, joint health, contributing to healthy nails, hair, and skin, and supporting detoxification. In other words, it’s liquid gold.

You can buy it at the store, but it’s pretty expensive and making your own is surprisingly easy. This bone broth recipe is super quick to prep and then you just forget about it until it’s finished cooking.

You can make bone broth with many different types of bones. I’ve chosen chicken bones for this bone broth recipe because they’re easy to get and the broth is light and versatile enough to use in many ways.

How To Make Good Bone Broth

The most important thing when making bone broth is ensuring you get good-quality bones. Bones from pasture-raised animals who lived happy, healthy lives will be higher in nutrients and lower in potential toxins.

If you’re thinking that this sounds well and good, but you have no idea where you would actually find bones, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. A few options:

  • At your local farmer’s market. Ask around at stalls that sell grass-fed/pasture-raised meats, many of them will sell bones.
  • From a local butcher.
  • Save the leftover bones when you roast a whole chicken.
  • Online. There are companies that will ship pasture-raised bones to you like Primal Pastures or Healthy Traditions. You can also do an online search for farms in your area that will deliver bones to you.

If you’re making chicken broth, it’s best to use a mixture of bones, including backs, necks, feet. This will make sure the broth is rich in healing nutrients like collagen, glucosamine, and hyaluronic acid.

The amount of bones you need per batch honestly depends on the size of your pot. Between 1-3 pounds is usually good, but again, feel free to fit as many bones in your pot as you can, and save the rest in the freezer for the next batch.

Another thing to note before diving into this bone broth recipe. The only things you really need for bone broth are bones and water. Everything else is just extra. I like to add herbs and vegetables for improved taste and added nutrients, but the recipe below is just a suggestion. Feel free to add whatever herbs and veggies you like. My only suggestion would be to avoid cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc) because they get really stinky when you cook them for a long time.

Instant Pot Bone Broth [Recipe] by Chartered Wellness (1)

Instant Pot Bone Broth [Recipe]

Created by Chartered Wellness

This delicious chicken bone broth recipe includes instructions for the Instant Pot, slow cooker, and stove top.

Bone broth is a nutrient goldmine and helpful for improving gut health, skin health, nails and hair, as well as supporting joint health.

It can be used as a base for soups or stews, cooking liquid for rice or grains, or as a replacement for water in most recipes.

Note: If you are following a low FODMAP diet, feel free to omit the garlic and onion. You can replace with the green part of a leek.

Ingredients:

Chicken bones (including 2-3 feet if desired for extra gelatin)
2-3 stalks of celery
1 large carrot
1 onion
½ head garlic
½ bunch parsley
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (helps pull minerals from the bones)
2 tsp sea salt
Filtered water
Optional: 1 sheet kombu (a tasteless seaweed that adds extra nutrients + minerals to the broth)

[Note: I recommend using organic ingredients if possible, here’s why]

Instructions:

Instant Pot

Rinse and chop vegetables into large chunks. No need to peel.

Starting with the bones, add all ingredients to Instant Pot. Cover with filtered water, making sure not to fill above “MAX” line on the pot liner.

Close lid, turn valve to “Sealing”. Turn instant pot on and press the “Manual” button. Set timer for 90 minutes.

When the broth has finished cooking, turn the pot completely off. Let the broth cool for 15-20 minutes, before quick releasing. If you have time to wait for natural release, even better.

Use a pair of tongs to take out as many of the solid, big pieces as possible. Discard the vegetables and bones. Then strain the broth (I usually do it through a cheesecloth). Now’s a good time to taste the broth and add extra salt to your taste.

Pour into glass jars and store in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Slow Cooker

Rinse and chop vegetables into large chunks. No need to peel.

Starting with the bones, add all the ingredients to the crockpot. Add filtered water until everything is covered (if a few bones are poking out of the water, that’s fine).

Set the crockpot on low and cook for 24 hours. This timing doesn’t have to be exact, so feel free to cook for a little longer or a little less time.

Turn off the pot, then use tongs to take out the bones and large pieces of vegetables.

Strain the broth (I usually do it through a cheesecloth). Now’s a good time to taste the broth and add extra salt to your taste.

Pour into glass jars and store in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for up to 6 months

Stove Top

Rinse and chop vegetables into large chunks. No need to peel.

Starting with the bones, add all the ingredients to a large pot.

Add filtered water until the bones are completely covered (it’s ok if a few are poking out of the water).

Turn burner on high to bring the pot to a boil. Once the pot is boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook at a low simmer for around 24 hours. This timing is approximate so feel free to go for a little longer or a little less time.

