How to Make Bone Broth

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Dutch oven with a chicken carcass, water, and herbs for making our homemade Chicken Bone Broth recipe

If you’ve made our Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken, you likely have some chicken bones on hand. Don’t throw them out! We have the perfect use for them. Let’s make bone broth together.

Pouring water over a chicken carcass for our tutorial on How to Make Bone Broth

This 3-ingredient, 1-pot recipe yields flavorful bone broth perfect for soups, sauces, and more. But first, let’s talk about what bone broth is and how to make it.

What is Bone Broth

Bone broth is quite simply broth made from animal bones — in this instance, from a whole roasted chicken. You can also opt to make bone broth out of beef or pork bones, but this recipe demonstrates using the bones from a whole roasted chicken.

Origins of Bone Broth

It may be all the rage these days, but bone broth isn’t a new concept! Instead, its origins trace as far back as 2,500 years ago where it was used in Chinese medicine for supporting kidney and digestive health.

Since then, bone broth has been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes around the world. Learn more about its use in various cultures here.

How to Make Bone Broth

Making bone broth is actually quite easy.

  1. Simply save the bones from your roasted chicken (including legs and wings that may have been on the serving platter), and add to a large pot or Dutch oven. We also included the lemon wedges and rosemary that were cooked with our whole roasted chicken*, but this is optional.
  2. Then simply top with filtered water until generously covered (about 12 cups / 2880 ml).
  3. Next, add in a bit of salt to season the broth (you can add more later).
  4. Then add 1-2 Tbsp (15-30ml) apple cider vinegar, which is added primarily as 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.
  5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for at least 10-12 hours, or until reduced by 1/3 or 1/2, leaving you with 6-8 cups of bone broth. The more it reduces, the more intense the flavor becomes and the more collagen is extracted. We find 12 hours to be the perfect cook time.
  6. Strain and use or store.

*Alternatively, you can go to your local butcher and buy bones exclusively for making broth. But we find it’s much more streamlined to buy a whole chicken, roast it, and then use the leftover bones to make broth.

Bone Broth Benefits

Bone broth is high in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. It also contains a high amount of collagen, which may help support bone and joint health.

Because broth is easy to digest, these nutrients are easy for the body to absorb, making them more available to the body — especially for those with digestive issues.

What to Do with Bone Broth

Bone broth can be sipped straight as a health tonic. We like stirring in nutritional yeast, sea salt, and black pepper to taste, plus a little miso and some green onions and minced garlic. It’s comforting, warming, and nourishing.

It can also be used wherever chicken broth is used, such as in soups, gravies, sauces, and more.

Pouring apple cider vinegar into a pot to help release nutrients from the chicken bones

How to Store Bone Broth

Once your bone broth has simmered for 10-12 hours and reduced, strain and store as desired. We prefer adding it straight to soup with some of the leftover shredded chicken. This 1-Pot Pumpkin Black Bean Soup or this 1-Pot Chicken Soup with White Bean and Kale are perfect applications.

But it can also be stored in glass jars and frozen up to 1-2 months or more. Just be sure to leave a couple inches at the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer.

Note: Bone broth typically gelatinizes when refrigerated because of the collagen content. But don’t worry — that’s normal. When reheated it liquifies once again just like store-bought chicken broth.

We hope you LOVE this broth! It’s:

Comforting
Customizable
Versatile
Easy to make
& Incredibly nourishing

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Using a wooden spoon to stir a pot of Homemade Bone Broth

How to Make Bone Broth

An easy, step-by-step guide to making chicken bone broth! Simple ingredients and fool-proof methods yield a beautiful broth perfect for soups, sauces, and more!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Pouring apple cider vinegar over a chicken carcass for our Chicken Bone Broth recipe
4.74 from 53 votes
Cook Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours
Servings 8 (Cups)
Course Helpful How-to
Cuisine Chinese-Inspired, Gluten-Free
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 2-3 Days

Ingredients

  • Bones and carcass of 1 chicken (we suggest starting with a whole roasted chicken)
  • 12 cups filtered water
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 generous pinch each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • Rosemary/herbs (leftover from roasting chicken // optional)
  • 1 sliced lemon (leftover from roasting chicken // optional)

Instructions

  • To a large pot or Dutch oven, add the bones leftover from a whole roasted chicken (including legs and wings that may have been on the serving platter), or the bones from 1 chicken purchased from a butcher. (Note: This can also be done in a Crock-Pot or Instant Pot.)
    We also like adding the lemon wedges and rosemary that were cooked with our whole roasted chicken (optional).
  • Top with filtered water until generously covered (about 12 cups / 2880 ml). This should reduce down by about 1/3 or 1/2, leaving you with 6-8 cups of bone broth.
  • Next, add in a bit of salt and pepper to season the broth (you can add more later to taste).
  • 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. Cook for at least 10-12 hours, or until reduced by 1/3 to 1/2. The more it reduces, the more intense the flavor will become and the more collagen will be extracted. We find 12 hours to be about right.
  • Strain and discard the bones. Either use immediately or store in glass jars and freeze up to 1-2 months or more. Just be sure to leave a couple inches at the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer.
    Note: Bone broth typically gelatinizes when refrigerated because of the collagen content. But don't worry — that's normal. When reheated it liquifies once again, just like store-bought chicken broth.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)

Serving: 1 cup Calories: 53 Carbohydrates: 0.9 g Protein: 5.3 g Fat: 2.9 g Saturated Fat: 0.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.61 g Monounsaturated Fat: 1.32 g Trans Fat: 0.04 g Cholesterol: 2.63 mg Sodium: 342 mg Potassium: 208 mg Fiber: 0 g Sugar: 0.4 g

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  1. Cynthia Junkin says

    May I pulverize the bones in a high speed blender after the bone broth has been pressure cooked for 8 hours? I would like to give to my dog. I processed without onions, garlic or salt.

  2. Yuli 😮‍💨💕 says

    I am a 13 year old and personally this recipe is easy, taste amazingly and is quick. I usually drink this in the mornings and it make me feel better throughout the day 10:/10 recipe!!!!💖✝️🪼🪼🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

  3. Kelly WP says

    Can you slow cook this recipe in a crock and still get the same benefits from the nutrients and collagen?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Liz, it’s hard to say precisely! It would depend on how much salt was used to prepare the roasted chicken you were using and how much of that salt is then remaining on the bones/skin you use to make the broth. The sodium is definitely a rough estimate on this one due to the variability by situation!

  4. Emily says

    Great easy recipe!!

