If you have ever wondered what the difference between bone broth and stock is, read this. For now, let’s just talk about how I make bone broth in the Instant Pot under less than a minute.
The Best Way Ever to Make Bone Broth
For many years, I made bone broth on the stove. It worked fine of course, but it required a lot more supervision, took longer and didn’t get me the results I was looking for. Why not? My bone broth was just not gelatinous most of the time.
Why You Need a Gelatinous Bone Broth
Bone broth gels because of its collagen content. When it doesn’t gel, it means you are not getting all the same benefits. Collagen is found in the structural tissue of the bones. The connective tissues break down with prolonged cooking and after you put the bone broth in the fridge, it looks like Jello-O. A Bone broth that gels is particularly rich in protein and healing for the gut (learn about The Most Healing Foods for the Gut).
When Your Bone Broth Doesn’t Gel
I did all the Googling over time to try to figure out why my bone broth didn’t gel. I found it could be due to the following reasons:
- Not enough bones: If you put too much water and too little meat, your stock will not gel. You have to cover your bones with water, that’s it.
- Cooked on a too-high heat: You have to be careful to simmer your stock. Boiling it too long breaks up the protein structure.
- Not cooked long enough: It takes time to soften connective tissue and to extract collagen from it. On the stovetop, it is recommended you simmer your broth for around 6-8 hours.
- Cooked too long: Again, the idea is you to avoid breaking the protein structure. Some chefs, like Jamie Oliver, recommend simmering the chicken stock for 3-4 hours.
Should You Use Vinegar in Your Bone Broth?
Many sites recommend the addition of vinegar to help draw the minerals out of the bones. I did this religiously for many years. Since I was struggling with my bone broth and it didn’t gel properly, I decided to experiment and noticed there was no correlation between adding vinegar and my bone broth gelling. My observation was confirmed by the book The Bone Broth Diet by Dr. Kellyann.
How Using the Instant Pot Saved My Bone Broth
If I used the Instant Pot for only one thing, it would be for making bone broth. The Instant Pot saved my bone broth by allowing me to consistently make gelatinous bone broth after struggling for many years. You will notice that my recipe doesn’t include seasoning or vegetables. That’s what makes it my super easy Instant Pot Bone Broth recipe. You don’t need to worry that it will lack flavor, it doesn’t.
Bone Broth in the Instant Pot
Equipment
- Electric Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 2-3 chicken carcasses
- water
Instructions
- Put your carcasses in the Instant Pot.
- Cover with water (make sure to not add too much water). In the video, I say to fill up to capacity but just cover your bones.
- Select the Soup function. If your pressure doesn't' have that function, you can manually set the cooking for 30 minutes.
- Don't depressurize your Instant Pot, just let it depressurize on its own. You can check after about an hour. When the lid opens easily, the pressure cooker has depressurized. I sometimes leave it to stay warm for many hours.
How to Make Bone Broth In The Instant Pot Video
Watch this video to see the process in action:
