Joyful Oiling Mama

Making bone broth is something I’ve been doing for years + I feel like it’s just become a normal part of our rhythm. I hope you enjoy the recipe + all the benefits this nutrient dense food brings.

Here’s a few reasons why making your own bone broth is so amazing:

Cost– if you consider the fact that you are using materials leftover from a previous meal, the cost is extremely minimal. To buy a quality bone broth at the store you’re going to be paying around $2.60/cup. I get about 13 cups of broth when I make it myself using ingredients I already had in the fridge, that’s a savings of over $30! 

Quality Ingredients– when I make it at home, I have absolute control over what goes in + let’s face it, nothing compares to homemade goodness.

Easy Storage– I’ve come across quite a few recipes in my meal rotations that use broth, so having boxes of broth stocked up in my pantry was a staple. When I finally realized that I could make my own broth + store it in the freezer in 1 cup portions it was an easy switch.

It’s So Good For You– the benefits of bone broth are amazing…like supporting joints, digestion, connective tissue, liver detox, your immune system + has tons of amino acids. There’s a reason grandma made chicken soup when someone was sick + why it’s a beloved comfort food! In fact, when my husband + I are sick we will heat up a cup of broth + drink it right out of a mug, like tea…+ in times like that, I’m so glad we have our freezer stocked.

So how do you actually make it?

Chop up veggies/herbs of choice, no need to dice into small pieces. Note that in this picture I have onions, garlic, celery + carrots…I used these because I had them on hand from making soup the day before, of course the extra veggies or spices will give it more flavor, but I’ve made broth without them too…the main thing you need is bones (typically I use chicken), water + apple cider vinegar (with the mother…I love Braggs) the ACV helps breakdown the nutrients in bones.

I use an instant pot, but you can also use a crockpot or stovetop, I have just found this method to be the easiest + tastiest. I can’t recommend enough getting one of these little basket inserts! Makes clean up sooo much easier! Just pull the basket out with all the bones + veggies + toss. No need to strain stuff out of your broth.

Put your bones, 1-2 TBS apple cider vinegar, veggies + herbs of choice into your basket insert + cover with water (I usually don’t add salt, since I added salt to the meal where I got the bones, but you can definitely add some if desired) 

Turn on the instant pot to cook for 200 minutes (about 3 hours). A little tip, start pushing the down button on your time, it will jump you up to 240 min then you can go down, way quicker that counting up! 

Let it slow release + cool before putting in your containers…it’s best to start it in the morning, so you have plenty of time to get it stored, since it is a long process. 

Storing it in 1 cup potions in the freezer makes it so easy to grab for recipes. To get the broth out of the pot, I use a turkey baster. My favorite way to freeze the broth in these 1 cup souper cubes…or you can measure out one cup + pour in snack sized baggies (freeze them lying flat on a cookie tray for easier storage). Once frozen I transfer blocks or baggies to a large Ziplock bag (seen below)

What do I use broth for?

So many recipes call for broth, but beyond recipe ingredients, I like to use broth instead of water in things like rice or quinoa, as bases for soup, in the bottom of a roasting pan, or in a mug as a nice comforting drink, especially when I don’t feel great. Really, any savory meal where you would add water, you can add broth instead, get creative + enjoy.

How do you use broth? Let me know in the comments! Save this recipe + share with a friend! xo- Kristine