Easiest Bone Broth – Now Even Easier!

I love making things for my dogs. From finding the best ingredients to preparation to sharing what I’ve made with friends, I love the whole process. Up until now, my food dehydrator was my favorite tool — you name it, I’ve made it into a tasty training treat for my dogs! But now, there’s a new game in town.

I’ve always wanted to make bone broth. All those beneficial nutrients, collagen, minerals, and more! But I didn’t want to have to monitor a pot of boiling bones on my stove for a day. Or have to deal with a crock pot for even longer. And the scum that collects at the top — yuck! One try at this bone broth method and I was defeated. And did I mention the smell?

Yesterday, my life was changed. I discovered the Insta-Pot method for bone broth. Truly revolutionary. And a couple weeks ago, things went to the next level with the addition of a key Instapot tool! The strainer!

Yes, I found an accessory that makes broth even easier! This strainer fits in my Instapot, and when my broth is done, I just lift out the bones! No straining, skimming, or worry about small pieces of bone.

My Insta-Pot’s maiden voyage, 2 days after it arrived, was a success. I got the 6 quart size, although I now wish I went for the 8 quart. I had been collecting bones for broth for some time, and had a good stockpile in my freezer. I inserted the strainer (mine came with a black handle) and then I placed bones, some still frozen, in the Insta-Pot bowl. Many had some meat on them, which only adds to the goodness. I added about 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and water to the fill line. Secured the lid, and used the soup setting for 4 hours. No further attention or action needed.

Note: I prefer to use a raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, such as Bragg’s ACV.

At first I thought nothing was happening. The user manual said the unit should come to pressure and temperature and begin cooking in about 15 minutes. Given that I started with some frozen bones, it took about 45 minutes. Soon I noticed a bit of steam escaping, and the scent of soup started to fill the kitchen.

After the cycle was complete, the system vented itself over about 20 minutes. I couldn’t wait to see my canine culinary creation! So I opened the lid, and saw almost no scum on top! Just broth and bones! I later learned this is because the bones are not jostling in a boiling pot, which is what creates the froth and scum. I easily strained out the bones, thanks my strainer, with zero mess!

For this batch, I had some pretty meaty bones. After allowing the strainer to sit in a bowl to let all the juicy goodness drip out, I simply removed the meat with a fork — much of it just fell off the bones! I then fed it as a treat/topper over my dogs’ raw meals.

I let the broth fully cool, and then refrigerated it. A thin skin of fat did form on the surface, but that was very easy to remove. And the broth formed a smooth, jelly-like consistency. I chose to freeze some broth in ice cube trays, for easy portioning into my dogs’ meals. I also kept some in a container in the fridge for use over the next couple days.

I know I’ll be working on some additions to the broth for health benefits, as well as working out ways to incorporate bone broth into treats or chews. I’ve already tried adding both herbs and vegetables to some batches, and so far my dogs are appreciating my efforts. Got any ideas? Please share them on my Facebook page!