Making bone broth in your Instant Pot is easy, economical, and healthy. It’s a great way to stretch your food dollar and provide your body with a boost of nutrients and protein. In this post, we show you step-by-step how to make Instant Pot Bone Broth.
Instant Pot Bone Broth is always a good idea. For many reason!
Have you made a whole chicken in your Instant Pot yet? If not, you’re missing out. It’s by far the easiest and most economical way to get a big pile of tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken you’ll ever make. And it’s so juicy and delicious.
After you Make A Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot, the next natural step is to make delicious and nutritious homemade bone broth in your Instant Pot.
But if you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can still make bone broth in your slow cooker. If that’s what you’re here for, head over to our Slow Cooker Bone Broth Recipe. Just know that it takes quite a bit longer to make broth in your slow cooker (24-36 hours) versus the less than 2 hours needed to make bone broth in an Instant Pot.
Why Bone Broth is Good For You
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. Here are the main nutrients you get from bone broth.
- A protein called collagen contains joint-supporting amino acids, such as glucosamine and chondroitin
- Minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron)
- Vitamins (A and K2)
- Essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6)
Read more about bone broth health benefits, such as improved digestion and gut healing in this post: All About Bone Broth. Also, this post from Healthline provides a good explanation about the researched health benefits of bone broth.
Broth has become a staple in our households, appearing in soups and stews on a weekly basis. We also use it for mashing potatoes (in place of milk or cooking water), steaming vegetables, preparing rice (subbing broth for water), and we sip it from a mug when we want a little ‘something’ but don’t want a full meal or a snack. It’s great for breaking cravings and it’s one of our go-to home remedies for colds and stomach bugs.
How to Use Bone Broth
You can use bone broth in any recipe that calls for broth. Using homemade bone broth gives recipes a real depth of flavor that makes it extra delicious (you’ll see what we mean when you try it). Here are some of our favorite recipes calling for broth:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder
- Instant Pot Tortilla-less Soup
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Creamy Ham Soup Potato Soup
- Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Bacon (dairy-free)
You can use bone broth in so many more ways than just as a standard broth replacement in recipes. Here are some ideas:
- Sip bone broth warm in a mug to replace morning coffee or an afternoon cup of tea
- Make a homemade gravy using bone broth
- Use bone broth in place of water to cook rice, quinoa, or any pasta or grain
- Add it to a smoothie for a nutrition boost
- Use bone broth instead of water when making homemade BBQ Sauce
- Use bone broth to make perfect chicken breasts every time
Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth Ingredients:
- Bones from (1) 3-4 lb chicken – we like to use the leftover bones from our Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe or leftover bones from a rotisserie chicken to make things easy.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – vinegar is a key ingredient as it pulls the nutrients from the bones into the broth.
- Vegetables – Carrots, Celery, Parsnip, Onion, and Garlic. We recommend adding vegetables as they add great flavor and nutrients, however, they are optional.
- Fresh Herbs – we like to use a mix of sage, rosemary, thyme, and/or parsley. Like vegetables, herbs are optional.
- Seasoning – salt, peppercorns, and a bay leaf
For the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition information, listing kcals, protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, fiber, sugar, sodium, total fat, and more per serving.
Pro tip: we like to collect leftover bones and vegetable trimmings (like the ends of onions or celery, mushroom stems, ends or peels of carrots or parsnips) in separate bags in the freezer. Throughout the week, we’ll throw in any leftover bones from our meals, plus any veggies or herbs that are starting to go downhill. Then, when we’re ready to make some bone broth, we have everything we need in the freezer!
How to Make Instant Pot Bone Broth:
It might sound intimidating, but bone broth is truly so simple to make in your Instant Pot. Each step is explained in more detail (with pictures) below, but here’s the game-plan:
- Add bones, veggies, herbs/seasonings, apple cider vinegar, and plenty of water to your Instant Pot. Your water level should be just below the “max fill” line.
