Are you sick of making bland bone broth? Learn secrets and tips you can use today to easily make the best instant pot beef bone broth recipe using real bones. Your broth will be thicker than a bowl of oatmeal or I'll personally walk you through how to make it.
Before we get started, there are two things you should know.
The first is that I've made over 250,000 L of bone broth in the last ten years. I learn by doing things. And I've learned to perfect this recipe. You can do the same.
The second is that my company makes and sells bone broth to people like you. If you are ever sick and tired of making it yourself, we are here to support you with a delicious chicken bone broth powder made using pasture raised bones the way you would at home.
It has 12 g protein per serving with no fat or carbs. Great if you're busy or travelling. With at out of the way let's get started.
Click HERE to jump straight to the recipe.
Why is bone broth good for you?
Bone broth is good for you because it has potent amino acids that we severely lack in our typical Western diet. The jiggly texture of bone broth means that it is rich in gelatin which makes it good for your health and longevity.
The jelly consistency tells you that it is rich in protein from gelatin. Beef bone broth in particular is also good for you because it tends to have more glycine and gut healing amino acids than chicken.
What are the nutrients in gelatinous bone broth?
There's a long list of nutrients found in bone broth, these include collagen, gelatin, glycine, proline, glutamine, hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, proteoglycans, cartilage, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.
These are researched compounds and minerals with tons of amazing benefits. There is no other food that has all of these nutrients in one convenience source.
Should You Make Your Own Bone Broth?
If you have the time and the financial means, then you should absolutely make your own bone broth. It is simple to do so but not easy to make your own.
Simply assemble your ingredients, toss them into your Instant Pot, crank it up and let it simmer away.
The good news is that no peeling or chopping is necessary when making it because they will cook down so quickly in the pot. The bad news is that it's sometimes difficult to find high quality and the right types of bones to make it. You might spend hours calling and tracking down these bones, when you could simply buy a pre-made version.
Here is a the ultimate bone broth recipe.
How do you make bone broth in an Instant Pot?
You can easily make bone broth in an Instant Pot by doing the following:
1. Place beef bones in the Instant Pot and add some water.
2. Add carrots, onions and celery to it
3. Add spices like garlic, ginger, peppercorns, parsley and thyme.
4. Seal it, select the correct setting and cook for 90 minutes.
Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth Recipe: The Equipment Needed
You'll need the following equipment and kitchen utensils to make it easier on you.
- 1. Instant Pot or pressure cooker
- Spider strainer
- Tongs
- Fine mesh sieve or Cheese cloth
- Large bowl or colander to pour it into
- Glass freezer safe containers for storage
- Scale
- Baking sheet
What Are the Best Beef Bones For Bone Broth?
The best beef bones to use are knuckles, joints, feet and shins. You want a variety of bones to give you a balance of flavor and that sought after jello consistency.
A jello liquid means that it has at least 8 g protein per cup. This is the gold standard of any real bone broth.
Knuckle bones are also known as the joints of a cow. These include hips, knees, necks and feet.
The joints are responsible for moving cows in different directions, so they have more magical things that we need for broth compared to marrow bones.
Marrow Bones
Speaking of which, marrow bones are the leg and arm bones. Also called 'pipes' they resemble long and slender... pipes. These are ok for soup bu don't have the cartilage and connective tissue we are after to make protein rich and delicious broth.
A good ratio is around 70% knuckles and 30% marrows or pipes.
In terms of quality, you want to find grass fed beef bones. Certified Organic is another great thing to look for. Look for the USDA Organic logo on the package to ensure it is not false advertising.
These things are sometimes hard to find, so you have to get creative. I recommend going to farmers markets, butcher shops or other natural food stores. Look in the freezer section or ask the meat staff where the soup bones are.
You can also find bones online that ship directly to you.
Read my article on the definitive guide to the best bones for broth to learn everything you need to know about it.
How long does it take to make bone broth in an Instant Pot?
