How Many Pounds of Beef Bones Do You Need to Make Bone Broth?

Bone broth has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its many health benefits. This nourishing soup is made by simmering bones and connective tissue in water for an extended period of time, usually between 12-24 hours This long cook time allows the bones and connective tissue to break down, releasing gelatin, amino acids, minerals and other nutrients into the broth.

But when making your own bone broth at home, one question often comes up – how many pounds of bones do you need? The answer depends on a few factors.

What Types of Bones to Use

For beef bone broth, you’ll want to use a combination of bones for the richest flavor and nutrition.

• Marrow bones – Bones like knuckle bones and femur bones contain marrow. The marrow adds flavor and nutrients like vitamin A vitamin K2 omega-3 fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

• Other beef bones – Bones like oxtail, short ribs, neck bones and joint bones also add great flavor and collagen.

• Roast the bones – Roasting the bones before simmering develops deeper flavor Roast at 400°F for 30 minutes.

How Many Pounds of Bones

As a general rule of thumb, use 1-2 pounds of bones per quart of water. So if your stockpot or slow cooker will hold 1 gallon (4 quarts) of water, aim for 4-8 pounds of beef bones.

For a smaller batch, 3-4 pounds of bones would yield 4-6 cups of bone broth. Scale up or down depending on how much broth you want to end up with.

The most important thing is to have the bones completely submerged in water. If needed, you can always add more water as it simmers and evaporates.

Cooking Time

To extract all those nourishing minerals from beef bones, broth needs to simmer for a while.

• Stovetop – Simmer for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours.
• Slow cooker – Cook on low for 24 hours.
• Pressure cooker – Cook at high pressure for 2-3 hours.

Simmering longer always yields a richer, more gelatinous broth so go as long as you can.

Vegetables and Seasonings

For extra flavor and nutrients, add vegetables like onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme and bay leaves complement the broth as well. Apple cider vinegar helps draw out nutrients from the bones.

Straining and Storage

Once done cooking, strain out the solids using a fine mesh strainer. Let the broth cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

The broth keeps for up to 5 days refrigerated or up to 6 months frozen. Freeze broth in ice cube trays or muffin tins for easy use.

Sample Bone Broth Recipe

To make about 6 cups of bone broth, here is an easy recipe to follow:

Ingredients:

• 3-4 pounds beef bones
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups water

Instructions

1. If using raw bones, roast in 400°F oven for 30 minutes.
2. Place bones in large pot and add remaining ingredients. Add enough water to cover bones by 1-2 inches.
3. Bring to a boil then reduce to low simmer. Simmer for 24 hours, adding more water if needed.
4. Strain out solids. Let broth cool before refrigerating.

Once you know how many pounds of bones you need, making nourishing bone broth at home is simple. With health benefits like boosting immunity, gut health and reducing inflammation, bone broth is a tasty way to do your body good.