What you need to make bone broth
You do not need specialist equipment. A few practical tools make the process easier.
Stockpot
Use a large, heavy-based stockpot if you are cooking on the hob. A tall, narrow pot is helpful because it reduces evaporation over a long simmer. A wide pan will work, but you may need to top up the water more often.
Slow cooker
A slow cooker is particularly useful for beef broth. It holds a low, steady temperature for hours without needing much attention. If leaving a pot on the hob overnight does not feel practical, use a slow cooker.
Pressure cooker
A pressure cooker gives you broth in a few hours rather than a full day. It will not produce the same result as a long, open simmer, but it is a practical option when time is limited. The pressurised environment helps collagen convert to gelatine more quickly.
Roasting tray
For beef bones, a roasting tray is worth using. Roasting develops colour and flavour before the bones go into the pot. Chicken bones can be roasted as well, especially if you want a darker broth, but it is not always necessary.
Skimmer or spoon
Skim off the foam that rises during cooking for a clearer, better-tasting broth.
Fine sieve
Use a fine mesh sieve when straining. For a clearer broth, line it with muslin or a clean tea towel.
Jars, tubs or ice cube trays
Cool the broth quickly and store it in jars, tubs or ice cube trays to keep it safe and at its best.
The best bones for bone broth
The bones are the recipe. If your broth tastes thin or does not set when chilled, the issue is usually the bones, the water ratio, the cooking temperature or the cooking time.
You want a mix of two types.
Collagen-rich bones give the broth body. These include joints, knuckles, feet, wings, backs, necks, oxtail and shin.
Meaty bones give flavour. A little meat left on the bone makes the broth deeper and more satisfying.
A broth made only from clean marrow bones can taste rich but may not gel well, because marrow bones are not the highest in cartilage. A broth made only from bare carcasses can be useful, but it may lack depth. The best result usually comes from a mixture.
Best bones for chicken bone broth
Chicken bone broth is the easiest place to start. It cooks more quickly than beef, tastes familiar, and works well for sipping or cooking.
Good chicken bones include:
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A roast chicken carcass
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Chicken wings
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Chicken backs
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Chicken necks
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Chicken feet
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Drumsticks or thighs
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A whole chicken, if you want both broth and cooked meat
Wings, feet and backs are especially useful because they contain plenty of skin, cartilage and small joints. That is what gives chicken broth a good chance of setting into a jelly when chilled.
A simple starting point is one or two chicken carcasses with a handful of wings. If you can get chicken feet from a butcher, add a few. They are excellent for gelatine, and you can blanch them first if you prefer a cleaner flavour.
Best bones for beef bone broth
Beef broth takes longer because the bones are denser. It rewards patience with a deeper, darker broth that works well in stews, gravies, French onion soup, beef tea, ragù, risotto and slow-cooked dishes.
Good beef bones include:
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Knuckle bones
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Marrow bones
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Oxtail
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Bone-in shin
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Neck bones
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Short ribs
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Meaty offcuts from the butcher
Knuckles are especially useful for gelatine. Marrow bones add richness but should be balanced with joint bones; otherwise, the broth can be fatty with little set. Oxtail and shin bring together meat, bone, and connective tissue, which gives the finished broth both flavour and body.
Ask the butcher for a mix of marrow bones and knuckles, then add oxtail, shin, or short ribs for more depth.
How to make bone broth for collagen
For a broth that sets into a firm, gelatinous jelly, lean on cartilage-rich, joint-heavy cuts and give them longer in the pot. Collagen sits in connective tissue, cartilage, tendons, joints and skin, not in clean marrow bones - so the cuts you choose decide how much collagen ends up in the liquid.
Chicken wings, chicken feet, knuckles and joints carry far more connective tissue than plain bones. Marrow bones add flavour and minerals, but pair them with collagen-rich pieces if you want the broth to set. As a rule, the more cartilage and connective tissue in the pot, the more collagen dissolves into the broth. Depending on the animal parts used, bone broth can contain a mix of Types I, II and III collagen.
