Instant Pot bone broth is a snap to make!
What’s an Instant Pot, you may ask? It’s an electronic pressure cooker that’s been gaining popularity lately.
(Don’t have an Instant Pot? No worries. Get my tutorial for making the best bone broth on the stove top or in a slow cooker.)
Why You Should Use An Instant Pot to Make Bone Broth
It cooks with the speed of a stove top pressure cooker but like a slow cooker, produces meats and stews that are tender…plus a ton more.
I’m the first to admit: I was really skeptical about the Instant Pot and resisted getting one for a really long time.
I had a lot of loyalty to my programmable slow cooker, and my stove top Fagor pressure cooker did the job just fine (though, when making broth the whole neighborhood ended up smelling a little funky).
Turns out, since I got my Instant Pot back in February – for a ridiculous sale price may I add – I haven’t used my slow cooker or other pressure cooker once. So yeah, I drank the Instant Pot Kool-Aid, and I like it.
How Often I Make Instant Pot Bone Broth
I end up making a batch of bone broth about once a week, and the Instant Pot cuts down on the cooking time but still gives a gelatin-rich broth.
Sometimes on Instagram, I post pictures of my bone broth / soup stock in action, and I always get tons of questions about how I make my liquid gold.
I decided to finally write it all up and make a short tutorial video so you can see how to make Instant Pot bone broth for yourself.
Watch the cooking video for my Instant Pot Bone Broth
Is Broth Good For You?
Bone broth a great source of gelatin and a traditional food that forms the base of cooking in many cultures. The gelatin in bone broth is widely revered for helping soothe the gut and joints as well a build stronger hair and nails.
Also, bone broth – which is very similar to soup stock – is a traditional food and even contains some trace elements. It’s economical (good for your wallet) and is a way to honor the whole animal.
How I Make My Instant Pot Bone Broth
Making bone broth in the Instant Pot is a bit like dressing Mr. Potato Head. (Don’t worry, he’s paleo now, too.)
You’ve got a base with bones, water, and an acid. The acid – something like apple cider vinegar or lemon juice – helps break down the bones a bit faster.
How you dress it up with veggies, spices, and other aromatics is totally up to you, though. I typically add a bay leaf, whole black peppercorns, and the ends I’ve trimmed off carrots and onions.
Don’t take this as a “Steph said these are the only ingredients that can go into your bone broth” tutorial. Rather, consider it a jumping off point to explore other ingredients.
Do You Have to Roast the Bones?
Whether you use raw or roasted bones is totally up to you. I happen to prefer roasted bones over raw because the final bone broth flavor is richer and more complex. It just tastes better to me.
I save bones from whole roasted chickens and chicken thighs in a bag in my freezer. When I have enough, I’ll make a batch of bone broth.
Sometimes, I’ll troll the market for turkey or chicken backs or necks or chicken feet. Just roast them off in a 425°F oven until golden brown, then toss in the Instant Pot.
What Veggies I Put In Instant Pot Bone Broth
The aromatics can be anything from onion, green onion, and carrot to mushrooms and celery. I save trimmings like onion bottoms in a bag in my freezer, too. When I’m ready to make a fresh batch of bone broth, I reach into the freezer, pull out the chicken bones and veggies, throw it in the pot and go.
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with some other aromatics and spices to make a pretty tasty chicken pho broth, so stay tuned for that.
Instant Pot Bone Broth (Paleo, Gluten-Free)
Learn how to make Instant Pot bone broth! In just two hours, you’ll have a nourishing batch of soup stock with these simple steps. Bone broth is good for you, rich in protein, and a money-saving way to use vegetable trimmings and chicken bones.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken bones (from two chickens)
- 2 cups carrots chopped, about 2 cups, or celery or onion
- 2 bay leaves
- 20 whole black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fish sauce optional
- Water
Instructions
- Place the chicken bones, veggie trimmings, bay leaves, peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, and fish sauce (optional) into the Instant Pot insert.
- Fill to one inch below the max line with fresh cold water.
- Place the insert into the Instant Pot, put the lid on, and close the release valve.
- Set to Soup, then manually change the time to at least 90 minutes. (I go to the max time: 119 minutes).
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- Remove the insert and let the broth cool enough until it’s safe to handle.