    How long would this keep in the fridge for?

    As well, I made this in the crockpot and it didn’t reduce very much (to be expected I guess!!) — would you recommend leaving it at that quantity for the benefits of low and slow or reducing it down a bit to concentrate it at a higher temp on the stove top after the bones are removed?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Emily, We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe! It will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. Either way is fine! You can cook it down if you’d like a more concentrated broth, but it’s not essential.

    • Beth Wright says

      You can add pretty much anything you want.
      Be careful using what’s essentially a bouillon cube as it may make your bone broth too salty. I’m not familiar with the particular product you are about which you’re inquiring, so I can’t say how much sodium it contains. I use salt-free vegetable bouillon cubes myself.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Eleanor, it looks like that setting is equivalent to high pressure for 30 minutes. It would work, but we prefer cooking at high pressure for at least 45 minutes, 1 hour for stronger stock, or 2-3 hours for (gelatinous) bone broth.

  5. Moira says

    I made this with the lemon and fresh rosemary, didn’t have any apple cider vinegar left (I know I’ll be grabbing more I just started this late at night lol) so I put a smidge of bourbon in there. Muah excellent!! Also in the end I put a bit of honey for a touch of sweetness.

  6. Jacki R Madewell says

    This is really good! I’m 75 yrs old and I make a lot of bone broth because I hate wasting food, especially in these days of tight economy, soaring grocery prices and a small, fixed Senior income. The recipe is different from my usual “toss it all in the pot” (the end pieces of onions, celery, carrots that I’ve saved in the freezer). Followed the recipe exactly except for adding half an onion, half a carrot and half a stalk of celery, all left over from a stir fry, to bump up the nutrients a bit. I also chop up the bones to allow the broth to simmer the marrow–which I also do with any raw chicken I use for broth. I also use a slow cooker liner, always, in my slow cookers. They’re pretty cheap online and save a ton of work. With the liner, I can just punch a single hole in the bottom and drain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined colander into a large bowl, leaving the bones and other solids in the bag to toss out. This broth was a bit watery for our taste after 14 hours of simmering (overnight) so next time I’ll take the lid off the pot and let it reduce a couple hours before straining. This will be the base for many future soups and stews, rice dishes, etc. Thank you for sharing!

  7. Joan Williams says

    I was wondering how much water and how long to cook in a pressure cooker.
    Sounds so good. Looking forward to trying it.
    Joan

  8. Fern says

    My favorite bone broth recipe! I use a chicken carcass and also add some chicken feet (the coop by my house sells them) they add even more collagen and are super cost effective! This recipe produces such a rich and great tasting broth! I use the ACV instead of lemon juice and also throw some carrots and celery in. Then I give that to my dog as a yummy addition to her food. Thank you so much for the recipe! Sending love and so much gratitude.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Fern! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  9. Beth says

    This has an apple cider vinegar flavor to it. I don’t know how I can use this given that flavor. Is there some way to get rid of that taste.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry that happened, Beth! We wonder if maybe it cooked down too much, concentrating the flavor? You could add more water and simmer just a little longer to infuse flavor into the additional water while diluting the vinegar taste.

    • Candice smillie says

      I’m making right now and only had about a tsp left. I think as low as a tsp would still be beneficial for it’s purpose.

  10. Paige says

    Hi – I am making this in the slow cooker for the first time. I see many comments saying 12-24 hours is good for a slow cooker, and that the liquid seemingly doesn’t evaporate as much in the slow cooker as it does on the stove. With all of that in mind, I’m curious, how will I know when it’s “done” in the slow cooker?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Paige, it’s hard to go wrong! Cooking longer will provide a stronger flavor and darker color. Taste/color will be your best judge of whether it’s done to your liking!

  11. Gina says

    I find this is very easy to make, and not time consuming, just needs a bit of planning. I have made it in a pressure cooker, a crock pot and on the stove, all methods work. I prefer the pressure cooker or crock pot because I can plug it right outside my house in the backyard (I have a plug right outside my kitchen door) this way it does not fill the whole house with smells through the night, just be careful of outdoor animals.
    Also, I like to start with a whole chicken, which is cheaper and makes the soup taste better. After about 2 hours I take it out, and get the easy to take off meat such as on the breasts and legs and put it in a storage container and into the fridge. I then put all the bones and rest of the chicken including the skin back into the pot and continue making the bone broth. The meat I took off I either put it back into the soup when serving it as chicken soup (but as a bone broth base) because this way it doesn’t get too mushy, or I use it to make chicken salad, or other put into other dishes.
    Oh, and I like to add any other bones I’ve collected in my freezer or a few chicken feet if I can get my hands on them.

  12. Amy says

    Hi! If I’m defrosting 12 legs to make dinner with, can I refreeze the bones after dinner to save for when I have time to make bone broth (obviously a modified version of your recipe as it’s only legs), and then make the recipe and freeze it in batches? It seems like a lot of freezing and refreezing. Thanks for your help.

      • Lara says

        Thank you! :)
        If I left my broth simmer for 24hrs, but then the taste is too strong for me, I can always dilute it with water – right? :)

        Lara x

          • Lara says

            Awesome, thank you again. One more question…
            If I add vegetables such as carrots, celery and potatoes at the beginning of the process along with the bones, is it okay to eat the vegetables after it has been slow cooking for 12-24hrs, instead of tossing them out? :) I appreciate that the vegetables are suuuper soft by that point, but I dont mind that – so long as they’re safe to eat?

  13. Mrs Celeste Desouza says

    Growing up here in India we had bone broth served every night before dinner. I can recall the cook filing a big pot with beef bones, onions, tomatoes, a small piece of ginger and whole coriander seeds sprinkled on top. The pot sat on a coal fire the whole day. It was served with the marrow found in the bones.
    Beef is banned here now so I make it with mutton bones in my pressure cooker. I keep it on for at least four hours and then strain and refrigerate and skim the fat off the top and use during the week. I flavor it differently each day.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Laura, You shouldn’t need to add extra time. It will just take a little longer to come to a simmer!

  14. Michelle Whittall says

    You can add chicken feet to this and it makes a more gelatinous broth which is really good for gut health. Toss in some kale for added calcium. We cook our broth in our ninja pressure cooker for about 4.5 hours, make a huge batch at once and can it so it can be stored in the pantry. Delicious!

  15. Ruth Ann Somervell says

    I have made this recipe several times now. Soooo good! I put it in the instant pot and pressure cook for 2 hours on high/normal. Quick or natural release is fine. If you want even more collagen, do it for another 2 hours. And I store the broth in Souper Cubes (got them on Amazon) in the freezer. They are like big silicon ice cube trays and are super easy to get the broth out.

