Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best bone broth ingredients, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card. Traditionally, people made bone broth on the stove top and had to keep an eye on it all day… but if you use a slow cooker or pressure cooker like I do, the process is much easier!
How To Make Bone Broth
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
High Cartilage Bones – Knuckles, joints, chicken feet, and wings are great. The connective tissues will add collagen-rich gelatin to your broth. I like using chicken or beef bones for bone broth, but pork bones work well, too. Marrow Bones – Marrow bones are packed with satisfying fats and add richness to your beef bone broth. They’re a great source of collagen, giving your broth a velvety texture and deeper flavor. Meaty Bones – Oxtail, shank, or short ribs work well (you can even use leftover bones from beef short ribs!) Entire Carcasses – I often use leftover bones from a roasted chicken to make my chicken bone broth recipe. Bones from a roasted turkey are great, too. Bones From Other Animals – No need to stop at beef or chicken! Try bones from lamb, bison, veal, turkey, fish (heads, collars, and tails work best), or game animals.
For deeper flavor, mix and match bones from the same animal—just ensure they fit in your pot. This is optional and I often skip it for the sake of time, but it adds a wonderful rich flavor. Arrange the bones (and veggies, if you like) on sheet pans and roast in the oven at 450 degrees F for 45-60 minutes, turning halfway through.
Soups and Stews – I add it to pork stew and cauliflower soup for extra richness and nutrition. You can easily swap regular broth with bone broth in any of my soup recipes. Roasts – I love it for making brisket in the oven and slow cooker pot roast, but it also adds incredible flavor to other roasts, like pork roast and sirloin tip roast. One-Pan Meals – Give a flavorful boost to dishes like chicken stir fry, kielbasa and sauerkraut, or my sun-dried tomato chicken. Recipe Basics – It’s perfect for making gravy or caramelized onions. I especially love using it instead of water for my Instant Pot shredded chicken.
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