- Lock Instant Pot lid into place, flip vent valve to “Sealing”
- Select “Manual” (if you have a newer Instant Pot and don’t have a manual option, select “Soup/Broth” and make sure the setting is on “High Pressure”) and adjust the time to 120 minutes.
- When cooking time is done, allow pressure to naturally release (this should take 20-30 minutes).
- Allow to cool, then strain into storage containers (I like to use mason jars) to store in the refrigerator or freezer.
How to Make Bone Broth: Photo Tutorial
If you’ve just made the Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe, then place the bones, skin, cartilage, and other ‘bits’ from the chicken along with any innards (gizzard, heart, liver, etc.) that may have come with your chicken (FYI: they’re usually stuffed inside the cavity in a small bag) into the Instant Pot. You should still have a few cups of cooking liquid and herbs left in the pot from cooking the chicken.
If you haven’t made the Instant Pot Whole Chicken and you’re just starting with bones (either from a rotisserie chicken or leftover bones you’ve been collecting in a bag in the freezer), place those in the bottom of the Instant Pot. No need to thaw them, just put them in there.
To the pot, add the vegetables, aromatics (that’s fancy talk for garlic and onions), bay leaf, any herbs you want to use – we use sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley if we have it on hand – then a glug of apple cider vinegar and a few peppercorns.
Don’t worry, there’s a full recipe coming (at the bottom of this post) so you’ll know exactly how much we add of each thing. Though you can totally wing it and use what you have and it will still be fabulous.
Then cover everything with water (about 4-5 cups depending on how many bones you used), lock the lid in place, and cook for 120 minutes on high pressure.
Once the timer sounds, allow 20-30 minutes for the pressure inside the pot to naturally release before flipping the vent valve to ‘Venting’ to release any residual pressure.
Voilà! You’ve just made broth!
Remove the insert and allow the broth to cool enough so that you can taste it without burning your tongue. Add sea salt to taste or leave it unsalted for use in recipes and as a cooking liquid for potatoes, vegetables, or rice.
Strain the broth into a large bowl with a pouring spout (we use this bowl and this strainer) to separate the liquid from the solids. Transfer broth to glass jars with lids – leaving the lids off until the broth has cooled enough to be refrigerated – usually 1 1/2 – 2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
How to Store Instant Pot Bone Broth
Broth can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container, such as mason jars, for up to 5 days. Freeze or pressure can for longer storage.
How to freeze bone broth:
- Freeze broth in silicone muffin cups or ice cube trays
- Once broth blocks are solid, remove them from the tray and store the blocks in a ziplock bag or other freezer-friendly sealed container in your freezer.
- When you’re ready to use, simply remove the amount you need and reheat on the stove or in the microwave, or throw frozen blocks directly in soups for a flavor boost.
How to make gelatinous bone broth?
Simply run the 120-minute cycle a second time on ‘low-pressure’ this time to produce a gelatinous bone broth. A gelatinous broth is a good indicator that it’s is rich in nourishing collagen. Note: the bone broth has to be cooled for it to gelatinize. Once it’s reheated it will return to a liquid consistency.
Other How-to tutorials:
- How to Make Ghee
- How to Make Butter
- How to Make Easy Peel Hard Boiled Egg
- How to Make a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
- How to Make Grain-free Tortillas
- How to Make Corn Tortillas
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How to Make Instant Pot Bone Broth
Easy, nourishing, and incredibly economical, bone broth is a great way to stretch your food dollar and provide your body with wholesome goodness.
Ingredients
- bones from (1) 3-4lb. chicken
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Water
- Salt to taste
We recommend adding vegetables and herbs (such as these below), as they add great flavor and nutrients. However, they are optional.
- 2 medium carrots, scrubbed and cut in half
- 1 medium parsnip, scrubbed and cut into large chunks (may substitute more carrots, if desired)
- 3 celery ribs (or ends and leaves to equal 1 cup)
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered with skin and root end intact
- 6 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 8–10 peppercorns
- A handful of fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, and/or parsley)
Instructions
- Place bones, vegetables, peppercorns, herbs, and vinegar into the pot of the Instant Pot.
