How to Make Bone Broth? | Rich Broth Starts With Heat & Time

Making bone broth at home involves roasting bones until golden, then simmering them with water and a splash of vinegar for up to 48 hours to extract collagen and minerals.

A good bone broth is less about a secret ingredient and more about patient heat management. You start by roasting the bones to build a deep, savory flavor, then switch to a long, gentle simmer that converts connective tissue into liquid collagen. The resulting broth is a nutrient-rich base for soups, sipping, or cooking, and it costs a fraction of store-bought options once you get the rhythm down. A single batch uses bones you might otherwise toss and turns them into something far more valuable. For those ready to skip the cooking, we’ve also tested the top store-bought options if you want to compare what’s available in our bone broth roundup.

What Bones Make the Best Broth?

The best broth comes from a mix of marrow bones and knuckle or joint bones. Marrow bones deliver rich flavor and healthy fats, while knuckles and joints are loaded with collagen, which gives the broth its signature gelatinous texture when cooled. Chicken feet or pork trotters work the same way for poultry-based broths.

Choose bones from grass-fed animals or pastured poultry when possible. Not only do they produce a cleaner-tasting broth, but they also release less foam during the initial simmer, which means less skimming work. The table below shows how the bone type affects what you get out of the pot.

Roast or Blanch First?

Roasting at 400–450°F for 15–30 minutes is the standard method. It caramelizes the meaty bits left on the bones and creates that deep brown color and savory aroma. Place the bones in a single layer on a sheet tray, and flip halfway through for even browning.

Blanching is an alternative for those who want a clearer, more neutral-flavored broth. You simmer the bones aggressively for 20 minutes, discard that water, and then roast the cleaned bones at 400°F for 30 minutes until crispy. The extra step removes more impurities, but it also strips some of the flavor. For most home cooks, direct roasting is the better balance of effort and taste.

How Long Should Bone Broth Simmer?

Time depends entirely on the cooking method and the bones you use. A pressure cooker dramatically shortens the window, but the stovetop delivers the deepest extraction for traditionalists. The rule of thumb: poultry broth needs less time than red meat broth because the bones are smaller and less dense.

Stovetop vs. Pressure Cooker Times

The table below gives the exact times and settings for each appliance.

In the pressure cooker, natural release is critical. Let the pressure drop on its own for 30–45 minutes — never use the quick-release valve. Forcing the release at high pressure will cause the hot liquid to sputter and may alter the texture.

What Else Goes Into the Pot?

A splash of apple cider vinegar — about 1–2 tablespoons — helps draw minerals from the bones during the long simmer. It does not make the broth taste sour. Vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery add fresh flavor but only if you add them at the right time. Put them in during the last 12–24 hours of a stovetop simmer, or the last hour under pressure. Early addition makes them bitter and turns the vegetables to soggy mush.

Herbs such as bay leaves, black peppercorns, and fresh thyme are better added during the final stretch as well. Whole spices hold up better than ground ones, which can cloud the broth.

The Most Common Mistake (And How to Avoid It)

Boiling the broth instead of simmering it is the single fastest way to ruin a batch. A rolling boil emulsifies the fat into the liquid, creating a greasy, cloudy result with a broken gelatin structure. The broth should be barely moving — a bubble every few seconds. If you see active ripples across the surface, turn the heat down. Skimming the gray foam that rises in the first hour also keeps the final broth clean, though this is optional if you are not picky about clarity.

A second common mistake is leaving the stove unattended overnight. You can start the broth in the morning, let it run all day, turn it off before bed, and restart it the next morning to finish the total time. The stovetop is not safe to run while the house is asleep. A slow cooker or pressure cooker handles overnight cooking safely if you want to avoid this dance.

Strain, Cool, and Store

Strain the finished broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a wide container. A wide surface area helps it cool quickly. To speed this further, set the container into an ice bath — a sink full of cold water and ice works — and stir until the broth reaches 50°F, about 15–20 minutes. Rapid cooling prevents bacteria growth during the chilling stage.

Refrigerate the broth overnight. A layer of white fat will harden on top. You can scoop it off and discard it, or save it for cooking (it works like tallow or schmaltz). The gelatin-rich broth beneath should be jiggly when cold — that is how you know you did it right. Store it in airtight jars or containers. It keeps for 5–7 days in the fridge. For longer storage, freeze it in portion-sized containers or silicone molds. A frozen cube is perfect for adding to a pan sauce or a quick soup.

Checklist for First-Timers

• Roast bones at 425°F for 20–30 minutes until deeply browned.
• Transfer to pot, cover with filtered water by 1 inch.
• Add 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
• Bring to a low simmer, not a boil.
• Simmer 24 hours (poultry) or 48 hours (red meat) on stovetop; 2 or 4 hours in a pressure cooker with natural release.
• Add vegetables and herbs only in the last 12–24 hours (or last hour in pressure cooker).
• Strain, cool rapidly in an ice bath, refrigerate overnight.
• Remove fat cap, store sealed in fridge for up to a week or freeze.