Fall is time for soup and you can’t have soup without some bone broth. This Instant Pot bone broth is so simple to make that anybody can do it. It’s healthy, homemade, and a great way to make use of kitchen scraps.

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You Can Make Bone Broth?

The journey towards a homesteading lifestyle is long and requires a lot of learning. I knew that I could make use of vegetable scraps by composting, but I had no idea what to do with animal scraps. As cooler weather arrived, I had an epiphany in the grocery store. As I was standing in the broth aisle, it dawned on me that I could make it instead. Not only could I make it, but mine would be healthier than anything I could buy at the store. So I did what any young wife would do, I looked up Instant Pot bone broth on Pinterest.

I read several recipes and then did my own thing with what I had. You see, the recipes were too specific for me. I needed something simple: No measuring. No specific ingredients. I just wanted to use what scraps I was creating by cooking. So I started saving onion skins and scraps, carrots getting ready to go bad, and the bones from any meat we cooked. Soon I had acquired a gallon ziplock of potential deliciousness.

There are huge differences between home bone broth in the Instant Pot and the store bought stuff that comes in a box. One big one is the consistency. Store bought broth is a liquid. Homemade Instant Pot bone broth is much thicker, more like gelatin. Store bought broth is much saltier than homemade as well. I like being able to control what kind of salt goes into my food. That’s a rant for another post.

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Health Benefits of Instant Pot Bone Broth

Growing up, I was always told that I needed to eat something brothy when I was sick. Chicken noodle soup was a standard sick food around the house. Although I thought it was all nonsense as a kid, now I understand why broth was such an important sick food. In fact, now I enjoy it when I’m healthy too.

Amino Acids, Vitamins, & MInerals : When the bones and cartilage are boiled the collagen is broken down. This releases amino acids that are good for you. The most prevalent of which is gelatine. The bones also release calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and trace minerals.
Promotes Digestion: The gelatine and other amino acids help the food move through your intestines. They team up with the water in the foods to get things moving.
Immune Support: Much of our immune system is in our gut. The amino acids can protect against leaky gut, which means the bad stuff keeps on going towards the exit instead of back into your body. Plus the amino acids give your body what it needs to keep you healthy.
Young & Skinny: Although the collagen breaks down into amino acids when cooked, the amino acids help the body produce collagen when consumed. Which means the fountain of youth should be spewing bone broth. It has also been shown to help with weight loss
Feel Young: The collagen from chicken bones not only keeps you looking young, but it also makes you feel it too. It can help with osteoarthritis pain and stiffness and other orthopedic injuries.
Sleep Better & Think Better : Glycine is another amino acid found in bone broth. Glycine promotes a good night’s sleep. It helps the body lower its temperature in preparation for sleep and regulate its internal clock. Possibly why I always fall asleep after eating my favorite soups. It has also been shown to help memory and mental functioning. When you’re not asleep after eating it of course.

Bone Broth Instant Pot Recipe

Ingredients

Animal bones (chicken, beef, or pork)

Vegetable scraps (celery, carrots, onions, onion skins)

Water (I prefer Berkey water)

Apple Cider Vinegar

Instructions

Put a chicken carcass or two in the Instant Pot. I always use chicken, but will toss in some other types of bones if I have them.
Then toss in the vegetable scraps.
I cover everything with water and put in two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Only use enough water to cover the scraps. Too much water and it won’t gel properly. The vinegar will help break down the bones.
Set the Instant Pot high pressure for 4 hours. I usually run the cycle twice. You will know when it’s ready because it will start to gel and the fat will rise to the top.
Strain the broth and store in the fridge or freezer.

Storing Instant Pot Bone Broth

I like to store my bone broth in the freezer. First, I pour the strained broth into a muffin tin. Then I put the tray into the freezer overnight. The next morning, I pop the broth cups out and put them all in a ziplock bag. Then the bag goes back into the freezer. Whenever I need broth, I heat up some broth pucks.

Another option would be to keep it in the fridge. Obviously, it does not stay fresh as long. If I know that I’m making something like Chicken Tortellini Soup within the week, I’ll store it in half gallon mason jars in the fridge.