- At this point, I strain it, bottle it up into quart-sized Mason jars, then refrigerate it.
Recipe Notes
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, see my stovetop / crock pot bone broth method.
You can freeze this Instant Pot Bone Broth. I recommend doing that in silicone ice cube trays. (This is the one I have.)
Are you on team crock pot or team Instant Pot when it comes to making bone broth? Tell me in the comments.
Pin this Instant Pot Bone Broth for later!
76 Responses
Hmmm, the question I posted earlier seems to have disappeared. It was: Will that length of time in the Instant Pot also be long enough for beef broth? (sorry if everyone else can see my 1st post!)
Hi Brenda…all comments are held in moderation until approved which is why yours seemed to disappear.
It should be enough time, yes. Beef broth is tough to get right because you need to ensure a good mixture of long bones and cartilagenous bones like knuckles or oxtail.
Thanks! Just got some fresh bones from my butcher.
Sweet!! Super glad to hear that, Brenda!
Hi Steph
Does your broth get gelatinous in the Instant Pot under pressure at that length of time? I just bought an Instant Pot and bone broth will be attempted soon. When I tried the stove top pressure cooker I could only get it slightly gelatinous vs when I slow cook for 24+ hours it and it gets really thick.
I’ve had gelatinous broth in the Instant Pot, yes. You can help that along by adding something like chicken feet or beef knuckle bones. If you have a hard time getting it to gel in the Instant Pot you may not have enough bones to the ratio of water you’re using. Broth that doesn’t gel is still loaded with good stuff so gelling or not shouldn’t be the be all, end all 🙂
can you freeze it to preserve for later dates?
Absolutely!
Hi Steph, why do you roast the chicken backs/feet/necks prior to throwing them in the instant pot? I use those ingredients in every batch but have never thought of roasting them. Thanks 🙂
The flavor of the broth tastes richer when you roast the chicken backs/feet/etc.
Besides soup, how do you use your bone broth?
Sometimes I drink it out of a mug. I use it to heat up my leftovers (gives some moisture). I make soup on the fly. I cook rice with it.
So, you eat rice?
Yep, sometimes. I’ve been on this journey for almost 8 years and I’ve figured out what works for my body. It’s not my preferred way to get carbs but every once in a while I know it’s not going to kill me.
I put chicken bone broth on my dogs food daily.
How long you think it would you keep in the mason jars in the refrigerator? I’ll freeze some, but also wondered how long it might be ok in the fridge. thanks!
I usually keep mine for 7 days.
The fat that comes to the top seals the soup so no rush to use it if you leave the fat on top. Remove it when heating it up if you wish. No growth of bacteria under the fat if chilled.
Very true, Irene. I should have mentioned that. Most food safety recommendations (which I don’t always agree with) would say 3 days…ultimately if someone is immune compromised or something, it’s up to them to figure out what a comfortable window is.
What about skimming stuff off the top (I think when you start with beef bones that are raw ) ? At what point do you do that ?
I usually only make chicken broth in the instant pot. I’ve never heard of people skimming when using a pressure cooker, so I’m sorry I can’t be of much help.
I skim the fat of the top of the broth and throw it out. I get lots of fat and sure don’t want to use that.
Don’t skim all the fat off until after you’ve bottled it. It creates a natural seal that keeps your broth fresher for longer. When you refrigerate the broth it floats to the top. Each time you open a new jar, simply break the solidified fat up with the spoon and throw it out.
Hi Steph,
I tried the IP method and used remains from a whole chicken. I find that at the end of the cooking time, the bones are soft but still intact and the brown stuff inside is still inside the bones,is that the collagen/gelatin that has to come outside into the broth from the bones? How would the bones look like at the end of the process? do they mush up and the contents comeout side or is what I got ‘ the broth’?
Thanks for the help
The brown stuff inside the bones is marrow, a fatty substance. It’s not the same as collagen/gelatin. I’m not sure why the chicken bones aren’t crumbling but generally the wouldn’t unless it was the second or third time you used them.
Question: I normally only buy organic meat. How hard is it to find organic chicken feet without actually going to a butcher? I know that I can get non-organic in the grocery store. Sometimes, I feel like I shop at 10 different stores, and I’m only feeding myself!
I would probably look at an online source instead like Primal Pastures.
