Yes, you can pressure-can homemade bone broth safely by using a tested process in a pressure canner and clean, hot jars.
Home cooks love having jars of broth ready for soups, sauces, and dinners. The good news is that shelf-stable jars are possible when you use a pressure canner and follow tested directions. This guide walks you through gear, prep, times, and safety so you can load your pantry with stock.
Why Pressure Canning Is The Only Safe Route
Bones and meat make a low-acid liquid. That means a boiling-water bath can’t reach the heat needed to make it safe. A pressure canner reaches temperatures above 240°F, which is what you need for low-acid foods. It lets you hold that heat for the exact time matched to your jar size and altitude. Electric multicookers are not a substitute for a true pressure canner, even if they have a “canning” button.
Pressure Canning Bone Broth At Home: Safe Method
Here’s the flow that home preservers use for beef, chicken, turkey, or mixed bone stock. The flavor steps are flexible, but the canning steps are fixed. Keep fat low and strain well.
Gear And Setup
You’ll need a stovetop pressure canner that holds at least four quart jars upright, a canning rack, new lids, rings, and standard mason jars free of chips and cracks. If your canner has a dial gauge, have it checked before the season. Weighted-gauge models do not need annual testing.
| Step | What To Do | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Simmer Bones | Roast if you like; then cover with water and simmer to extract gelatin and flavor. | Builds body without clouding; roasted bones add color. |
| 2. Chill And Defat | Cool broth; lift off hardened fat. Reheat to a boil before filling. | Lower fat helps sealing and shelf life. |
| 3. Strain Well | Use a fine sieve; discard solids and marrow bits. | Clear broth cans more cleanly and heats evenly. |
| 4. Heat Jars | Wash jars; keep hot until filling. | Reduces shock and helps headspace control. |
| 5. Fill And De-bubble | Ladle hot broth into jars, leaving 1-inch headspace; remove trapped air. | Correct headspace supports a strong vacuum. |
| 6. Wipe And Lid | Wipe rims with a damp towel; apply lids and rings finger-tight. | Clean rims prevent seal failures. |
| 7. Vent The Canner | Lock lid; vent steam steadily for 10 minutes before pressurizing. | Venting purges air for even, accurate heat. |
| 8. Process At Pressure | Bring to the target pressure for your altitude and jar size; start timing. | Time + temperature together make it safe. |
| 9. Cool Naturally | Turn off heat; let pressure return to zero on its own; wait 5 minutes; remove lid away from you. | Prevents siphoning and jar stress. |
| 10. Rest, Remove, Test | Lift jars; cool 12–24 hours; check seals; wash, label, and store. | Good seals and clean jars store better. |
Step-By-Step Walkthrough
- Prep The Bones: Trim excess fat. For beef, crack marrow bones or roast shanks. For poultry, use a picked carcass with wings and backs.
- Build The Pot: Add bones to a stockpot with cold water to cover by two inches. Add onion and carrot if you like; skip salt.
- Gentle Simmer: Bring just to a simmer with a few lazy bubbles. Skim foam during the first 30 minutes so the liquid stays clear.
- Strain And Chill: Strain through a fine sieve. Chill the pot or a shallow pan in the fridge so fat hardens on top. Lift it off in clean sheets.
- Reheat To A Boil: Return the clear liquid to a brisk boil for filling. Keep jars hot so temperature shock is not a problem.
- Fill Jars: Ladle into hot jars with 1-inch headspace. Slide a bubble tool along the inside to release pockets.
- Set Up The Canner: Place a rack in the canner with two inches of hot water. Load jars upright. Lock the lid.
- Vent For Ten Minutes: When a strong column of steam shoots from the vent, start the ten-minute vent timer.
- Bring To Pressure: Add the weight or watch the dial. When it reaches your target, start the process timer and keep the needle steady.
- Natural Cool-Down: When time is up, turn off the heat and leave it alone until the gauge falls to zero. Wait five minutes, then open the lid away from you.
- Rest And Check: Set jars on a towel. Leave rings on while they cool. After 12–24 hours, remove rings, test seals, and wipe jars clean.
Processing Times And Pressures
Use the times below for plain meat stock. These are hot-pack directions for clear broth with no solids. Adjust the pressure by altitude and canner type. Keep the pressure steady; large swings can force liquid out of jars.
Dial-Gauge Canner
Pints process for 20 minutes; quarts for 25. The dial setting changes with elevation: 11 PSI at 0–2,000 ft; 12 PSI at 2,001–4,000 ft; 13 PSI at 4,001–6,000 ft; 14 PSI at 6,001–8,000 ft.
Weighted-Gauge Canner
Pints process for 20 minutes; quarts for 25. Use 10 PSI at 0–1,000 ft; switch to 15 PSI above 1,000 ft.
Altitude, Jar Size, And Common Pitfalls
Because boiling drops with elevation, match the listed pressure to your location. Use standard pints or quarts. Do not use half-gallons for stock. Skipping venting or rushing cool-down often leads to siphoning or weak seals, and keep pressure steady. If a jar fails to seal, chill it and use within a few days or reprocess within 24 hours with a new lid.
What Not To Do With Bone Stock
Do not can stock with noodles, rice, or pureed vegetables in the same jar. Dense add-ins slow heat penetration. Do not thicken broth before canning. Skip oil-heavy flavorings. Do not try a water-bath method for this product. Do not rely on an electric multicooker for jarred shelf storage.
Signs Your Jar Is Safe To Store
After 12–24 hours, remove rings and check each flat. A safe seal is concave and does not flex. Lift the jar gently by the flat only after the rest period. Best quality is within a year. Any unsealed jar goes to the fridge for quick use.
Safety Checks Before You Open A Jar
Before you heat a jar for dinner, look for bulging lids, spurting liquid, off smells, or mold. If any sign is present, toss the contents. When heating soup or sauce with home-canned stock, a quick boil helps add a margin of safety. At higher elevations, keep the boil a little longer.
Altitude And Pressure Reference Table
Use this quick chart to match your setup. It lists hot-pack meat stock only, which covers beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or mixed bones.
| Setup | Elevation | Pints / Quarts |
|---|---|---|
| Dial-Gauge | 0–2,000 ft | 20 min @ 11 PSI / 25 min @ 11 PSI |
| Dial-Gauge | 2,001–4,000 ft | 20 min @ 12 PSI / 25 min @ 12 PSI |
| Dial-Gauge | 4,001–6,000 ft | 20 min @ 13 PSI / 25 min @ 13 PSI |
| Dial-Gauge | 6,001–8,000 ft | 20 min @ 14 PSI / 25 min @ 14 PSI |
| Weighted-Gauge | 0–1,000 ft | 20 min @ 10 PSI / 25 min @ 10 PSI |
| Weighted-Gauge | >1,000 ft | 20 min @ 15 PSI / 25 min @ 15 PSI |
Method Snapshot
Simmer bones, chill and skim, bring back to a boil, fill hot jars with 1-inch headspace, vent the canner 10 minutes, process at the right pressure and time, cool naturally, check seals, label, and store in a cool, dark spot.
Read Tested Directions Before You Start
For step-by-step safety details, review the meat stock directions from the National Center and the botulism prevention tips from CDC. That way your pantry project stays both tasty and safe.