This recipe for canning bone broth is the ultimate way to preserve a nourishing, homemade staple. Bone broth, made by simmering bones with vegetables and herbs, is packed with collagen, minerals, and rich flavor. By pressure canning, you can safely store your broth at room temperature for up to a year, ensuring you always have a ready-to-use base for soups, stews, sauces, and more.
Whether you’re new to canning or a seasoned home preserver, this guide will walk you through every step of the process to create a shelf-stable, nutrient-dense broth.
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What is Canned Bone Broth?
Canned bone broth is essentially homemade bone broth that has been processed and sealed in jars using a water bath or pressure canner. This process allows you to store your bone broth at room temperature for extended periods, usually up to a year or longer. Bone broth itself is a flavorful liquid made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue.
The long simmering process extracts collagen, gelatin, and essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, transforming the bones into a nourishing elixir. Canning bone broth offers a convenient way to harness these nutritional benefits without constantly making fresh batches. No more wasted bones, and consistent access to a delicious and easy flavor enhancer for just about any meal? Get in the kitchen and let’s get canning!
Key Ingredients for Canning Bone Broth:
- 4-5 pounds animal bones: Beef bones, chicken carcasses, pork bones, or a combination. Roasted bones yield a richer, more flavorful broth.
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped: Adds sweetness and flavor (organic preferred).
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped: Adds savory flavor and depth.
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped: Adds flavor and aroma.
- 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed: Enhances flavor and offers potential health benefits.
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar: Helps to extract minerals from the bones.
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns: Adds a subtle peppery flavor.
- 1 bay leaf: Adds a subtle herbal note.
- Filtered water: Enough to cover the bones and vegetables in your stockpot.
- Salt: To taste, added after the broth is canned.
- Canning jars with lids and bands: Ensure they are in perfect condition. You’ll need enough pint or quart jars to hold your finished broth. It is better not to use large canning jars
How to Make Canning Bone Broth:
This bone broth recipe is remarkably easy, delivering a rich, deeply flavored stock that’s perfect for all your culinary creations. The simplicity lies in the long simmer, which extracts every bit of goodness from the bones and vegetables. The results is a flavorful and nutritious experience in an easy to can recipe! The preparation time is about 20 minutes. The simmering time is a longer 12-24 hours, and then the canning process will also take time.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Roast the Bones (Optional but Recommended): Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the bones on a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are nicely browned. Roasting adds depth of flavor to the broth.
- Combine Ingredients: Transfer the roasted bones to a large stockpot or slow cooker. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Cover the bones and vegetables with filtered water. This is the only time you should use unsalted water.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, cover, and simmer for at least 12 hours, or up to 24 hours for a richer flavor. The longer it simmers, the more collagen and nutrients are extracted from the bones. If using a slow cooker, cook on low for the same period.
- Strain the Broth: After simmering, turn off the heat and let the broth cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth (if desired) to remove any solids. Discard the bones and vegetables.
- Defat the Broth (Optional): If desired, chill the broth in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. The fat will solidify on the surface, making it easy to skim off and discard. This step is optional, as the fat can add flavor and nutrients to the broth.
- Prepare Canning Jars: Sanitize your canning jars, lids, and bands according to canning safety guidelines (see below tips). Keep the jars hot until ready to fill.
- Fill Jars: Bring the strained bone broth back to a boil. Carefully ladle the hot broth into the hot canning jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Headspace means the space between the top of the liquid and the top of the jar.
- Remove Air Bubbles: Run a non-metallic spatula or a bubble freer down the inside of each jar to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Wipe Jar Rims: Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to ensure a good seal.
- Place Lids and Bands: Center the lids on the jars and screw the bands on finger-tight. Don’t over tighten.
- Process in a Pressure Canner: Place the jars in a pressure canner. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific canner. The processing time will vary depending on your altitude and the size of the jars. Generally, for pint jars, process for 20 minutes (adjust for altitude) at 10 PSI. For quart jars, process for 25 minutes (adjust for altitude) at 10 PSI.
- Cool and Check Seals: Turn off the heat and let the pressure in the canner return to zero naturally. Carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on a towel-lined surface to cool completely. As the jars cool, you should hear a “pop” sound as the lids seal. After cooling (12-24 hours), check the seals by pressing down on the center of each lid. If the lid doesn’t flex, it’s properly sealed.
- Store Properly: Properly sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place (like a pantry) for up to a year or longer. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within a week or frozen for longer storage.
Why You’ll Love This Canning Bone Broth:
This canned bone broth is a health powerhouse, offering a concentrated dose of collagen, minerals, and amino acids in every jar. It’s a fantastic way to support joint health, improve gut function, and boost your immune system. Plus, making it at home allows you to control the ingredients, ensuring a clean and flavorful broth without any additives or preservatives.
Homemade bone broth is significantly cheaper than store-bought options, especially when you use leftover bones and vegetable scraps. Think about it, you use bones anyway to make a big roast, this is a way to recycle. It’s an economical way to nourish your body with high-quality ingredients.
The flavor of homemade bone broth is unmatched, and you can customize it to your liking with herbs and spices. The satisfaction of creating a batch of nutrient-rich, pantry-stable broth is incredibly rewarding.
If you enjoy this recipe, you might also like our recipe for “Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup,” which uses bone broth as a base for an even more comforting and nourishing meal. Try this today, you will not be disappointed!