HI < i was doing this and I set it to manual, and my instapot seemed to be able to go WAY past 119. Is there any harm in that? Extending the cook time into the 200+ ?
I don’t really know, Christa. I would ask the manufacturer.
Can i use the leftover juices from a whole chicken I cooked in the instant pot instead of water? What else can I do with the juices?
Hey Desiree…do you mean when you cook a whole chicken in the IP, you get a broth that naturally forms at the bottom of the pot?
If so, then yes, you can cook things in broth instead of water. It lends a better flavor. Lots of people wet sauté veggies in broth, cook rice or potatoes in broth, etc. Of course, you can use it to make homemade soup or just drink it in a mug like you would hot tea.
I cooked a small chicken and also have some frozen chicken wing tips from an organic farm, after cooking my chicken with carrots, beets, onions etc…, I left the juice left over from cooking in the pot and added the bones from the chicken with the frozen wing tips with some turmeric, ginger and oregano with a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and enough water to more or less cover and set that to go for 100 minutes on the manual high pressure setting… if the bones aren’t soft enough after that, I can always go again, or let it sit on the warming setting overnight.. I believe it will stay warm for 8 hours… it should work well enough for me
I have been making chicken soup for years on the stovetop and I always need to skim it before I let it simmer on the stove for the 2-3 hours. I use raw chicken pieces or a whole chicken cut up; how do I do that in the instant pot?
In the recipe, I recommend you roast the chicken first for better broth flavor. You can roast it whole or cut it up. The only reason to skim a broth during cooking is to keep it crystal clear which is only really aesthetic. The instant pot results in cloudy broth. If you wish to not have cloudy broth, don’t use the Instant Pot.
I have made this bone broth using this recipe on one occasion with turkey bomes, the other with lamb bones. Both times the broth was slightly bitter.
The bones were cooked (from when the lamb joint and turkey were cooked in the oven), but nit roasted after the meat had been removed. Would roating the bones take away the bitter taste, or do I need to add some other ingredient or do something different?
Hmmmmm bitter…can’t say I’ve ever experienced that. Sorry…wish I could help more. Try roasting the bones next time and see what happens?
Thank you, I will try roasting them next time.
Hi Helen, I had the same issue and I thought it was an issue with the bones, but, it turned out that the bitterness was with either onion skin or garlic skin that can make bone broth bitter. Now I make sure there’s no skin, and the bitterness is gone!
That’s interesting Jenny! I usually use onions skins and haven’t noticed the same problem. Wonder if it’s the garlic.
I’ve only had “bitter” when using fish bones, where you have to be careful not to let the stock simmer too long (Joy of Cooking says 30 minutes, on the stovetop, not under pressure). I wonder, though, if you could get bitter stock by cooking way too long? I’ve got venison bones and connective tissue in my new instant pot at present… when that’s done and strained, I’ll add the meat (pot-roast type cuts from the leg), potatoes, onions, etc. and pressure cook again. Should work, I think!
I’ve never had bitter broth after 2 hours and I’ve made dozens of batches in the pressure cooker :/ If you go too long on the stovetop with herbs/veggies, that is what causes the bitterness. Let me know how yours turns out!
Hey Jill! How did the venison turn out!? I live in rural Louisiana and have access to plenty wild venison and have been contemplating using deer instead of beef. What did you add with the bones? How long, etc?
I have a food intolerance to yeast so SADLY no Apple Cider Vinegar for me during an elimination diet I’m doing. I see you said I could use lemon juice instead, is it a one to one swap with the ACV in your recipe? Thanks!
Any kind of acid that works for you, Michelle. I haven’t tested ratios so you’re going to have to experiment 😉
Thanks for your recipe and comments. I have been making bone broth and stock for years in cast iron on the stove top, cooking for long periods of time to attain the lovely gelatinous broth. Encouraged by your post and using my new Instant Pot, (yes, I was intimidated at first, but am loving the few things I have tried, including roasted squash soup!) today I am making chicken stock with bones and veggies all from the freezer. I plan to make a loaded baked potato soup later with the stock. Will let you know how it goes. God bless.
Good to hear that Sandi. Thank you!
I made this recipe, but my beef broth is really watery. What do you think went wrong. I even bought chicken feet and put two in. Help!