Once the stove is turned off and the pot is cool enough to touch, strain the broth (I usually pour it through a cheesecloth). Now is a good time to taste it and add more salt to taste.

Pour into glass jars and store in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for up to 6 months.

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Instant Pot Bone Broth [Recipe] by Chartered Wellness (2024)

FAQs

Does pressure cooking destroy nutrients in bone broth? ›

Instant pot bone broth can be as healthy as regular made versions. You can achieve the same gel consistency as you can with a traditional long simmer in a stock pot. This is the hallmark of a high protein and quality bone broth with natural collagen.

Is bone broth in the Instant Pot as good? ›

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.

What does drinking bone broth first thing in the morning do? ›

It's clear that drinking bone broth first thing in the morning has many benefits, including sustained energy, healing and sealing your gut, providing a protein boost, mood-boosting effects and even less cravings.

Does boiling bone broth destroy nutrients? ›

Although you can make bone broth in a pot on the stove, you're best off using a slow cooker. Using a slow cooker means you'll avoid high temperatures that can destroy some of the nutrients.

What are the negatives of bone broth? ›

While bone broth is generally considered safe to consume, there are some potential risks to be aware of. Lead contamination. Some studies show elevated levels of lead in bone broths, which can be harmful to health if consumed in large amounts. Bacterial contamination.

Why should you not boil bone broth? ›

Just as when you're making stock for soups or stews, boiling will cause soluble proteins and rendered fat to emulsify into the cooking liquid. By simmering, you avoid emulsifying the fat and thus keep the stock clearer, and we found that the scum created simply settled to the bottom of the pot.

Can you overcook bone broth? ›

Canora cautions against overcooking your bone broth, which can actually seriously hamper the flavor. Once you go past the 16-hour mark or so, “you start breaking down the bone itself and it starts infusing a bad flavor to your broth,” he explains.

Which bone is better for bone broth? ›

Beef bone broth: Use grass-fed beef bones. The best ones to use for beef broth are meaty bones and bones that have a lot of tissue and cartilage or marrow like oxtail, shanks, and knuckles. Pork bone broth: For pork broth, ribs and the neck bones work well, as well as cartilage-rich pig's feet.

Do you need apple cider vinegar for bone broth? ›

But another indispensable bone broth ingredient comes in the form of vinegar, typically apple cider vinegar. You need this, not only for its slight acidic bite, but also to help extract the collagen and nutrients from the bones which give bone broth its richness and depth of flavor.

What happens when you drink bone broth on an empty stomach? ›

The health benefits of drinking bone broth for breakfast are that is prepares your gut for digestion, hydrates you, provides stable energy, gives you a protein boost and keep you full without cravings.

What happens if I only drink bone broth for a week? ›

Drinking only bone broth can help you lose weight because it deprives you of calories. However, it could be harmful to the body, so be cautious and ensure that you receive the complete range of nutrients you require to be healthy. A combination of diet and exercise may help you lose weight.

Why do I feel so good after drinking bone broth? ›

Some believe this gelatin layer in bone broth provides amino acids that help reduce inflammation and lead to better sleep. Bone broth enthusiasts also claim ingesting collagen improves their joint pain, while alleviating some osteoarthritis symptoms in the knees.

Why do you put apple cider vinegar in bone broth? ›

Then add apple cider vinegar, which is added primarily because the acidity breaks down the collagen and makes it more abundant in the broth. You can also sub lemon juice, but we prefer apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.

Can you survive off bone broth? ›

While the bone broth diet does help people lose weight, it is not sustainable long-term. Instead, focus on a diet of whole foods and limit processed sugar and carbohydrates.

Should you skim fat off bone broth? ›

In the theme of traditional cooking, wherein no part of a meal goes to waste, saving the skimmed fat from the top of bone broth is also an excellent way to have yourself a truly nutrient dense cooking fat.

Is it better to cook bone broth in a pressure cooker or slow cooker? ›

A pressure cooker takes about 4 hours, while the slow cooker will take 24 to 48 hours. For the most rich and intensely flavored broth, roast your bones. We simply add them in one layer to a baking sheet and roast in a very hot oven until brown. It takes about 30 minutes.

Does collagen break down in pressure cooker? ›

Second, since collagen in the presence of water begins breaking down into gelatin starting at temperatures as low as 160°F (70°C)—and accelerates as temperature increases—the high temperature in a pressure cooker converts the collagen in connective tissues to gelatin in a flash.

Does pressure cooking reduce nutritional value? ›

Some studies suggest that pressure cooking destroys nutrients, but there is far less evidence against pressure cooking as there is for it. One study showed that pressure-cooked food lost more antioxidant activity than food cooked by other methods, including microwaving and baking.

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