Canning bone broth at home is a great way to save money. It tastes so much better than store bought stock that you may never go back.
Not only will it save you money, it’s a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and minimize waste that ends up in landfills.
What is bone broth
Bone broth is a simple stock made with water and the bones of animals that you eat. It has been made since humans began eating meat to sustain themselves.
Adding vegetables will increase the amount of nutrients that your stock can offer you. Low in calories and high in benefits to hydration, the stock is also said to be good for gut health.
Bone broth must be processed in a pressure canner, not a water bath canning pot to make it shelf-stable. For long-term storage either pressure can or add to freezer bags and freeze it for up to 6 months. Pressure canning is just as easy as water bath but requires the use of a special pressure canner.
What tools do you need?
- pressure canner
- Canning tool set
- quart canning jars
- large Dutch oven, large stockpot
- or 6 qt crockpot or slow cooker
Ingredients you need
- carcass or bones from leftover beef, pork, venison, turkey, chicken
- onion
- carrot
- herbs or aromatics. See suggestions below.
Optional herbs and flavorings
- fresh parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram (or substitute kitchen scraps. See this article for vegetable stock from kitchen scraps.)
- garlic cloves
- salt and whole peppercorns
- some people add apple cider vinegar but we’ve found that there is no reason to do this, either for flavor or food safety reasons.
How to make the stock
- If using large bones like beef bones, venison bones or pork bones, you can roast them in the oven at 400°F / 200°C for about 40 minutes. (This is strictly optional) For chicken or turkey, just add the turkey or chicken carcass directly to your large stockpot or slow cooker.
- Add celery, carrot, onion, cloves garlic and aromatics to pot.
- If using a stockpot, just bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about an hour. If using slow cooker, turn on to low heat setting. Slow cook for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours.
- Let broth cool. Skim off excess fat, if desired. Carefully remove any bones.
- Separate meat from bones and vegetables.
Note: You can make the stock in your instant pot too. Add ingredients to pot. Place the pot on high pressure for one hour. Allow to naturally release for about 15 minutes.
Canning bone broth
- Reheat the stock. Prepare jars, lids and pressure canning pot.
- Add meat to jar, if using for soups and stews. Eliminate for clear broth.
- Ladle hot broth into pint or quart jars with the aid of a canning funnel, leaving 1-inch headspace.
- Wipe rims with dampened paper towel. (You can also use vinegar to dampen the towel to remove any fat accumulated on the rim.)
- Apply lids. Screw on bands fingertip tight.
Add jars to pressure canner. Attach canner lid. Turn burner on medium high. Let pot release steam for a full10 minutes.
Add weighted gauge or dial gauge. When gauge comes to proper psi (pounds per square inch), for your elevation above sea level, begin your timer.
For pressure and times at specific altitudes, see chart in recipe notes below.
How to use bone broth/ stock
Use this delicious stock for soups and stews. After that, think out of the box. Use it to make rice or boiled potatoes all the more special. Use it for sauces, flavoring for stuffing and dressings and so much more.
Drinking clear stock is said to be a good therapy for the common cold. Think of what your grandmother always used to feed you when you were sick -chicken soup.
How long will the stock last?
Properly sealed jars will last at least 12 months for older lids, 18 months for the newer Ball brand lid that is guaranteed for 18 months.
In theory, as long as the seal on the jar is good, the product will still be safe after the expiration date.
Pro tips for your success
- Use meaty bones for the base for soups.
- For more refined sauces, strain the meaty broth.
- For chicken stock or turkey stock, use the entire carcass.
- Be sure to remove all of the bones, especially from turkey or chicken stock.
- You can either roast beef, pork or venison bones prior to cooking in water, or just use them raw. If your meat has already been cooked, there is no need to roast. The stock is good either way.
- Although the stock can be cooked in as little as a couple hours, the longer the stock cooks down the more flavorful it will be.
- A stock that is cooked down for longer periods of time is called a brown stock. If you want a clear yellow broth for chicken or turkey, just cook for a short period of time.
Other pressure canned pantry staples
What tools do you need?
- hacksaw for cutting bones too large to fit in a pot or slow cooker.
- 6 qt crockpot
- Dutch oven
Canning bone broth is an easy task that takes very little hands on time and will save you a ton of money. Make your own today!
HAVE YOU HEARD OF BUTCHERBOX?
Butcherbox is a subscription service that will ship you 100% grass fed beef, free range, organic chicken, heritage breed, humanely raised pork and wild caught seafood. Shipping is free and you can choose your own mixes or choose from several curated boxes.
They work with a network of family farms that are dedicated to doing things humanely and right! This means a better quality for you to feed to your family. Food that is higher in proteins, lower in fats and has no added chemicals.
Find more information on this article for Spare ribs.
See if Butcherbox is a great fit for you too
Canning Bone Broth {chicken, beef, turkey, pork, venison}
Ingredients
- bones or carcasses from beef, chicken, pork, turkey, venison
- 2 medium onions quartered
- 4 large cloves garlic crushed
- 2 stalk celery
- fresh parsley
- minced fresh rosemary
- sage leaves
- fresh thyme
- water
Instructions
For broth
- Place bones or carcasses in 6 quart crockpot or large Dutch oven.bones or carcasses from beef, chicken, pork, turkey, venison
- Add onion, garlic, rough chopped celery, ad any herbs that you would like.2 medium onions, 4 large cloves garlic, 2 stalk celery, fresh parsley, minced fresh rosemary, sage leaves, fresh thyme
- Cover with water.water
- Slow cook on low for 8-10 hours or overnight. Or bring Dutch oven or stockpot to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.
