Canning bone broth is an amazing way to create a shelf-stable resource that can be enjoyed all year long, without the need for refrigeration. Learn how to can bone broth made with chicken or beef so that your family can have this nutrient-rich liquid in the pantry, all the time.
If you've been here for more than a minute, you might have noticed that I LOVE canning. Whether it's canning strawberry jam, or spending a week canning potatoes for easy soups and roasts.
So it will probably come as no surprise to you that canning bone broth is another favorite of mine.
Canning Bone Broth
I talked about how to make bone broth recently, and in that post, I focused on the healing properties of bone broth. If this is needed, canning broth might not be the choice for you.
There are many people who say it's fine to can bone broth, and others who say it breaks down the protein and fats too much.
I'm not sure one way or the other, so to air on the side of caution, I would suggest just making your bone broth fresh and keeping it in the fridge or freezer as needed.
For the rest of us who want to have it on hand, but are ok with the canning process, canning bone broth is easy and oh-so-rewarding!
Ingredients
We are going to keep this super simple, but you can jazz it up however you'd like. Just note that adding beans, vegetables, or anything other than herbs to this recipe may change the canning time needed. This recipe and its timing are only for bone, water, ACV, and seasonings.
- Bones of Choice (Chicken or Beef): The base of your bone broth, providing essential nutrients and flavor. You can use leftover bones from roasted chickens or beef bones purchased from your local butcher or farmers market.
- Filtered Water: Essential for creating a clean and pure broth. Filtered water ensures no unwanted impurities taint the rich taste of your bone broth.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar helps extract valuable nutrients from the bones during the cooking process.
- Seasonings: Customize your bone broth with your favorite seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic, and other herbs and spices to enhance the taste.
Instructions
If you've never canned anything before, I highly recommend my Quick Start Guide to Pressure Canning. It has all the step-by-step details for pressure canning, to help you fully understand the process so that you can confidently can food for your family without fear.
Here is an overview of the process, with a printable recipe card at the end of the post as well.
- Prepare - Add your chosen bones to a large stockpot and cover them with water. Mix in apple cider vinegar to aid nutrient release.
- Season - Season the broth with high-quality salt, peppercorns, and fresh garlic, tailoring it to your preferred flavor profile.
- Simmer - Let the bones sit in the water for 30-60 minutes without heat. Then, bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to low for a slow simmering process of 8-10 hours (or even up to 36 hours).
- Strain - After cooking, remove the bones and let them cool. Strain the broth to remove any bone fragments. Store the bones for a second batch, if desired.
- Skim - Try to skim off any excess fat from the bowl of strained broth. Excess fat can cause the lid seal to fail. Instead, place it in a bowl to harden, then transfer it to a bag and keep it in the freezer. Add a chunk to the broth when you're heating it to eat/drink.
- Fill - Ladle hot broth into hot mason jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Clean the rims with a damp hot towel, and add the 2-piece lids.
- Process - Place jars into a pressure canner and process at 10 pounds of pressure. 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts.
- Cool - Once canning has been completed, and the canner pressure is released, place jars on a folded towel to cool overnight. Remove rings and check lids. Store in a cool, dry place.
If you'd like to make bone broth in an Instant Pot or Crockpot, please read our post on making bone broth.
Removing the Fat
As mentioned above, it's important to remove the excess fat from your broth before canning. If you don't, you may experience failed lid seals as the fat creeps up the side and comes out from under the lid during the canning process.
To avoid this, it's important to remove that extra fat. You can do this in a few ways.
- Skim the top of the liquid while the broth is hot
- Let the broth cool until the fat solidifies and then just remove it whole.
The latter is my preferred method! Regardless of which method you use, you can just store the fat in the freezer to add to the broth later on when you heat it up.
As for the broth that is now cool and ready to can, just place it back into a pot and bring it up to a simmer before placing it in the jars for canning.
Altitude Adjustments for Canning Broth
If you are pressure canning, it's important to know exactly how much pressure to use based on your elevation. Here is a quick guide to help you get the number right.
Note, a weighted-gauge pressure canning is like an All American style canner, and the dial-gauge is like the Presto style canner.
Recommended processing time and pressure for a dial-gauge pressure canner
| Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 2,000 ft | 2,001 - 4,000 ft | 4,001 - 6,000 ft | 6,001 - 8,000 ft |
| Pints | 20 minutes | 11 lb | 12 lb | 13 lb | 14 lb |
| Quarts | 25 minutes | 11 lb | 12 lb | 13 lb | 14 lb |
Recommended processing time and pressure for a weighted-gauge pressure canner
| Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 1,000 ft | Above 1,000 ft |
| Pints | 20 minutes | 11 lb | 15 lb |
| Quarts | 25 minutes | 11 lb | 15 lb |
Common Questions
Yes, canning bone broth is safe when done correctly following proper canning procedures. It preserves the broth so that it is shelf-stable for years to come.
Canned bone broth can last forever (according to the USDA) when stored in a cool, dark place, and the lid is still sealed. However, it's best to consume it within the first few years for optimal quality.
No, bone broth is a low-acid food and requires pressure canning to reach the necessary temperature for safe preservation. Water bath canning is not suitable for bone broth.
For canning bone broth, use a pressure canner at 10 pounds of pressure for both pints and quarts. Adjust the pressure for high elevations as noted above.
The jars can be reused, but always use new lids for each canning session to ensure a proper seal and prevent contamination.
Even More Canning Ideas
Ready to add more pressure canned goods to your pantry shelves? Here are a few of my must-have home canned goods that keep us eating well all year long!
Canning Bone Broth
Equipment
- 7 rings and lids
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bones of choice (chicken or beef)
- 1 gallon filtered water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- seasonings to taste (salt, pepper, garlic...)
Instructions
- Add bones to a large stock pot and cover them with water. Then add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. This helps the bones release vital nutrients during the cooking process.
- Add high-quality salt, peppercorns, and fresh garlic to taste.
- Let the bones sit in the water without heat for 30-60 minutes. Then bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer (covered) for 8-10 hours. You can simmer for up to 36 hours, adding more water as needed.
- After cooking, remove the bones and let them cool. Once cooled, you can freeze them for a second use (if you cooked them for only 8 hours), or you can then throw them away.
- Strain the stock to remove peppers and any bone fragments that may have broken off during the cooking process.
- Try to skim off any excess fat from the bowl of strained broth. Excess fat can cause the lid seal to fail. Instead, place it in a bowl to harden, then transfer it to a bag and keep it in the freezer. Add a chunk to the broth when you're heating it to eat/drink.
- Ladle hot broth into hot mason jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Clean the rims with a damp hot towel, and add the 2-piece lids.
- Place jars into a pressure canner and process at 10 pounds of pressure. 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts.
- Once canning has been completed, and the canner pressure is released, place jars on a folded towel to cool overnight. Remove rings and check lids. Store in a cool, dry place.
Notes
FAQ:
Nutrition
Pin this for Later
✨ JOIN NOW ✨