  16. Leah says

    I made this yesterday and it’s delicious! Cooked for about 11 hours on the hob. Just having a warm mug of it now 🙂

  17. Elizabeth B. Turner says

    Quick, easy to understand and find products. Used in large crockpot, overnight, strained and stored in refrigerator in ball jars. Used 2 cups a day as tea adding lemon for taste and warmed up.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Elizabeth. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  18. Barbara says

    Do you include the skin of the chicken in with the bones for bone broth?
    (I would think the collagen would be good.)
    Thks!

  19. Kiki Alexandratou says

    I always use the left over Costco roasted chicken after I remove all the white meat for use on soups, salads etc.
    I add a few whole onions,, carrots, celery and bay leaves.
    No salt , because of high blood pressure.
    I can add
    Whole pepper corns.
    I strain, and refrigerate the whole thing and skim the fat on top the next day.
    Put the jelatin like broth in freezer bags and date it ..
    Use it for sipping in the morning and before going to bed. Also in recipes.

  20. Massimo says

    I saved roasted chicken bones in the freezer and also turkey bones from Thanksgiving.
    Made several batches in my insta pot.
    It akws only 3 hrs, but to make it richer, I set it for an additional 3.
    Wonderful broth. I’ve been having a cup for breakfast each day and storing the extra in the freezer.

  21. debbie says

    I have made this and its fantastic, the only concern I have is that its very greasy should I skim off the grease before drinking it?
    or is that the grease a part of the wonderful heath benefits?

  22. Chef says

    Stock is made from bones. Broth is made from meat & veggies. There’s no such thing as bone broth. You can call it broth if you want but it’s not. Plus, that’s not a 3-ingredient recipe when it calls for 1. Bones 2. Water 3. Salt 4. Pepper 5. Apple cider vinegar

    • Zach says

      Chef, technically, you’re correct about stock v. broth. But look in almost any grocery store; you’ll find cartons of “bone broth.” It’s in the vernacular, there’s little to be gained by arguing the terminology. Time would probably be better spent enjoying the delicious product of this recipe. Possibly on the basis of your assertion the number of ingredients was changed. Does that help to quell your ire? Aside from the above, my rating is 5 stars for easily prepared, healthy deliciousness

  23. Maureen dawe says

    Hi. I am new at making bone broth and My body doesn’t like a lot of fat ,so when I put The broth in the freezer, will the fat rise to the top so I can discard.
    Thank you 😀
    Maureen

  24. Maureen Dawe says

    Hi Thank you so much for this recipe of fermented vegetables. I’m very excited to give this a try. I have IBS and I am trying fermented foods to get my gut back to normal. I read that if you eat too much fermented foods it would give you too much bloating. I get enough of that as it is. However ,if I eat the right amounts, which I don’t know what that is ,then it will be good bacteria for my gut. Thank you so much for your feedback. bless you, maureen

    • Beth Wright says

      People’s beliefs about the toxicity of garlic and onions for dogs and cats are generally overblown. Both can be good for our furry friends but it depends on how much of, and how frequently, they’re fed these different alliums. Cats are in general more sensitive than dogs regardless of weight, but that doesn’t mean they can never have garlic or onions in their food. There’s quite a bit of legitimate and detailed information available online about this topic, including what’s here. https://www.onlynaturalpet.com/blogs/holistic-healthcare-library/benefits-of-garlic-in-pets. One thing I really like about this article is that it includes information from a veterinary professional at the ASPCA’s Poison Control Center. I daresay they know whereof they speak when it comes to substances which may be toxic to our pets.

  25. Pauline Kitching says

    I made this for my dogs 15.6yrs and 11.10yrs old they loved it.
    I used
    Two good size lamb necks, cut around 5cm long.
    About 6 hens feet
    Lemon bones and Rosemary from our roast Chicken.
    Tablespoon organic with mother ACV
    Four carrots
    Two full stalks of celery
    Cup Shredded beetroot
    Two cloves garlic or a half of fennel root.
    A teaspoon of turmeric
    1/2 teaspoon black ground pepper.
    Cooked for 12 hours in crock pot.
    ***On Completion ***
    When finished I immediately wrapped Crock Pot with a towel to keep heat in and left over night.
    Next morning it was lukewarm so I could put my fingers in squeeze & crush the vegetable, hens feet and any soft bones left from feet.
    The meat tended to fall of the necks, I cleaned the marrow out with skewer if any remained.
    After checking for any bone fragments I filled jars about three quarters kept one in fridge and froze the rest.
    The dogs love this, it has great health value for them
    For use I still use lamb necks but add chicken bones after a roast and omit hens feet. I also add an onion for us too.
    We eat everything bar solid bones remaining.

    What do you think of my human and doggie version?

  26. Pam gaskin says

    When I was a child (now in 70s) and mother always had a massive pot on the go. She used to send us to the butchers and ask if they had any bones for the dog fortunately the butcher was always quite generous. As children we did not like veggie but mum put everything in that pot and we were none the wiser, but I think like many Scottish homes there was always a big pot of soup on the go. We also loved and lived on porridge as for meat it was only ever mince that was Sunday dinner. Our special treat was ,hold your nose, she always had a big jar of malt and cod liver oil which we loved because it tasted like toffee. Sometimes when she was really short she would pull the table across the kitchen door and we played at chip shops, served in envelopes to make it real. I think this is why us three siblings don’t have any bone troubles like osteoporosis. And back then we didn’t know we were poor, so when I got married 56years ago right up to date still make big pots of soup. Pam gaskin

    • Mari says

      I enjoyed reading your reply – I could just envision you and your siblings playing ‘chip shops’. Lucky you to have grown up with such a lovely mom and family!

      • Stephanie Finegan says

        Beautiful story!
        I always have a 5 gallon pot going chocked full of bones. We just finished butchering 75 chickens and I have backs and necks going as we froze whole birds, Breasts and wings and I am canning the thighs and legs and broth. It will take me a week but we will have lots of broth in pantry and plenty of soup.
        A simple life is a rewarding life.

  27. Nelle says

    First time bone broth maker here 🙋 this recipe is so incredibly delicious! I’m blown away by the flavor! One question. I simmered for about 12 hours on the stove, and only came out with about a quart of broth. Should I have added water throughout the process so that I could get more broth in the end?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nelle! You shouldn’t need to add more water. If your stovetop wasn’t already on the lowest setting, we’d suggest switching it to that. Otherwise, make sure to keep the pot covered and you can cook it for less time if the lowest setting is still evaporating the water too quickly. Hope that helps!