- Beef, pork and venison should cook for at least 4-5 hours on the stove. Poultry can be cooked for only 2-3 hours on the stove.
- Remove from heat when meat easily pulls off of the bone. Allow to cool. Skim off fat, if desired.
- Separate any good meat for soups and stews.
How to can the broth
- Reheat broth.
- Prepare pressure canner according to manufacturer's instructions.
- Add water to pot. Begin heating.
- Prepare jars, lids and bands.
- Add meat to jar, if you would like to can a meaty broth. Eliminate for clear broths.
- Fill jars with hot stock, leaving 1"-headspace. Apply lids with a jar lifter. Screw on bands fingertip tight.
- Place jars on the bottom insert. (never place jars directly on the bottom of the pan.)
- Fill canner and close lid. Allow steam to vent for 10 minutes. Then add the pressure regulator. Bring the pressure up to 11 psi (for dial canner, below 1000 feet above sea level) and maintain it there.
- See notes for elevation and canner type in notes below.
- Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes. (below 1000 feet above sea level.)
- After allotted time, remove from heat. Allow the canning pot to release pressure naturally. (This can take up to an hour.)
- Release remaining pressure. Remove lid. Allow jars to sit in the pot for about 10 minutes.
- Remove for the canning pot. Set on a towel placed on the counter, undisturbed overnight.
- Check seals in the morning. (Lid does not press up or down when pressed in the center)
- Store jars in a cool dark place for up to 18 months, if using the new 18 month lids.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
Pressure settings for different altitudes
Dial gauge pressure canning pot 0-2000 feet above sea level 11 psi 2000-4000 feet 12 psi 4000-6000 feet 13 psi 6000-8000 feet 14 psi Weighted gauge pressure canning pot 1-1000 feet above sea level 10 psi above 1000 feet 15 psi Processing time pints 20 minutes quarts 25 minutesPro tips for your success
- Use meaty bones for the base for soups.
- For more refined sauces, strain the meaty broth.
- For chicken stock or turkey stock, use the entire carcass.
- Be sure to remove all of the bones, especially from turkey or chicken stock.
- You can either roast beef, pork or venison bones prior to cooking in water, or just use them raw. If your meat has already been cooked, there is no need to roast. The stock is good either way.
- Although the stock can be cooked in as little as a couple hours, the longer the stock cooks down the more flavorful it will be.
- A stock that is cooked down for longer periods of time is called a brown stock. If you want a clear yellow broth for chicken or turkey, just cook for a short period of time.
Nutrition
HAVE YOU HEARD OF BUTCHERBOX?
Butcherbox is a subscription service that will ship you 100% grass fed beef, free range, organic chicken, heritage breed, humanely raised pork and wild caught seafood. Shipping is free and you can choose your own mixes or choose from several curated boxes.
They work with a network of family farms that are dedicated to doing things humanely and right! This means a better quality for you to feed to your family. Food that is higher in proteins, lower in fats and has no added chemicals.
Find more information on this article for Spare ribs.
See if Butcherbox is a great fit for you too
HAVE YOU HEARD OF BUTCHERBOX?
Butcherbox is a subscription service that will ship you 100% grass fed beef, free range, organic chicken, heritage breed, humanely raised pork and wild caught seafood. Shipping is free and you can choose your own mixes or choose from several curated boxes.
They work with a network of family farms that are dedicated to doing things humanely and right! This means a better quality for you to feed to your family. Food that is higher in proteins, lower in fats and has no added chemicals.
Find more information on this article for Spare ribs.
See if Butcherbox is a great fit for you too
HAVE YOU HEARD OF BUTCHERBOX?
Butcherbox is a subscription service that will ship you 100% grass fed beef, free range, organic chicken, heritage breed, humanely raised pork and wild caught seafood. Shipping is free and you can choose your own mixes or choose from several curated boxes.
They work with a network of family farms that are dedicated to doing things humanely and right! This means a better quality for you to feed to your family. Food that is higher in proteins, lower in fats and has no added chemicals.
Find more information on this article for Spare ribs.
See if Butcherbox is a great fit for you too
Dr.Cesar
You’re having people add meat to broth then pressure can for 25 minutes? That’s not safe. Strain the broth. Canning meat takes 75-90 minutes.
Beth Neels
That is incorrect. Small bits of meat can be added back to the broth. If you are canning meat in jars, then it must be processed at 75-90 minutes. See this article from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Here is a recipe for canning meat.
Lisa
The apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) helps pull the collagen from the bones. You don’t taste it in the finished product, but it IS worth adding. The collagen is what helps broth be so filling & good for your gut!
Beth Neels
We just see very little difference in the finished product, Lisa.
Kim
Thank you so much for this info. One question though – I have half gallon jars, how long to pressure cook?
Beth Neels
There are no tested recipes with half gallons. Can them in quart jars. Sorry KIm!
Rahul
This article has so much amazing information. Today I learned so many things in this blog post. Keep doing your awesome work
Beth Neels
Thanks Rahul! I appreciate that and glad it helped.
Jane
I don’t know why I haven’t canned broth before. It’s really so easy and I don’t have to take up freezer space. Thanks!
Beth Neels
Sure. No problem. It is handy to have to it on the shelf instead of taking up valuable freezer space! Thanks Jane