It takes 120 minutes on the manual or soup setting to make gelatinous bone broth in your Instant Pot. If you account for all of the extra prep and cleanup time then you can have it all done in three hours.
The goal of making bone broth is to extract all the nutrients and flavor from the beef. So using a pressure cooker or instant pot greatly reduces the time you need to make it.
One time I simply poured some of it into the sink before realizing I didn't have a bowl to catch it all. Other times, I've filled the bowl completely and sent innocent broth overflowing onto the counter or sink.
:recipekit:
The Fat Cap
Once it cools, you'll notice the fat cap or layer naturally rises to the top. This makes it super easy to skim this fat layer off with a knife or spoon. I will say this fat for cooking as it has a tremendous taste, high in vitamins and has a high smoke point.
Other people prefer to leave the fat on as it melts into the broth when heated.
Beef bone broth is a great option for replacing beef stock or broth in many recipes. You can simply reheat it to return it to a liquid state and use it for whatever you please. Season with salt if desired and enjoy!
How do you store bone broth?
Bone broth is best stored in glass jars and airtight containers. You can safely refrigerate homemade bone broth for up to five days or freeze it for up to six months.
If you're planning to freeze it, you can also portion it into ziploc bags or pour into ice cube trays for easy use. This makes of efficient storage and convenient defrosting. Leave about an inch of headspace at the top of your stars to allow for expansion.
What are the benefits of using an Instant Pot to make bone broth?
The benefits of using an Instant Pot to make bone broth are time, cost, safety and convenience. You don't need to worry about having a simmering pot of hot liquid over your stove all night. No worries about gas leaks either and no time spent messing around trying to get the perfect temperature.
In terms of time, you can get it made in three hours total, which is a huge time savings compared to 16 hours for stovetop recipes. Finally, the cost is lower since you are only cooking it for two hours total.
You can substitute a pressure cooker and get the same results and efficiency.
What are the Instant Pot settings for making bone broth?
The Instant Pot settings for making a batch of bone broth are manual or soup setting on high. Be sure to set the safety valve is set to ‘seal’ which prevents water and food from entering the pot while it is cooking, but unlock once the pot has reached a certain temperature.
The pressures in the instant pot can be increased or decreased by changing the Pressure Compensation Settings (PCS) to your desired level of pressure according to your specific needs/cooking style/time preference.
Homemade Beef Bone Broth Nutrition Facts
Homemade beef bone broth will have between 20-60 calories, 4-10 g protein per cup with 250-400 mg sodium, 1 g carbs and 0-2 g fat. There is a range for all of these values because it depends how long you cook it (if you roast it) and which ingredients you use.
You will get a higher protein liquid if you have the right bones to water ratio and use the specific cuts of bones mentioned above. You can learn more about common bone broth mistakes to ensure you don't waste your time and money.
For sodium, if you add a pinch to your cup but none during the cooking process, then you can expect around 250 mg. If you add more than closer to 400 mg. For carbs you'll get 0 if you add the veggies toward the end of your total cook time.
But if you add them at the beginning then you might end up with 1-2 g per cup. This is because they cook down to mush and it adds starch to your broth.
Fat content will depend on your skimming practises and if you remove the fat layer before drinking. You can get it close to zero.
There will be very small amounts of calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. If you are looking for electrolytes, then opt for chicken bone broth instead of beef.
Easy Beef Bone Broth Recipes and Ideas
Use your hard-earned beef bone broth on it’s own or in your meals. It is a cooking miracle that works great in any recipe you are cooking. You can add it to stir frys, steamed vegetables, sauces, sautés or to deglaze a pan. Or simply drink it on it's own for the numerous health benefits.
For inspiration on cooking and simple recipes, checkout our Ultimate Guide to Sipping Bone Broth.
This ebook gives you 16 delicious recipes to transform your cup. You can get a FREE copy with the purchase of any Bluebird Provisions bone broth.
image via happy_lark