      • Lisa says

        Why use just the carcass of a roasted chicken? Why not use the whole bone-in, skin-on chicken? Does it somehow change the nutritional/collagen make-up of the broth?

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Lisa, you can use chicken meat too, but since roasted chicken provides the best flavor, we find it’s easiest to make broth from the leftover bones after eating the chicken meat.

    • krizta says

      same here. lots of water evaporated. i made it for drinking and got only about 2 cups at the end of it (simmered for 6 hours only, gelled beautifully). so what im doing is treating it as a concentrate and heating equal parts bone broth to water (1/2c:1/2c). its so good!

      next i will try letting only some water evaporate then cover it on a very low simmer in hopes to preserve the liquid content instead of it evaporating. gonna reuse my bones bc why not! thx for this!

  28. AA says

    This was absolutely horrible. To be fair, it’s probably that this doesn’t suit my taste more than anything wrong about the recipe itself–but still, I thought this was awful, and I couldn’t recommend this recipe to anyone.
    For the first time in ages, I cooked a whole chicken, and I thought it would be good to do something with the bones, so I gave this recipe a shot. After I had been boiling the bones for a while, I opened the window because the smell was so unappealing. I thought maybe it was just me, but my spouse walked into the kitchen a little while later and also complained about the smell, even with the open window. I was still convinced it would improve and boil down to something delicious. It did not. After a few more hours, I was feeling literally sick and had to go to the other side of the house and lie down (mostly nausea from the smell). The chicken itself was fine, by the way, so I don’t think there was something wrong with the bones. Maybe bone broth just isn’t my thing–but wow, I thought it was sooooo bad. (I quite like regular chicken broth, so it’s a bit baffling.)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so sorry you didn’t enjoy it! It could be (as you mentioned) that you aren’t a fan of bone broth. But we wonder if perhaps you included any of the organ meats? That can cause a bitter or unpleasant taste.

      • AA says

        Hmm, no, I didn’t include any organ meats. This is baffling. It must just be that bone broth isn’t my thing.

        • Anna says

          You need to add in onion to absorb the boiled chicken odour. Boiled chicken alone can smell like farts 🤣

        • Johnny says

          Uh oh… I dumped the organ meats in the pot. I hope it doesn’t taste bad. I’ve made this once before and it was delicious!! I don’t think I added the organ meats though… Fingers crossed.

      • AA says

        I didn’t include organ meats (and the chicken I bought didn’t even come with them). I also didn’t include any other meat or vegetables. The chicken itself was totally fine and my entire family loved it.

        • Tracey says

          I made the bone broth and froze it. I then defrosted it and used it in a big batch of soup and froze that. Will this be safe to eat?

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Hi Tracey, we don’t see an issue with that as long as the total amount of time it was defrosted for was not more than 3-4 days. Hope that helps!

        • MJAA says

          Maybe it was the apple cider vinegar. I can not stand the smell of it and substitute regular vinegar in any recipe that calls for it.

    • Justyna says

      Why give the recipe a poor rating when you clearly don’t like bone broth or did something wrong? Not minimalist baker’s fault.

  29. Katie says

    We raise a few chickens for eggs (free-range, organic) and let them live in peace as long as possible, but when the time comes to say farewell to one we try to use every bit of the bird one way or another. I think bone broth is a perfect last tribute to a feathered friend who gave us her all.

    We never seem to have significant bits of meat or crispy skin left after a roasted chicken dinner, but I slow-cook everything that’s left in a big crock pot on low setting, along with AC vinegar and lots of red & black pepper. I just leave the crock-pot simmering on my screen porch for about 24 hours, adding more fresh water a few times as needed. The ACV and long slow-cooking time makes the bones disintegrate, so really there’s nothing left to strain out. I add sea salt and herbs at the end of cooking to preserve the herb oils, then put the very hot broth into mason jars right away. It always gels quite firm in the refrig, freezes well (if we don’t use it all up first), and it tastes SO rich! You can’t buy broth half as good as you can make for yourself. I like to blend it with lots of roasted veg & shitake mushrooms and dilute for a quick soup. Yum! My cats love it mixed with their food (NO onions or garlic for cats!)
    Many thanks for the recipe and for so many great reader comments! Yes to Adele Davis. I still have her books. (Tiger’s Milk was favorite in my house.) She was ahead of her time.

  30. Michelle says

    I have been vegan and gluten free for many years – so I follow Dana a lot! After learning about the AIP diet for my autoimmune disorders (primarily Hashimoto’s), I was sad to leave veganism behind but happy to see Dana had a recipe for bone broth and tried it. So rich and delicious!

    Thank you, Dana! Your site is BY FAR THE BEST for those of us with dietary restrictions. Also, thank you for metric conversions!!!

    I have made a few modifications to Dana’s bone broth :)

    I follow Dana’s Lemon & Herb Roasted Chicken recipe and roast two whole organic free range chickens (Step 5 from a local farm here in Maine) stuffed with garlic and lemon and rosemary – skipping butter and pepper for AIP, but rub in olive oil and a little powdered turmeric. I baste every 20 minutes (the natural fats dripping from the chicken help crisp the skin nicely).

    When roasted to internal temp of 165, I cool both chickens and pull all the meat off. I portion it out in containers (about 400g each – 4 servings) and cover with previous bone broth, veggie broth or mushroom broth. Then freeze the meat for easy dinners.

    Back to the bone broth: I place all the bones, fat, skin, gelatin, garlic, rosemary, lemon from the roasting pan into a large pot and cover with water. I put it on the stove on med/high heat and bring it to as warm as you possible can so that you can still place your hands in the water. I then pull the bones, cartilage and garlic from the pot and place in another pot (leaving skin and lemon behind), cover with water and add ACV. I find this technique does not mess with the collagen extraction while also removing more of the impurities resulting in very minimal skimming. Then barely simmer for 12 to 24 hours.

    I like veggies in mine, too. Bay leaf, basil, carrots, celery, dried shiitake mushrooms, and charred yellow onions (quartered and roasted until the edges are black). I season with coconut aminos in lieu of sea salt.

    The result is a deep-colored, umami-bomb-flavored broth where you can see all that collagen goodness!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yes, that’s correct. But we haven’t had success making our own pho yet. This would be a great start though!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yes, it should work well! You could pressure cook on high 1-2 hours, then natural release. Let us know if you try it.