- Add enough water to just cover the bones and vegetables in the pot, about 3/4 full.
- Wipe rim of insert dry with a towel. Place lid on Instant Pot and lock into place.
- Flip vent valve to ‘Sealing’.
- Select ‘Manual’ or High-Pressure setting and adjust the cooking time to 120 minutes.
- Optional: to ensure a gelatinous bone broth, run the cycle a second time for 120 minutes on low-pressure.
- When cooking is done, allow pressure to release naturally (10-20 minutes).
- Release any residual pressure using the vent valve before removing the lid.
- Allow broth to cool before straining the broth through a mesh lined strainer into jars for storage.
- Add salt to taste.
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Notes
**If adding additional cooking time, you may need to release the pressure, remove the lid, and add more water to prevent the contents of the pot from burning.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 80
- Fat: 0
- (Sat Fat: 0)
- Sodium: 270 mg
- Carbohydrate: 0
- (Fiber: 0
- Sugar: 0)
- Protein: 20 g
Dietary
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Bev says
The instant pot has an aluminum pot, I don’t like to cook in aluminum. Is there another fast cooking pot?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Bev,
The Instant Pot inner pot is actually made from stainless steel rather than aluminum and does not contain any non-stick coatings. If you’re not looking for pressure cooker per se but rather a multi-cooker, check out the cookers from Vita Clay. They have a clay insert rather than metal. Hope that helps!
Kim says
Try using an ohsawa pot. It is designed to be used in a pressure cooker. I use mine in the IP all the time.
Teresa Guthrie says
Do I leave in the vegatables from when I made the whole chicken or remove everything other than the liquid to make the bone broth?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Teresa,
Just remove the meat from the bones then return the bones back to the pot to make the broth.
Tammy Aubuchon says
I love the information here, but with my aging eyesight, & my strongest, new, reading glasses from my eye Dr, I have trouble reading the skinny, light Gray, faded looking font you use.
I can barely see the whole content, to be able to choose where to start copying it, & where to stop. It’s MUCH lighter than “this” font it’s using, on the comment, which is Gray also.
Very hard for your older fans of the site. Sorry I couldn’t rate the article, I couldn’t read it.
Thanks
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Tammy, we are in the process of fixing this issue. Thanks for your feedback.
Debbie says
Hello,
I made some chicken bone broth yesterday, but it did not yield three quarts of broth. It only made 1/2 quart of broth. I followed the instructions and added water up above the bones. What would be your suggestion to ensure I get close to three quarts of broth from my instant pot. I was so excited about making this broth, but when it didn’t even make one quart, I was a bit disappointed. However, I do like the taste of it.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Debbie,
It sounds like you may have had fewer bone and veggies in your pot which means that ‘water to cover’ didn’t bring you up to the Max Fill line inside the inner pot (which, depending on how much bones/veggie mass you have) will get you about 3 quarts of broth (sometimes I get only 2 ½ quarts). If you have a small chicken frame I’d recommend saving it in the freezer until you get another one (or bones from an organic rotisserie chicken, etc.) then make the broth. I like to toss all trimmings from onions (peels, too!), carrots and celery into the same bag to cut down on kitchen waste and make it easier when it’s time for broth. I hope that helps!
Renee says
I’ve only made beef bone broth once in a stainless steel stock pot. Pot was not “stainless” even after scrubbing, and scrubbing. I wouldn’t want that same staining in my instant pot! I did not cook the beef bones beforehand. Has anyone else had that difficult residue in their stainless pot? Any secrets on how to remove that residue?
Jason says
I use barkeepers friend
Tess D says
If you don’t want to use something chemical, i’ve found scrubbing with stainless steel wool is very effective and not too scratchy.
Vampy says
I would not ever use steel wool it WILL scratch. Use Scotch-Brite pads, the type without the sponge and they will clean and not scratch the insert. Dollar Tree sells these in a generic 3 for $1 and you can’t beat that price. They are green and flat it you don’t know what they look like. Some people cut them in half because they are large and you get more of them this way.