Beef bones have very very little flavor. You’d need to add bones with a bit of meat on them to get more flavor…something like beef knuckles. You need more than two chicken feet 😉
If I cook a whole chicken in the instapot. Do I then clean the meat roast the bones in the oven and then make my broth.
If the chicken is already cooked, that’s usually as far as I’ll take it in the interest of time. If the chicken parts (ex: back, necks) are raw I’ll usually roast them first. It’s up to you.
OK, this may sound like a stupid question… but what do I do with the broth once I have it in the jars?
I suspect I can use it as a base for cooking a vegetable soup or a chicken soup? But what else can I use this broth for? I ask as I wish to try and get the health benefits of this in my diet. Do you have articles on using the bone broth.
Thanks
Cook with it or drink it straight up. Use it in place of water in many recipes.
Drink it. Anytime I stew a chicken (with onion and celery) I have a bit of trouble keeping back enough broth to cook rice. If the weather is chilly – heat up a jar and sip it down. If you have the sniffles – heat up a jar and sip it down. If your savory oatmeal needs a flavor boost – add a jar instead of water. So many uses – so few jars.
Awesome recipe! I’ve been making bone broth for well over 10 years (2-3 days on the stove!), but I’m really excited to use the Instant Pot…just got mine last week and it really is life changing…can’t wait for full bone broth in just over 2 hours total!
Thanks for the tips; you ARE appreciated!
Oh and btw what I’ve done with it once it’s done (I usually do a couple gallons at a time), is freeze individually in quart-size freezer bags. Then it’s measured out for recipes and I can just defrost at will. It freezes super well. Minimal to no nutrition loss, and tastes exactly like fresh.
Awesome!
I use my pressure cooker. No room for another thing in my kitchen. As for broth, I put it in a tall gallon container. next day I skim the top of fat and then pour into ice cube trays. I pop them into quart plastic baggies when they are solid to add to stovetop dishes, to make a cuppa, and serve a little boost juice to my dog’s bowl. The best. Oh, and I usually add some kombu for mineral enrichment, among the panoply of delish add-ins, some this time, some another time.
Awesome! I think you’ll be very pleased!
Do i use just the bone and carcus.? If If I put chicken legs, thighs.. etc do I remove the chicken from the bones while cooking? Sorry first timer and I’m confused.
I use bones from a chicken that has had most or all of the meat removed. If there is a little meat still attached, that’s fine. You don’t need to remove it.
I read all the ways to make broth. I use beef bones, uncooked chicken legs or thighs and sometimes just chicken bones from chicken we have eaten. I use the veges you do, cover 2″ above bones with water and pressure cook on stove top on 10# for four hours. It gells and tastes good. Does this sound like I am getting the nutrition I should be getting from broth?
I have no way of knowing what the exact nutritional content of the broth would be. It doesn’t sound out of the ordinary to me.
Steph!!! You’ve done it again. Just got an instant pot and made my first chicken followed by my best batch of broth ever!! Yah!! Thanks lady for sharing all your good work. ❤️????
Well done you for getting that Instant Pot working right away! Enjoy 🙂
Hi Steph,
Making chicken broth for the first time. I’ve read a recipe to put the IP on low pressure for 120 minutes. Here you say to use high pressure. Confused.
Thanks,
Julie
Julie, I use manual most of the time. It doesn’t really matter.
How much of the bones are left?
Recently smoked a turkey and after carving it I put the carcass in the IP with chicken broth and seasonings. Cooked on Manual High for 120 min and depressurized naturally. The bones are generally intact. Should the bones dissolve?
No the bones will not and generally should not dissolve after that length of time in a pressure cooker.
what do you do with all the strained veggies?
Discard
Can you use Pigs trotters?
Yes!
Thanks for the recipie. I am gonna buy an instapot but don’t know which size. I plan to make bone broth, but it is only for myself….no family…what size would you recommend?
Thanks!
Melanie
Hi Melanie…we have the 6-in-1 (which I think may be phased out) and it’s 6 quarts. If it’s just you, I don’t think you need to upgrade to the 8qt but that’s just me.
This is wonderful to come across! Bone broth is such a helpful thing to have on hand, especially as we head into chillier months. Power packed with good nutrients. Great to know this can be an Instant Pot recipe. Thanks for sharing.
I ñove all your recipes thanks for sharing