          • Jeanna Davis says

            Thanks for this great recipe. This is a staple in my kitchen I have used rotisserie chicken for my bone broth also. It’s great for any soups or dishes you can prepare.

      • Ginger says

        I was told by my naturopath not to make bone broth in the pressure cooker. I can’t explain it fully like he did but basically if you use a pressure cooker to make bone broth you’ll end up with MSG in the broth. Some of his patients regressed when they used pressure cooked broth made at home or bought from the store.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Sharon! We haven’t tried it but we think it would work! Depending on your slow cooker, you may need to adjust the settings to get the broth to a slight simmer, but once simmering it should work well. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

  31. Vicky says

    Great recipe! Mine worked, was lovely and thick and gelatinous but even though on very low heat the water kept disappearing so I kept topping it up. Great with rosemary and lemon from the roast, but removed the garlic before making the broth. Made a delicious chicken soup and kept for 5 days in the fridge. Second try tomorrow sans lemon. I used apple cider vinegar as in the recipe. Worked brilliantly. Thanks for this 😊

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing, Vicky! It’s normal for the liquid to reduce and it helps concentrate the flavors.

      • Melissa says

        I have made bone broth for my dogs for years. In a crockpot, i however cook it like 72 hours, is a mixture of beef, pork, and chicken bones. When it starts smelling i put a pinch of garlic powder. The bones cook to sand-like and i strain that, and freeze it in ice trays, then put in a freezer bag. Current dog gets an ice 3-4 times a week, she is abt 20 lbs.
        My question then is to be certain, i am only going to crockpot cook it for human consumption for about 12 hours, and some spices, herbs, ACV and then strain that, don’t cook the bones all the way down, correct? Thanks! I am asking because the guy says he isn’t going to do dog food…
        I am trying to show him a difference… 😏

  32. paul says

    Hi!

    Great recipe, but my broth doesn’t seem to thicken or become gelatinous… so somehow there isn’t much collagen being extracted… is there a minimum time for this? (I tend to do minimum of 12 hours).

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Paul, it could be that there weren’t enough gelatinous parts (bones, joints) for the volume of water. We typically cook about 12 hours too.

      • Brianna says

        I used 4 roasted leg/thigh bones (375 for 45 minutes) , 7 cups of water, 2 onions halved with skin on, 7 cloves of garlic skin on, and 2 big carrots I cut lengthwise. Dressed it up with a bit of thyme and rosemary, salt and pepper. Let it cook and reduce for 4 hours, adjusting seasoning as needed. Strained it and put in in the fridge overnight. It gelled nicely and I used it for rice soup with mushrooms and carrots for lunch today! It was fabulous! Full of chicken flavor and well seasoned. Will certainly make again! Thank you for the idea!! Cant wait to try with turkey and beef bones!

        • Kate says

          Wow – I have never had bone broth before but your recipe and glowing recommendations is going to make me try it. I am on a high carb low protein diet and am trying to increase my collagen. Can’t wait to try your broth.

  33. Heather says

    I have a question about the lemon wedges. Why would you include them in the stock? Wouldn’t it result in a bitter flavor because of the pith?

  34. Robin says

    Hi!

    I’m interested in making bone broth specifically for the collagen benefits and plan to replace my morning coffee with it. I’m unclear about the ratio of liquid to amount of bones. If it’s too ‘weak’ it won’t ‘gel’, correct? If you don’t make it ‘strong’ enough, then are you getting the full benefit? How ‘gel-ed’ should the final product be? I imagine the amount of water would be different if using a chicken carcass vs beef marrow bones? Seems like a bit of a science experiment! Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Robin, for more collagen/gel, you can reduce the water. But we find the ratio of 1 chicken carcass to 12 cups water works well and it’s forgiving. We haven’t experimented with beef marrow bones.

  35. Arjun says

    Has anyone here made this recipe to consume while doing an intermittent fast? If so, I hope you can answer this –
    1. Does a cup/bowl of this constitute breaking your fast?
    2. If it does, can a bowl of bone broth substitute a meal if you’re trying to cut calories?
    3. Anyone who has studied this – nutritionally are beef bones better than chicken?

      • Meghan says

        Hi
        I made this exactly as the recipe said except I simmered for a full 24 hours covered. It did not reduce at all. I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong… is it all a waste now? I literally got more fluid out than I put in once I poured into mason jars

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Meghan, is it possible that you used chicken meat and bones? Or veggies with a higher water content? Those are the only things we can think of that would cause the volume to increase. It should still be fine though!

        • Christina says

          I noticed I was having the same problem, half way through (hour 6) I decided to leave the lid of and I noticed it started going down. Hope that helps.

      • Summerj says

        It will break your fast. I wouldn’t suggest you substitute a meal with bone broth as I think you will miss the ritual of sitting & eating. I enjoy as either a morning or afternoon snack.I have with some fruit and or 30g of nuts. I tend to have instead of a cup of tea or coffee as I’d typically want a biscuit with those drinks but one biscuit is never enough & I eat more than intended . I now stick to an adapted keto style way of eating.

    • Bryan says

      Hi there! I use bone broth to help me with my intermittent fasting. I even sip it throughout the day to curb hunger. I use my Instapot the day before. I fill the instapot with beef marrow bones, chicken bones, and a bit of pork neck bones I found at my grocery store. I add half an onion, two carrots, three sticks of celery lightly chopped, some herbs for taste and let it pressure cook for 6 hours (equivalent to 12 normal hours on stovetop) then it’s done. I let it cool then separate the veggies/bones and stick it in the fridge to chill overnight. The next morning the day has separated and I can remove that from the top. What I’m left with is a lovely gelatinous broth I can sip the whole week if I need to. Then I make another batch on Sunday. I find that it replaces meals perfectly.

    • Toni says

      As to the bone broth breaking your fast, it depends on how you define intermittent fasting. If you are “clean” fasting, anything other than water or coffee (black only) can cause a spike in insulin which breaks a clean fast. But there are those who consider intermittent fasting “down days” as being under 500 calorie days! I think we all do it slightly different. So, that’s your call!

    • Anna says

      I will definitely break your fast, but it’s good for loosing weight, as it’s filling and low in calores.

    • Austin says

      Hi Arjun,

      The science on what breaks a fast is a bit loose, a general rule of thumb is if you consume 50 calories or less than your body is minimally processing the food you’ve consumed and the body has generally maintained a fasted state.