Cook it long and slow. Turning collagen into gelatine takes hours of gentle heat. A hard boil won’t speed it up - it just makes the broth cloudy and greasy - so keep the surface at a bare simmer. A splash of apple cider vinegar at the start helps draw minerals from the bones, but time and low heat do most of the collagen work. Keep the water level tight to the bones; too much water dilutes the finished broth so it won’t set well.
Cook longer for denser bones. Chicken bones and joints are smaller and softer, so they usually need 8 to 12 hours. Beef bones and joints are denser and often need 18 to 24 hours to release their collagen. Rather than watching the clock, watch the pot - the broth is ready when the cartilage has softened, the joint tissue is breaking down, and the liquid has developed body. A slow cooker holds a steady heat for overnight cooking. For a more concentrated result, strain the broth and simmer it again to reduce, which concentrates the collagen into less liquid, much like a bone broth concentrate.
The chilled-gel test. The clearest sign of a collagen-rich broth shows once it’s cold. Strain the broth and chill it overnight. If it sets into a firm, wobbly jelly, it holds a good amount of gelatine - collagen after it has cooked down and broken apart. Warm it again and it melts back to a smooth liquid. The firmer the set, the more collagen came out. A broth that stays liquid after chilling usually means too little connective tissue, too short a cook, or too hard a boil - it is still good to drink or cook with, the jelly is simply the visible marker. There’s more on the process behind a collagen-rich broth further down.
Basic bone broth ingredients
Use this as a base formula, then adjust depending on whether you are making chicken or beef broth.
For chicken bone broth
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1.5kg chicken bones, carcasses, wings, backs, necks or feet
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4 litres cold water, or enough to cover
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1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
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1 onion, halved
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2 carrots, roughly chopped
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2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
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1 bay leaf
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A few parsley stalks
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6-10 black peppercorns
For beef bone broth
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3kg beef bones, using a mix of knuckles, marrow bones, oxtail, shin, neck or short ribs
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4 litres cold water, or enough to cover
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1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
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1 onion, halved
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2 carrots, roughly chopped
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2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
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1 bay leaf
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A few thyme sprigs or parsley stalks
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6-10 black peppercorns
Should you add vinegar to bone broth?
A little vinegar helps draw minerals from the bones as the broth cooks. Apple cider vinegar is the usual choice because it is mild. You do not need much: one tablespoon for a chicken broth, or one to two tablespoons for a large beef broth.
The finished broth should not taste vinegary. If it does, you used too much, or the pot reduced more than expected.
Should you salt bone broth?
Salt lightly, or wait until the end.
Bone broth reduces as it cooks, especially on the hob. If you salt heavily at the beginning, the finished broth may become too salty. For maximum flexibility, leave it unsalted or only lightly seasoned, then adjust when you drink it or cook with it.
Unsalted broth is more useful in recipes because it lets you control the seasoning of the finished dish.
How to make bone broth
The method is the same for chicken and beef. Beef broth usually benefits from roasting first. Chicken broth can be roasted or left raw, depending on the flavour you want.
1. Roast the bones if needed
For beef broth, roast the bones first. Spread them in a single layer on a roasting tray and roast at 200°C for 30-45 minutes, turning once if needed, until browned.
Roasting builds flavour and colour. It matters most for beef, especially if you want a dark broth for stews, gravies or sipping.
For chicken broth, roasting is optional. A raw carcass gives a lighter broth. A roasted carcass gives a deeper flavour, especially if you are using leftovers from a roast chicken.
2. Transfer everything to the pot
Put the bones into a large stockpot or slow cooker. Add the vinegar and enough cold water to cover the bones.
Do not add too much water. A common reason for thin broth is dilution. The bones should be covered by about an inch or two of water, not floating in a huge pot of water.
Let the bones sit in the cold water and vinegar for 20-30 minutes before heating if you have time.
3. Bring slowly to a simmer
Place the pot over medium heat and bring it to a simmer gradually. As the water warms, foam will rise to the surface.
Skim this off with a spoon or skimmer. It is a small step, but it improves the clarity and flavour of the finished broth.
Once the broth reaches a simmer, lower the heat.
4. Keep it at a bare simmer
The surface should move gently. You want the occasional bubble, not a rolling boil.
A hard boil can make the broth cloudy and greasy because it breaks fat and particles into the liquid. A low simmer keeps the broth clearer and helps preserve a better texture.
Leave the lid slightly ajar on the hob. If using a slow cooker, set it to low.
5. Add aromatics in stages
Sturdy vegetables can go in early. Onion, carrot and celery can handle a long cook, although they will eventually break down.
More delicate aromatics are better later. Fresh herbs, seaweed, citrus zest, ginger, garlic and leafy ingredients can become bitter or muddy if simmered for too long.
A practical order:
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Bones, water and vinegar at the start
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Onion, carrot, celery, bay and peppercorns after skimming
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Ginger, cinnamon, garlic or stronger spices halfway through, if using
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Parsley, coriander, lemon zest, seaweed or soft herbs in the final hour
For a plain broth you can use anywhere, keep the aromatics simple.
6. Simmer for the right length of time
Use these timings as a guide:
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Chicken bone broth: 6-12 hours
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Beef bone broth: 12-24 hours
Chicken can go longer, but it does not need the same time as beef. Beef needs a longer simmer because the bones are larger and denser.
If your main goal is flavour, the shorter end of the range may be enough. If your main goal is body and gelatine, use the longer end and keep the simmer gentle.
7. Top up only when needed
Check the water level from time to time. If the bones become exposed, add enough hot water to cover them again.
Do not keep adding large amounts of water unless necessary. Too much water dilutes the gelatine and flavour.
8. Strain carefully
When the broth is finished, lift out the bones and vegetables with tongs or a slotted spoon. Let the broth rest for 10 minutes so any fine particles settle.
Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl or jug; for a clearer broth, strain through muslin.
Avoid pressing hard on the cooked vegetables and bones. Pressing forces cloudy particles into the broth.
9. Cool quickly and store
Cool the broth before refrigerating or freezing. The safest method is to divide it into smaller containers so it cools faster.
Once chilled, fat will rise to the surface and set. You can lift it off and discard it, or save it for cooking. Underneath, a good broth may set into a soft jelly.
That jelly melts back into liquid as soon as you warm it.
Slow cooker bone broth
A slow cooker is one of the easiest ways to make bone broth, especially for beef.
Slow cooker method
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Roast beef bones first if making beef broth.
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Add bones, vinegar and cold water to the slow cooker.
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Leave for 20-30 minutes if time allows.
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Set to high until the liquid is hot and foam appears.
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Skim the surface.
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Add the vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns.
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Turn to low.
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Cook chicken broth for 8-12 hours.
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Cook beef broth for 18-24 hours.
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Strain, cool and store.
Slow cookers vary, so check that yours holds a gentle simmer. If it boils too hard, the broth may turn cloudy. If it barely heats, you may need to start it on high before switching to low.
Pressure cooker bone broth
A pressure cooker is useful when you want broth in a few hours.
Pressure cooker method
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Roast beef bones if making beef broth.
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Add bones, vinegar, water and aromatics to the pressure cooker.
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Do not fill above the maximum line.
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Cook chicken broth on high pressure for 2-3 hours.
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Cook beef broth on high pressure for 3-4 hours.
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Let the pressure release naturally.
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Strain, cool and store.
Pressure-cooker broth can be rich and useful, though the flavour may be slightly different from that of a long, open simmer. It is a good compromise when you want the nutritional logic of bone broth without a full day of cooking.
How long do you cook bone broth?
Chicken broth usually needs 6-12 hours. Beef broth usually needs 12-24 hours.
Longer is not always better. A broth needs enough time to release gelatine and flavour, but excessive cooking can flatten the taste. The aim is steady extraction, not punishment by heat.
For chicken, start checking around 6 hours. For beef, 12 hours yields broth, but 18-24 hours adds more depth.
Why bone broth turns to jelly
When bone broth cools, it may set into a soft jelly. That set comes from gelatine, which is formed when collagen breaks down during slow cooking.
A jelly-like broth is a useful sign that you used collagen-rich bones, the right amount of water and a gentle simmer. It is not a problem. Warm the broth, and it will become liquid again.
A firm set is satisfying, but a broth that stays liquid is not automatically useless. It may still contain collagen, amino acids and flavour. It may simply have less gelatine, more water, or collagen that has broken down into smaller pieces that do not set firmly.
Why your bone broth did not gel
A broth that does not gel usually comes down to one of five causes.
You used too much water.
Water should cover the bones. If the bones are swimming in a large pot, the gelatine is diluted.
You did not use enough collagen-rich bones.
Marrow bones alone are not enough. Add knuckles, wings, feet, backs, oxtail, shin or joints.
The cook was too short
Chicken needs several hours. Beef needs much longer.
The broth boiled too hard.
A rolling boil can damage texture and force fat into the liquid. Keep the broth at a low simmer.
The bones were too lean.
Very clean bones, with no cartilage, skin, or connective tissue, will make a lighter broth. Add joint bones next time.
If your broth tastes good but stays liquid, use it. Cook rice in it, make soup, reduce it for sauce, or drink it from a mug.
Why your bone broth is cloudy
Cloudy broth is usually caused by heat or movement. A hard boil breaks fat and fine particles into the liquid, where they stay suspended.
Other causes include:
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Not skimming the foam early
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Overcooking vegetables until they break apart
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Pressing the solids during straining
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Using bones that release more impurities
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Straining before the broth has had time to settle
Cloudy broth is still fine to eat. Appearance is the main issue. For a clearer broth next time, keep the simmer low, skim early, add delicate aromatics later, rest before straining and avoid pressing the solids.
Why your bone broth tastes greasy
Greasiness usually means too much fat has emulsified into the broth. This happens when the pot boils too hard or when very fatty bones are used without skimming.
Let the broth chill completely. The fat will rise and set on top. Lift it off with a spoon.
Next time, roast and drain very fatty beef bones before simmering, keep the heat lower and skim more carefully at the beginning.
Why your bone broth tastes bitter
Bitterness usually comes from overcooked aromatics or burned bones.
Common causes include:
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Onion skins cooked too long
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Garlic cooked for the full simmer
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Herbs left in for too many hours
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Burnt bits from over-roasted bones
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Too much vinegar
Add delicate ingredients later in the cook. Roast beef bones until browned, not blackened.
How to store bone broth
Cool the broth quickly, then store it in the fridge or freezer.
In the fridge
Chicken and beef broth will keep for up to a week in the fridge.
If the broth smells sour or unpleasant, do not use it.
In the freezer
Freeze broth in portions so it is easy to use.
Good options include:
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250ml portions for mugs
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500ml portions for soups and risottos
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Ice cube trays for sauces, gravy and quick cooking
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Reduced broth concentrate frozen in cubes
Leave space at the top of jars because liquid expands as it freezes. Properly stored, frozen broth will keep well for up to six months.
Can you reuse bones for bone broth?
You can use bones for a second, lighter batch, especially beef bones. The second batch will usually be thinner and less gelatine-rich, but it can still be useful for cooking grains, soups or sauces.
If the first broth has already cooked for 24 hours, the second batch may not give much. If the first cook was shorter, it is more worthwhile.
Do not reuse bones that smell off or have been left at room temperature for too long.
Can you make bone broth from leftover roast chicken?
Yes. A roast chicken carcass is one of the easiest ways to make bone broth at home.
Put the carcass into a pot with the wings, feet, or backs, if you have them. Add water, a splash of vinegar, onion, carrot, celery, bay and peppercorns. Simmer gently for 6-12 hours.
A carcass on its own will make a useful broth. Adding wings or feet gives it more body.
Can you make bone broth without vegetables?
Yes. Vegetables add sweetness and flavour, but they are not essential. A broth made with bones, water and a little vinegar will be plainer and more flexible.
Plain broth is useful if you want to season it differently later. You can turn the same batch into broth for soups, stews, gravy, curry or rice dishes.
What to do with bone broth
A good batch of bone broth should not sit untouched in the freezer. Use it anywhere you want savoury depth and extra nutritional value from food.
Sip it from a mug
Warm 250ml in a small pan until steaming. Season with a little salt and pepper, or keep it plain.
A mug of broth works well in the morning, as an afternoon savoury drink, or in the evening when you want something warm but light.
Cook rice or grains in it.
Replace water with bone broth when cooking rice, pearl barley, freekeh, couscous or lentils. The grains absorb flavour as they cook, so the finished dish tastes more complete without much extra work.
Use it in soup
Bone broth is the natural base for chicken noodle soup, French onion soup, beef and barley broth, ramen, pho-style bowls, minestrone and simple vegetable soups.
Use it in stews and braises.
Beef broth works well in slow-cooked beef, oxtail, short ribs, chilli, ragù, cottage pie and beef cheek dishes. Chicken broth suits chicken pie, curries, dumplings, tagines and lighter braises.
Make gravy with it
Use chicken broth for roast chicken gravy and beef broth for roast beef gravy. Reduce it with pan juices for deeper flavour.
Add it to sauces
A splash of broth improves tomato sauces, mushroom sauces, pan sauces and creamy sauces. It gives body without relying only on cream or butter.
Build a broth bowl
Start with about 300ml hot broth per person. Add a protein, two handfuls of vegetables, a cooked carb and a seasoning.
Good combinations include:
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Chicken broth, shredded chicken, leeks, carrots, rice and lemon
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Beef broth, shaved steak, mushrooms, noodles and soy sauce
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Chicken broth, tofu, Chinese cabbage, udon and miso
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Beef broth, meatballs, cavolo nero, beans and harissa
The structure is simple: broth, protein, vegetables, something filling, and a flavour direction.
When you would rather not make it
A long simmer is satisfying when the day allows. It is not always practical.
Homemade broth requires bones, time, storage space, and some attention at the beginning and end. If that fits your week, make a batch. If it does not, a ready-made bone broth can be the sensible option.
Look for a short ingredient list, proper slow cooking, clear information on protein or collagen, and a texture that shows the broth has body. Our guide to how to choose a bone broth sets this out in full. Avoid products that rely on artificial thickeners, flavourings or synthetic additions to imitate what slow cooking should produce naturally.
Freja Bone Broth exists for the days when you want the result without managing the pot. Classic Bone Broth is ready to heat and sip. A bone broth for cooking can be poured straight into soups, grains, sauces and stews, and you can buy bone broth in whichever format fits your week. The point is the same as homemade: bone broth as food, used regularly, without turning nutrition into another complicated system.
Bone broth recipe
Ingredients
For a large pot of chicken bone broth:
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1.5kg chicken bones, carcasses, wings, backs, necks or feet
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4 litres cold water, or enough to cover
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1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
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1 onion, halved
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2 carrots, roughly chopped
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2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
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1 bay leaf
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A few parsley stalks
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6-10 black peppercorns
For beef bone broth, use 3kg beef bones and 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Roast the bones first.
Method
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If making beef broth, roast the bones at 200°C for 30-45 minutes until browned. Chicken bones can be roasted for a darker broth, or left raw for a lighter one.
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Put the bones into a large stockpot. Add vinegar and cold water to cover. Leave for 20-30 minutes if you have time.
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Bring slowly to a simmer. Skim off the foam that rises to the surface.
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Add onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, parsley stalks and peppercorns.
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Reduce the heat to a bare simmer. The surface should move gently, without a rolling boil.
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Simmer chicken broth for 6-12 hours, or beef broth for 12-24 hours. Top up with hot water only if the bones become exposed.
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Lift out the bones and vegetables. Let the broth rest for 10 minutes.
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Strain through a fine sieve into a clean container.
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Cool completely, then refrigerate or freeze.
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Once chilled, lift off the fat layer if you prefer. The broth underneath may set into a jelly.
