Steps for Canning Bone Broth and Stock

Steps for canning bone broth are easy, however, there are steps which must be taken to ensure that canning any form of broth or stock is done properly. For example, pressure canning bone broth or stock is only way to preserve homemade broth for long-term storage.

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Prior to homesteading and sustainable living I spent an extreme amount of money purchasing broth and stock for cooking. Little did I know then that making it at home, let alone canning bone broth was easy to achieve. 

The moment I became comfortable with pressure canning I ventured into making and putting-up broth and stock of all types. Mind you, pressure canning bone broth is a monthly occurrence on our homestead as it is used for just about everything. And trust me when I say, I do not exaggerate when I say homemade broth is used for just about everything.

It is a pantry staple for us, and soon it will be for you too.

The Benefits of Bone Broth

There are many benefits to consuming bone broth on a daily basis, especially the first batch made in your roaster oven. Here are a few benefits of consuming bone broth – 

• Promotes good gut health
• Benefits the body’s joints
• Boosts the immune system
• Helps to prevent heart disease

Now, let’s break down what’s found in bone broth –

• An amino acid called Arginine. Arginine is necessary for a healthy immune system and has many other essential qualities.
• Chondroitin and glucosamine are components that make up cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Bone broth helps to reduce pain caused from arthritis and even works to improve joint mobility.
• Collagen works improves, preserves, and builds healthy cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bone, and skin.
• Gelatinous bone broth is derived when collagen from the cartilage is transformed into gelatin. Added poultry feet or trotters to a broth during the cooking process ensures that a gelatinous goodness is present within the broth.
• The following amino acids are also found in bone broth – glycine, glutamine, and proline.
• The bones are rich in minerals such as – calcium, copper, magnesium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc.

Tips for Canning Bone Broth

Homemade bone broth is extremely easy to make. However, over the years I’ve learned a few things – 

• Any type of bone can be used
• A pressure canner must be used to make it shelf stable
• Use the bones multiple times
• Add apple cider vinegar
• Roast the bones
• Add poultry feet or trotters
• Reuse bones multiple times
• There is no recipe to a homemade broth or stock

Bone Selection

Any type of bones can be used for making bone broth. However, the bones from wild game tend to provide a stronger more gamey flavored broth than the others listed. 

• beef
• chicken
• rabbit
• waterfowl
• pork
• wild game
• fish

Because broth is used regularly around here I like to make monthly batches at a time in a 20 quart roaster oven. This allows me to freeze bones until there is enough to make a large batch of broth. Keep in mind, the ratio is 2:1 in regards to bone to water.

If you are using a large roaster oven, it will require a large amount of bones to fill the roaster. Not filling the roaster with enough bones will lead to an unappealing broth.

Again, homemade broth is not one size fits all, feel free to mix the type of bones used as it creates a great tasting end product. 

Necessary Equipment for Making Bone Broth

Depending on who you ask, bone broth can be made the traditional method as well as with an Instant Pot. However, you will never catch me making bone broth with an IP, but instead through the traditional method of cooking the bones slowly and on low heat. Learn why I prefer the traditional method below. 

• Roaster oven, stock pot, Instant Pot
• Fine mesh sieve
• Quart size mason jars, or pints (for canning)
• Pressure Canner (to make a shelf stable item)
• Baking tray (for roasting bones)
• Ladle

Included are the instructions for how to make bone broth using a roaster oven or stock pot. I will not be able to help those who seek to make bone broth using an InstaPot. An Instant Pot allows the bones to be used only once. For me, this is a wasteful method.

Keep in mind, pressure canning bone broth is the only way to make it shelf stable.

Roast the Bones

Raw bones can be used to make bone broth, however, a better flavor is achieved when the bones are roasted.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove as much of the meat and fat from the bones as possible. Place the bones onto a baking sheet.
3. Roast the bones for 20 to 25 minutes on both sides.
4. Once the bones are roasted, place into the oven roaster or stock pot.

I would advise to not skip this step, it does make a difference in the overall flavor of the broth.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Many will argue as to whether vinegar is necessary for making bone broth. There are those who believe that adding vinegar helps to release the minerals and calcium found within the bones. I am one of those people.

• 2 tablespoons of vinegar to 1 gallon of water for poultry bones
• 1/2-cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of water for denser bones such as cow, pig, and larger wild game

I prefer apple cider vinegar, however, distilled white vinegar will also work. Again, this is based on your discretion.

Poultry Feet or Trotters

Gelatinous goodness is what one strives for when making bone broth. Luckily, this can be achieved with the use of poultry feet such as chicken, turkey, duck, and even geese. In addition to poultry feet pig trotters can be used to create a gelatinous broth.

f course there are a few tips to keep in mind prior to adding poultry feet and trotters to the roaster oven or stock pot.

• Poultry feet must be cleaned well, and the yellow covering found on the feet should be removed. The yellow coating found on the feet can cause the broth to become bitter in taste.
• A tip for cleaning trotters, with the help of a toothbrush, or similar item, scrub well.

Use the Bones Multiple Times

The homesteading life we live teaches us to not waste. This includes the bones used for making broth. Unlike a roaster oven or stock pot the Instant Pot rushes the process, preventing the bones from being used multiple times.

Poultry, rabbit, beef, pig, and wild game bones can be used multiple times prior to the bones being given to the pigs or discarded.

For a new batch of broth, simply freshen the roaster oven or stock pot. The process is quite simple –

1. Remove the spent herbs, onions, garlic, feet
2. Add additional water
3. Place a new batch of herbs, garlic, onions, and feet into the pot
4. Add additional apple cider vinegar

Spices, Herb, and Onions

There is no recipe for making bone broth. None at all. A ‘traditional recipe’ is made utilizing discarded items such as bones, vegetable scraps, garlic, onions, and fresh or dried herbs.

The term, a pinch of this, a dash of that, a handful of this, is how many measure the ingredients for making broth. Ingredients for making bone broth consist of the following items –

• Oregano – fresh or dried
• Thyme – fresh or dried
• Rosemary – fresh or dried
• Bay leaves – fresh or dried
• Italian parsley – fresh or dried
• 4 to 5 carrots stalks
• 2 to 3 heads of fresh garlic (including the skins)
• 2 to 3 onions (including the skins)
• Peppercorn
• Sea Salt – I prefer Redmonds Real Salt as I utilize it for fermenting, curing, and canning

Add saved vegetable scraps to add flavor to your bone broth. However, make sue to use the right type of vegetable scraps to create a rich, clean flavor.

The following vegetables will make the broth unpalatable –

• vegetables in the brassica family – causes a bitter tasting broth
• artichokes – the flavor is quite strong and overbearing
• potatoes – overtakes the flavor of the broth
• older herbs and vegetables – alters the flavor of broth
• powdered herbs – creates sediment within the broth and can be overbearing in taste when not measured correctly

Bone broth is a low acidic item which will require the use of a pressure canner to make it shelf stable.

Water

Using clean ingredients creates a healthy broth. This includes the type of water used.

Water source which contains no fluoride or chlorine is essential to a healthy bone broth. Spring or drinking water is ideal for those who rely on city water or have high minerals and sulfur in their well water. 

A Medicinal, Nutrient Dense Food Item

I have a golden rule, reserve the first batch of bone broth for medicinal purposes. Bone broth is excellent when the common cold or flu bug should hit or consumed daily.

Separate the first bath of bone broth from the other. Follow the steps indicated below and reach for a jar as needed –

• Remove from the pressure canner and wash jars and lids with mild soap and water
• Mark the dried jars with an M (medicinal) with the date
• Store separately from other batches made from the same bones

Use second and third batches of bone broth for cooking.

Can Bone Broth and Stock based on the Correct Altitude

The processing time for home canned foods is based on the altitude for which you reside. Find the correct altitude for where you reside by Google searching your address. To properly eliminate all bacteria from with jars of food the goods must be processes properly. This requires knowing the altitude which you reside for both, pressure canned and hot water bath canned goods.

Keep in mind, the processing times indicated below are based on broth with no meat or vegetables. How to can homemade broth begins with knowing the correct PSI based on your altitude.

Dial Gauge Canner

TYPE OF PACK	JAR SIZE	PROCESSING TIME	0-2,000 ft	2,001-4,000 ft	4,001-6,000 ft	6,001-8,000 ft
Hot	Pint	20 minutes	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb
	Quart	25 minutes	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb

Weighted Gauge Canner

TYPE OF PACK	JAR SIZE	PROCESSING TIME	0-1,000 ft	1,001-above
Hot	Pint	20 minutes	10 lb	15 lb
	Quart	25 minutes	10 lb	15 lb

Let’s Recap

The steps for canning bone broth are easy, take a minute to read this quick recap –

• roast the bones to create a better tasting broth
• reserve vegetable scraps for adding flavor
• add herbs and spices to your liking
• adding raw apple cider vinegar to the broth (optional)
• use enough water to barely cover the bones
• create a gelatinous product by adding poultry feet and/or trotters
• allow to simmer on low for 12 hours
• use the bones multiple times, until they crumble to the touch

Steps for Pressure Canning Bone Broth

How to can bone broth is extremely easy. Print the steps for canning bone broth and store in a safe place for future use.

Additional Broth and Stock Recipes

Learn how to can homemade broth of all type –

• Organ broth
• Vegetable stock
• Fish broth

As you can see, steps for canning bone broth are quite easy.

Using kitchen scraps and poultry free saved from processing chickens will ensure a delicious and healthy broth is achieved. As you can see, how to can homemade broth is easy and ideal for those who seek to consume a clean food source.

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