      A cup of bone broth is estimated to contain 30-45 calories so this would probably keep you in ketosis/autophagy.

      You may also be interested in bone broth fasts, Dr. Axe has some good material on the bone broth fast on his website.

    • Lynn says

      Straight Bone Broth does not break your intermittent fast according to the latest guru’s on Keto and IF’s. Good luck

  36. Robin says

    Hi! I am about to make bone broth for the first time. I purchased four 1-lb packages of bulk beef sliced marrow bones. There’s 6 bones per pkg. Each bone is 1″ tall x 1.5″ diameter. Do I use one pkg. at a time? Should I roast them first and if so, how? How much broth would one of these packages yield? If I lay them flat in my crockpot do I use just enough water to cover them? That doesn’t seem like it would make very much. Should I add anything for flavor? Thank you in advance! :-)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Robin, I’ve not done this with beef bones but from my understanding you don’t have to cook them first, they can go straight into the pot to make your broth – it sounds like one package would be enough for 1 large pot of bone broth. When I make bone broth it’s usually with the bones from a whole cooked chicken. The benefit there being you get some residual flavor from the seasoned chicken. In your instance I’d add a bay leaf, a healthy pinch salt and pepper, and any veggie scraps you have around (onion or garlic skins, celery ends, carrot tops, etc.). Hope that helps!

    • Summerj says

      Roast the beef bones first in a hot oven for about 20 to 30 mins until they go a golden colour. It adds a better flavour. Use what you can fit in the pot you makijng your bone broth in. Just make sure your bones are just covered with the water I add a bulb of garlic a carrot a onion or a leek and a stick of celery I put some herbs in too. I sometimes use the ends and peelings of trimmed veg instead of throwing away I pop in a zip lock bag & freeze till I need for my bone broth. I think you need to cook beef bones longer than chicken id say 24hrs in a slow cooker

  37. Lynette says

    I believe that bone broth can be nutritious and healthy, but I also agree with some comments. I am 62 and I have steadily seen prices for soup bones creep up higher and higher as more people jump on the band making bone broth wagon for beauty and health benefits, more than simply using all of the animal to feed a family. Also, it must be remembered that long cooking of any thing will reduce vitamins and minerals. So please, don’t jump down somebody’s throat because their knowledge is not the same as yours.

    • David Martin says

      Lynette, you need to take Cooking Class 101A:
      Long hot cooking times can destroy water soluble vitamins [there is very little in bones anyway] but fat soluble vitamins remain pretty stable right up to frying temperatures. Minerals can boil for days and are unaffected. Just as the main benefit of eating meat is to consume protein [vitamins & minerals being secondary] the main reason to consume bone broth is to consume collagen and protein [vitamins and minerals being secondary]. Basically, the longer you cook the bones, the more collagen and protein you extract – unaffected by the heat – just getting more and more concentrated.

      PS: you can go to a Mexican market and buy chicken feet for $1lb. 2lb is plenty for this recipe and they are h̶a̶n̶d̶s̶ claws down the best, most concentrated bones you can use to make broth.

    • Karen Hartvig-Nielsen says

      I go to my local professional butcher’s shop where i can get bones for $1 a pound, as well as liver and heart. A lot of people in my area grow and butcher their own chickens, beef, sheep, etc. but don’t choose to take the offal and bones. It is a well kept secret…………so go find your local meat shop!

    • Debra says

      Lynette, I have a friend who was overly tired all the time. She ended up going to a chiropractor who put her on a diet of beef bone broth. She said it smelled horrible while cooking, and didn’t taste that great. She made herself do this for 1-2 mos (I forget exact time). She healed her gut doing this and ended up feeling better than she had in a very long time. Her energy level was back to normal. It was pretty amazing to witness this – all from simple food. I’ve read that beef bones are higher in minerals than chicken. When I make chicken broth/bone broth, I always add a beef bone . Enriches the flavor and mineral content:).

  38. Misty says

    I have a whole chicken that was cooked 3 days ago. I would normally throw it out after day 3. How is it safe to the cook it again and then eat the broth for 3-5 more days? I want to do this, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea. Maybe only if I was doing it on day 1 of making the chicken.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Misty, we’ve done that without issue. But if it smells off or you are concerned, then we wouldn’t recommend it.

  39. Luna @ Healthy Kitchen 101 says

    I’m new here! I find your broth really attracting and super healthy :) Cannot wait to try <3

    • Mielle Redinger says

      I haven’t made this yet but just wondering if you can cook the broth in two parts and not the full 12 hours in one go???

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hmm, maybe? You could also taste test after 6 hours and see if its flavorful enough for you! Let us know how it goes!

      • Trista Johnson says

        My mom usually makes her broth in multiple stages (because it’s hard to be home for a full twelve hour period). She puts it in the fridge overnight and then resumes simmering the next day.

  40. Amber says

    HI All,

    I make this routinely for my family. But recently my poor puppy has been having so many digestive problems – mainly food allergies. And I have started mking his bone broth and added in some organ meat (for about 1 hr. ) And he is doing much better and LOVES it. Just a heads up to not forget our furry family members

  41. Kateland says

    How many jars of bone broth do you typically make at a time? I am wondering if I should make 2 weeks work of broth or do people usually make just 1 weeks worth at a time?

    Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kateland, it’s really up to how much freezer space you have available. We wouldn’t recommend storing in the fridge for 2 weeks, but 1 week might be okay.

      • Ann says

        I usually pressure jar my broth once it’s cooked and I’ve cooled it to skim off the fat. Does processing and storing the bone broth diminish it’s nutritional values at all?

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Ann, we’re not certain on that one. Canning reduces some nutrients, but we don’t think it has much impact on minerals, which is what bone broth is rich in.

      • Gillian says

        Do you use the scrap bones off of plates? When we roast a chicken, the thighs and legs make their way onto plates and, ultimately, into kids hands and mouths. I’m planning on making bone broth in an instant pot and imagine the high temperatures will make this a non issue but thought I’d ask the question anyway.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

          When we make bone broth I throw in all the bones I can salvage, even ones off people’s plates as long as they haven’t been overly handled :D

  42. Kitty says

    I realize that you can use new or left-over chicken bones but at least one of the comments on making this stock, was that they roasted the left-over bones which they claimed made the soup even richer tasting.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We haven’t tried it that way so aren’t sure what time/temp to recommend. Let us know if you do some experimenting!

      • Melissa Carlson says

        I always roast my bones! The fat stays in the roasting pan, and can be added to the broth or not. The broth comes out milky instead of clear and definitely tastes …richer, better, …good!

      • Missy says

        First timer. I tried the recipe with leftover carcasses from chicken I was using to make dog food. I used the crock pot…and the water did not go down, I actually had more than I started with. After reading some of the reviews…I’m thinking it’s because I put all of them in the same pot maybe? I had 3. My intent was to use the bones for my pup as recommended but they did not soften as much as expected. It was kind of a half and half thing. Some did and some didn’t. The broth turned out great, so no complaints. Just not sure what I did wrong with the bones. Maybe didn’t cook it long enough?

    • Drea says

      I did and it looked like the wet cat food I have been feeding my 6 kitties but of course smells much better…I gave them some and they loved it! The chicken bones if cooked down enough will turn into a powdery paste and it’s all the meat, skin, fat and whatever else was in that chicken and if it’s okay for your pets to eat any of those things NO ONIONS then it should be okay. My cats loved it! Took to it immediately. Probably think its my food because that is what it was…it looks like pate’ and I am even tempted to eat some but my dogs enjoyed it though they will eat anything LOL…but the cats are picky and so far I think they like it and I love that I don’t have to waste any part of the chicken which losts its life to feed me and my family so why not use every bit of it in some way. If my indoor kitties don’t eat it I have a bunch of outside minions who I am sure would love this stuff.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      You don’t need to roast the bones themselves before making the stock. They’re either bought fresh from a butcher, or – as we suggest – just have them leftover from a whole roasted chicken. Recipe found here.

  43. D says

    So I added garlic onion poultry seasoning parsley and used frozen dark meat turkey( legs, wings) chicken wings that were over freezered fresh cracked pepper. And a ham bone…some seasonall and will strain all then add veg and keep the meat to make a yummy soup. Will Save some strained broth for yuminess too. Smells amazing while cooking. Added the 2 tbsp of cider vinegar. Thank you for the tip!! It’s all delicious!!

  44. Mark Cook says

    I have made this for years and didn’t know about the health benefits until recently. My grandmother made broth/stock this way. Sometimes I freeze the bones if I don’t have time to make it at that moment. I eat a lot of raw vegetables and when I cut them up to eat or cook I save all the ends and scraps instead of throwing them out. I keep a large ziplock bag in the freezer and just add to it when I cut vegetables up. When I get enough and have time I make vegetable stock or add it to the bones and make bone/veggie broth and keep it in the freezer and add it to almost everything I cook for flavor. Not to mention homemade soups. My friends call me the leftover king. They laugh because I never know what I am cooking till it’s finished. Lol

  45. Aaron Davis says

    Pro tip: add some dried shiitake mushrooms to your bone broth, the resulting flavor is incredible and you’ll get the medicinal properties as well.

  46. Paige says

    Hi! I’m excited to make this later this week. I’m planning on roasting some carrots and onions with my chicken. Would it be okay to add these cooked veggies to the stock?

  47. A. Elizabeth says

    I know I’m being persnickety here, but all “Bone Broth” is, is condensed stock, and actually DOES NOT have all the benefit you’re touting – I’ve spoke to several dieticians about it and they say it’s a just a pointless trend. I realize you’re making it from leftover chicken bone, but the trend as a whole is driving the price of what were once know as “soup bones” (once affordable for the poor who actually needed them to make a decent soup) through the roof. You should be ashamed to be contributing the malnourishment of the most vulnerable members of society.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for the feedback. On the contrary, we see bone broth as a highly economical way to make use of chicken bones you already have on hand after roasting a whole chicken (which, by the way, is the most economical way to buy and cook poultry in our opinion). You could also talk to just as many (if not more) dietitians and health experts who would fall on the other side of the coin on this issue and would agree that bone broth can be extremely medicinal as it’s especially rich in highly digestible amino acids and other minerals, which is especially helpful for those with compromised gut health.

      • Sheila Brown says

        At the farmers market yesterday the organic butcher gifted me six pounds of chicken carcass which I browned then roasted today and it is slow cooking on my stove. God bless him but when I purchase, to me the price of soup bones has not increased ,

        • Francanero98 says

          I would disagree Sheila! The price of soup bones has gone up drastically. Ox tails were .49 cents a pound when I was growing up , now it’s considered trendy to eat oxtails.

      • miriam gomez says

        It is not true that bone broth has no nutritional value. Besides nutrients and aminoacids, the amount of collagen you get from a bone broth (if well cooked) you cannot get it from somewhere else. Collagen is a protein that provides structure to much of your body, including bones, skin, tendons, and ligaments. And guess what, one cup of bone broth per day and you will slow down the wrinkiling of your face. I prefer beef bone broth with a couple of chicken feet.
        Do not miss this opportunity for healthy bones and skin.

    • Marie says

      Bone broth is something that I grew up consuming. My grandma made it all the time from any and all left over bones. We were the poor people you mentioned. However the bones were more than just to make a decent soup. Bone broth is not something new or a trend. What do you think a stock is? For some reason you felt you were adding to the site by posting an ignorant comment because you are upset that the price of soup bones when up? Or maybe because an under educated dietitian friend of yours formulated and ill informed opinion. Either way you are wrong. It is healthy and always has been.

      • Francanero98 says

        I love any kind of soup. I was always on a budget and I do believe the dietician is incorrect any kind of bone broth/ stock can have great nutritional value as well as being filling and delicious!

    • Ashley says

      Loved this recipe! Reminds me a bit of the broths my Korean mother and grandmother used to make from ox tail bones. Persnickety A. Elizabeth has no idea what they’re talking about – I think it’s great that you included a simple, old school recipe like this and that you’re encouraging people to use their carcasses instead of just throw them out. That’s how poor folks came up with these recipes in the first place! ?

  48. Taylor says

    Very easy and smells delicious! Next time, I will not be including the lemon… the lemon is really all I can taste. Will also be throwing in some onions/garlic. Also, tried this in a slow-cooker per the comments here but it came out very watery. Ended up transferring it to a pot after 12 hours and reducing it on the stove for 3 hours. Will be making the kale white bean soup tonight!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Strange the lemon was so overpowering. Perhaps yours was quite potent. Thanks for sharing your experience!

    • Lynn Wilson says

      I just made my first ever batch and I did it in the slow cooker. I simmered it on low for 12 hours, removed the bones and meat pieces, then turned the crock up to high for 2 hours without the lid. Gelled up perfectly when cooked after straining. Best stock I’ve ever tasted, let alone made. I didn’t read this before making mine and think the vinegar would have offset some of the richness. Just used garlic pepper, a small amount of salt and some onion powder. The carcass was our Thanksgiving turkey

  49. Kaila Cramer says

    Hi. I’ve been making my mother’s chicken soup recipe for years…then I strain out the dill, carrots, parsnips, onion, celery and the chicken parts. I now put in apple cider vinegar at the start, for maximum benefit.

    Question: Your directions say to cover the pot and simmer until the liquid has reduced in volume. But if the lid is on, how can the broth decrease ? Have I missed something?

  50. Sar says

    Working full time made me unable to cook anything for this length of time! I was raised on bone broths. My mother taught us to use a pressure cooker for several reasons – the time savings is immense saving gas or electric at the same time…the steam leaches vitamins and minerals, too. It is simply not safe to leave an unattended pot on the stove in a home with several small children. Let’s prevent any safety issues we can! If the water level decreases faster and you burn the liquid out you may have a messy clean up job – as well as a potential fire. All in all a pressure cooker or an insta-pot are a better option and you may gain more health benefits by using one!

  51. Elaine Stecker says

    I think Adelle Davis years ago said that putting some vinegar in the broth helped dissolve much more calcium from the bones.

    • Cheri Perazzoli says

      I discovered Adele Davis books shortly after I graduated from University in the late ’70’s. Loved the Adele Davis methodology of eating well to live well. That’s when I first learned the techniques and discovered the benefits of making stock. Yes, Adele suggested vinegar as well as vegetable scrap saving. A freezer full of good flavored stock is worth it’s weight in gold; it’s so easy to put a delicious meal on the table with minimum effort. Thrilled to see this tasty and timeless tradition making it’s way though the modern cook’s kitchens. Thanks Dana for posting.

  52. Sarah says

    Hi there!
    I froze the chicken bones to make bone broth. Would you recommend thawing the carcass first or can I just throw it in frozen and start the process? Thanks!

  53. Debbie says

    Hi, this is wonderful! I can’t find no antibiotics ever chicken feet near me and wondered if I could make this using chicken legs? Thank you in advance.

  54. Tanner Armstrong says

    If your main drawback is the time investment, a pressure cooker or instant pot DRASTICALLY reduces the required cook time for bone broth. A slow cooker will eventually get there, but it’s way slower because it can’t get to temperatures above the normal boiling point.

  55. Don Hedderig says

    My daughter says that Jello contains collagen sources from equine sources. The packages list collagen but dont give a measurement or source. As an “oldster” jello aspic and jello ring salads were quite common back in the day. Rarely seem em nowadays. Any ideas on amount of content or source?

      • Rosemarie Sandvik says

        Thanks for incredible Bone Broth. Made two lot of bone broth one contain into the freezer leftover prepared delicious soup to my grandkids it became kids favourite soup.
        Thanks again
        Rosemarie.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Thanks so much for the lovely review, Rosemarie. We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  56. Sheri Noll says

    Wouldn’t you want to use antibiotic free and grass fed, clean, ect meat prior to cooking these bones for bone broth?

  57. Emily says

    Is it okay if there is still some meat left on the bone of the chicken when you add in the carcass? Or should it be as meatless as possible?

  58. Mette says

    Hi! Is it ok to cook this in several steps? Like 6 hours one night, cool it and put it in fridge and then 6 hours the next day?
    Thanks!

  59. Martha S. says

    Super easy recipe and tastes great! I used the bones, tendons and skin from a roasted chicken I bought at Safeway. Added some herbs, onion and garlic. The only downside to making this is it takes so long, so you have to make sure you have no real plans for the day. Might try using my slow cooker next time. I’m excited to try making the vegetable broth next!

  60. Julia Mueller says

    Delicious! I roasted the bones a second time, without the chicken of course, prior to boiling them for a more intense flavor! I added onion and garlic! I’ve used celery, carrot too. I knew I was using this stock for soup so got a head start on flavoring.
    It beats any plain broth and so inexpensive compared to what is available on the grocery shelf. Plus you KNOW what’s in it for certain.
    I swear you can even feel the difference while eating this nutritionally! Maybe it’s just me I’m really in tune with what my body needs.
    Thanks for sharing!

    • Julia Mueller says

      Forgot to say I began cooking bones on high in my pretty hot slow cooker for an hour. I then turned it down to simmer/low for 12. Perfect.

  61. Jeannie Williams says

    Looks like the bones were roasted in the oven before the soup was made, is that what was done? Looks delicious. I Love making my own broth.. its so fast in the instapot.. and also so yummy I tend to add fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to enhance the flavor.. its so satifying in the tummy.. thanks for sharing.

    jeannie W.

  62. Danni says

    Hi Dana! I’m going to try this in a slow cooker and also add some chicken breast so I can use everything in a soup. Do I add the chicken breast at the start or should I add it much later in the cooking process?
    Can’t wait to see how this turns out, it’s my first time making broth!

  63. Kat says

    It seems a lot of people cut the skin off the chickens and just toss it, but it can be saved and added to stock too. (Before or after roasting. Though, it adds the most flavor if roasted first.)
    I am not one of them. Roasted skin is yummy. ;)

    • Luna says

      Sadly, the skin can’t go into the bone broth because it goes into my belly first. The roasted skin from her roast chicken recipe is too good to go uneaten.

  64. Sam says

    Can I do this in a slow cooker overnight on low ? Instead of it being on the stove for so long?

    Looks great defo wanna give it a go –
    Ps I love your insta page !!!

    Xoxo

      • Luna says

        I’ve had it in the slow cooker for 12 hours and it hasn’t really reduced much. Should I leave it Til it’s reduced further? I used 11 cups of water and I’m thinking maybe I should have used less. Should I have “just covered” the bones with water?

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Luna, we would recommend taste testing and seeing if it is flavorful enough. It might still work, but perhaps use less water next time as it sounds like less evaporates in a slow cooker?

        • David Martin says

          Just remove the lid and cook on high until you reach the concentration you want. You’ll just get more of what you want: collagen, protein and minerals: they’re not destroyed by boiling – only the already tiny amounts of water soluble vitamins are.

    • David Martin says

      @ Minimalist Baker,
      I had to correct poster Lynette as she is misinformed and I don’t want her misleading other readers.

      And Yes! By all means Chicken Feet!:
      * Cheap – “cheep,cheep”
      $1lb at Mexican markets
      * The most collagen & protein per pound
      * Boil 3-5 minutes to remove impurities
      * Snip off toenails
      * Smash feet with a mallet
      Put in crockpot with purified water