What to Serve Canning Bone Broth With:
Canned bone broth is incredibly versatile:
- Soups and Stews: Use it as the base for hearty soups like chicken noodle soup, vegetable soup, or beef stew.
- Sauces and Gravies: Add it to sauces and gravies for extra depth of flavor.
- Cooking Grains: Cook rice, quinoa, or other grains in bone broth for added nutrition and flavor.
- Sipping Broth: Warm a mug of bone broth and sip it plain for a comforting and nourishing beverage. Also, try adding a little salt to a cup of bone broth.
Top Tips for Perfecting Canning Bone Broth:
- Bone Quality: Use high-quality bones from pasture-raised or grass-fed animals whenever possible. These bones will yield a more nutrient-rich and flavorful broth.
- Roasting is Key: Roasting the bones before simmering enhances the flavor significantly. Don’t skip this step (unless you’re short on time).
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Don’t omit the apple cider vinegar. It helps to extract minerals from the bones.
- Simmer Time: The longer the simmering time, the richer and more flavorful the broth will be. Aim for at least 12 hours, but 24 hours is even better.
- Salt to Taste After Canning: Adding salt before canning can affect the processing and sealing. It’s best to add salt to taste when you use the broth.
- Jar Preparation is Critical: Make sure to properly sanitize and preheat your canning jars. Failure to do so can lead to spoilage.
- Headspace is Important: Leave 1 inch of headspace in each jar. Too little headspace can cause the jars to explode during processing.
- Follow Canning Guidelines: Always follow the recommended processing times and pressures for your altitude and the size of your jars. The National Center for Home Food Preservation is a great resource.
- Don’t Over Tighten Bands: Screw the bands on finger-tight only. Over tightening can prevent the jars from sealing properly.
5 Facts about Canning Bone Broth:
- Canning bone broth extends its shelf life significantly, making it a convenient pantry staple.
- Homemade bone broth is often more nutritious than store-bought varieties.
- The gelatin in bone broth supports gut health and promotes healthy digestion.
- Bone broth is a natural source of collagen, which can improve skin elasticity and joint health.
- You can customize the flavor of bone broth by adding different herbs, spices, and vegetables.
Storing and Reheating Tips:
- Storing: Properly sealed jars of canned bone broth can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year or longer. Once opened, refrigerate the broth in an airtight container and use it within 7-10 days.
- Freezing: If you have leftover broth that you won’t use within a week, freeze it in freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays. Frozen bone broth can be stored for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: To reheat refrigerated bone broth, simply warm it on the stovetop over low heat until heated through. To reheat frozen bone broth, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or use the defrost setting on your microwave. You can also add frozen bone broth directly to soups and stews.
Final Thoughts:
Canning bone broth is an easy way to preserve the health benefits and delicious flavor of homemade bone broth. I hope this recipe inspires you to give it a try!
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Canning Bone Broth Faqs:
Q: Can I use chicken carcasses instead of beef bones?
A: Yes, you can use chicken carcasses, pork bones, or a combination of bones to make bone broth. The flavor will vary depending on the type of bones you use.
Q: Do I need a pressure canner to can bone broth?
A: Yes, a pressure canner is essential for canning bone broth safely. A water bath canner is not suitable for low-acid foods like bone broth.
Q: How do I know if my jars are properly sealed?
A: After the jars have cooled completely, press down on the center of each lid. If the lid doesn’t flex, it’s properly sealed. You should also hear a “pop” sound as the jars cool.
Q: What if a jar doesn’t seal properly?
A: If a jar doesn’t seal properly, refrigerate the broth and use it within a week, or freeze it for longer storage.
Q: Can I add salt before canning the bone broth?
A: It’s best to add salt after canning because adding salt before the canning process can affect the taste. Salt the broth for taste after cracking open the canned broth.
Q: Can I freeze the bone broth instead of canning it?
A: Yes, freezing is a good alternative if you don’t want to can the bone broth. Just make sure to use freezer-safe containers and leave some empty space in container to let liquid expand.
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Canning Bone Broth
- Total Time: 12-25 hours
- Yield: 6–8 pints or 3–4 quarts 1x
Description
Canning bone broth is a simple way to preserve homemade, nutrient-rich broth made from simmered animal bones and vegetables. This deeply flavorful stock can be stored for up to a year, making it a convenient and nourishing addition to your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 4–5 pounds animal bones (beef, chicken, pork, or a mix; roasted if desired)
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 4–5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- Filtered water, enough to cover ingredients
- Salt, to taste (added after canning)
- Canning jars with lids and bands (pint or quart size)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and roast bones for 30-40 minutes until browned (optional but recommended).
- Transfer bones to a large stockpot or slow cooker. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Cover with filtered water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer 12-24 hours, covered.
- Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Discard bones and vegetables.
- (Optional) Chill broth to remove solidified fat.
- Sanitize canning jars, lids, and bands. Keep hot until ready to fill.
- Bring strained broth to a boil. Ladle into jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles, wipe rims clean, and secure lids finger-tight.
- Process in a pressure canner: pints 20 minutes at 10 PSI, quarts 25 minutes at 10 PSI (adjust for altitude).
- Let canner depressurize naturally. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check seals before storing.
- Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate or freeze unsealed jars.
Notes
Roasting bones adds a deeper flavor. Always follow safe pressure canning guidelines. Adjust processing time for altitude.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-24 hours
- Category: Preserving & Canning
- Method: Pressure Canning
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 40
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg