Homemade bone broth is an all-day affair - literally! But not in the Instant Pot. This Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth recipe produces fantastic results in a fraction of the time over stovetop preparations.

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What is Beef Bone Broth?
Beef bone broth consists of beef bones that are boiled in water until they release their nutrients. The result is a savory broth that is slightly gelatinous, resulting from the release of collagen.
Making bone broth can be a time-consuming process on the stovetop, but the Instant Pot (or another type of pressure cooker) makes it much quicker!
Why You Will Love This Homemade Beef Bone Broth
- Customize the Flavors. You can use pork bones, veal bones, chicken bones, etc. instead of beef bones. Or use a mix of any or all of the above! You can add veggies to the mix or leave them out. Same goes for seasonings.
- Less Waste. You are using parts of the animal that may not otherwise be used which means less waste! Go you. Even better, you won't need to buy beef broth next time you need it!
- The Instant Pot Makes It Easier. The time commitment is considerably less with an Instant Pot involved. We're talking an all-day affair on the stovetop that is reduced to less than half the time with an Instant Pot.
- Great Addition to Meals. And for those who are following a carnivore diet, bone broth can be a valuable addition to their daily routine. And with an Instant Pot, making it has never been easier!
If you love cooking meals in your Instant Pot, try this Instant Pot Salsa Chicken and Pork Butt too!
Ingredients
- Beef bones: I used meaty ones.
- Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar helps release minerals from the bones.
- Water: Use filtered water and fill up just below the max fill line. I used water that was filtered in a Brita pitcher.
- Salt - To enhance and bring out the flavors of the broth.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below - keep scrolling!
Quick Beef Broth Variations
You can tweak this basic Beef Bone Broth recipe to give it more flavor. Here are a few tasty and recommended additions:
- Black and/or pink peppercorns
- Dried herbs like rosemary or thyme
- Cloves
- Bay leaves
- Roasted vegetables, like carrots, peppers, and onions
- Garlic cloves
How to Make Beef Bone Broth in the Instant Pot

- Arrange your beef bones on a large baking sheet.

- Roast beef bones in a 400° F oven for 30-35 minutes on the top oven rack.

- Add roasted beef bones (along with drippings from the pan), apple cider vinegar, filtered water, and salt to your Instant Pot.

- Seal the lid and set your Instant Pot to High Pressure cook for 2 hours. Allow it to naturally release the pressure for about 90 minutes.
- Fill your sink with ice. Remove the interior pot from your Instant Pot and nestle it in the ice to quickly cool the bone broth.
- Strain the broth over a fine-mesh sieve to filter out the bones and other chunks.
- Transfer the beef bone broth to lidded containers (like Mason jars) for storage. I prefer to finish chilling in the refrigerator, then skim the solidified fat off the top before deciding the beef bone broth's final destination - fridge or freezer.
Yield: This recipe makes about 16-17 cups of broth.
PRO TIP: This is the best, most comprehensive guide to Instant Pot Bone Broth I’ve come across - and it includes directions on including veggies in your broth. My version of Instant Pot Bone Broth was inspired by The Kitchn's recipe, but I wanted to keep this one as simple and straightforward as possible; so easy you could memorize the recipe.

How to Use Beef Bone Broth
Homemade Beef Bone Broth has SO many great uses; here are a few to get you started.
- Soup! An obvious choice, but worth mentioning! Try this 4-Ingredient Potato Soup and this Instant Pot Pinto Bean Soup.
- Gravy, mmm
- Drink it! It's good for you!
- Use it to flavor rice (like in this Instant Pot Basmati Rice), quinoa, and other grains while they cook
Top Tips for the BEST Bone Broth
Tip 1. Store: Keep the beef bone broth in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to three months.
Tip 2. Release the Pressure Early: If you want to hurry up the process, release after 30-45 minutes but keep in mind there will still be a significant amount of pressure to let off.
Tip 3. Roast the Bones: If you have time, roast the bones first! It adds complexity and depth of flavor.
Tip 4. Don't Be Afraid to Add Ingredients: Basil, oregano, rosemary, bay leaf, and thyme are great additions that add layers of flavor. Peppercorns, cloves, and roasted vegetables also bring lots of flavor to the bone broth party.
Recipe FAQs
I’m not gonna comment on the purported health benefits as I’m not a nutritionist, but bone broth has been widely touted as beneficial for hair, skin, and nail health due to the collagen (protein) in it. Whether you drink it on its own to soak up the benefits or want to use it as a fabulous soup base, this simple recipe produces excellent, great-tasting results.
The Instant Pot I am using in this recipe is an 8-quart model. This is the exact Instant Pot I own - I highly recommend it! If using a 6-quart Instant Pot, you may need to adjust the amount of water added so that you don't go above the max fill line.
I do highly recommend roasting your bones in the oven first. This adds complexity to the resulting broth and is well worth the time investment.
More Instant Pot Recipes
If you tried this Bone Broth in the Instant Pot recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!

Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth
Equipment
- Mason jars (or other lidded containers for storage)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef bones (I used meaty ones)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 16 cups water, filtered (in an 8 quart Instant Pot, this is just below the max fill line)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange your beef bones on a large baking sheet.
- Roast beef bones for 30-35 minutes on the top oven rack.
- Add roasted beef bones (along with drippings from the pan), 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 16 cups of filtered water, and 1 teaspoon of salt to your Instant Pot (I used an 8-quart model; reduce the amount of water if using a 6-quart to ensure you don’t go over the max fill line).
- Seal the lid and set your Instant Pot to High Pressure cook for 2 hours. The Instant Pot will take around 30 minutes to begin cooking.
- When the 2 hours are up, leave it alone for 90 minutes to naturally release the pressure. If you want to hurry up the process, release after 30-45 minutes (there will still be a significant amount of pressure to let off).
- Fill your sink with ice. Remove the interior pot from your Instant Pot and nestle in the ice. For safety reasons, it’s best to cool off your bone broth as quickly as possible.
- Once cool, transfer the beef bone broth to lidded containers (like Mason jars) for storage. Strain over a fine-mesh sieve to filter the bones and other chunks out. I prefer to finish chilling in the refrigerator, then skim the solidified fat off the top before deciding the beef bone broth's final destination - fridge or freezer.
- Store the beef bone broth in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to three months.
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