Beef bone broth is a kitchen staple I’ve been making for years — slow-simmered, rich, and deeply flavorful. I sip it on its own and use it to make incredible soups. Make a big batch and freeze some for later!
See that thick jello in the jar up there? That’s beef bone broth, and it’s one of the best things that you can make for your kitchen.
We ALWAYS have some in our freezer. With some homemade bone broth on hand, you can whip up a batch of super flavorful soup in no time at all. All you need are a few veggies, some meat, and this broth, and your soup will taste AMAZING!
How long does bone broth keep? Homemade bone broth will keep for 3–5 days in a sealed container in the fridge. It also freezes incredibly well, so for longer storage, I freeze it in batches. I like using reusable freezer bags (such as Stasher bags ) since they stack nicely and save space.
Can bone broth be made in a crockpot? Yes! In step 4 of the recipe, add the roasted bones to your slow cooker and cover them with water. Set it to low for 10 hours, then turn it on again for another 10 hours. You can continue cooking it on low for 24–48 hours to extract even more flavor.
Do I need to add vegetables or spices to the bone broth? I’ve been making bone broth for many years and have tried versions with vegetables and herbs as well as batches made with only bones. You can absolutely make an excellent broth using just the bones. But if you have veggie scraps — onion and garlic peels, carrot ends, parsley stems, celery bits — go ahead and toss them in. I often save these scraps in a freezer bag and use them when it’s time to make stock.
Why is it best to pre-boil the bones? If you plan on drinking the broth, don’t skip this step. A quick pre-boil removes impurities (like blood) and makes the broth taste much cleaner. If you skip it, the broth can taste quite strong — and not in a pleasant way. As a bonus, pre-boiling eliminates the need to skim foam from the pot later. Tip: Use a smaller pot for this step so the water comes to a boil faster.
Why do you roast the bones? I roast the bones to add deeper flavor and color to the broth. You can skip it if you’re short on time — I sometimes do — but roasting the bones does give you a richer, more complex broth.
Where can I buy beef bones for making broth? Most grocery stores sell soup bones in the meat department. If you don’t see any, ask the butcher — they often have some in the back. You can also save bones whenever you cook a bone-in roast, ribs, or steak and keep them in the freezer until you have enough to make broth. If you’re using bones that have already been cooked, you can skip both the pre-boiling and roasting steps in the recipe.
Step-by-step photos
Step 1: Put the bones into a pot and cover them with water.
Step 2: Boil the bones rapidly for about 15 minutes (to remove impurities!)
Step 3: Drain the pot, then place the bones on a baking sheet.
Step 4: Roast the bones at a high temperature (for flavor!)
Step 5: Put the roasted bones in the largest pot you have.
Step 6: Simmer them gently for 12-48 hours (the longer the better!)
Step 7: Strain the bone broth through a colander.
Step 8: Strain it again through a fine-mesh sieve.
Step 9: Chill the broth overnight in your fridge.
Step 10: Scrape the hardened fat off the top, then store the jello-like bone broth.
The Best Beef Bone Broth Recipe (for soups and sipping!)
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Ingredients
- ▢ 6 lb beef soup bones (see notes)
- ▢ 48 cups water (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the bones to a large pot and cover them with an inch of water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Continue to boil the bones rapidly for 15 minutes. Dain the bones through a colander. 6 lb beef soup bones
- Place the bones on a baking sheet and put them into the oven. Roast the bones for 45 minutes, or until they are well browned. Carefully remove the pan from the oven. (Tip: save the oil that is on the pan and use it for cooking!)
- Place the roasted bones in a stockpot and cover with 3-inches of water. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so that the water is simmering very gently. Continue to simmer the broth (with the lid on!) for 12-48 hours. Check the pot occasionally and add water if the bones start showing. 48 cups water
- Place a colander in a very large bowl. Carefully strain the stock to remove the bones.
- Place a fine-mesh sieve over another large bowl and strain the broth a second time to remove any small bits of bones.
- Let the broth cool slightly then put it into your fridge to cool completely. Letting it cool overnight is best.
- Carefully scrape off the layer of fat that has hardened on top. Underneath the fat, the broth will be thick and jello-like. (Tip: save this fat and use it for cooking, too!)
- Store the broth in the fridge for up to 4 days or in your freezer for 6 months.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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Sausage Lentil Soup with Parmesan and Kale
The Best Beef Bone Broth Recipe (for soups and sipping!)
Ingredients
- 6 lb beef soup bones , see notes
- 48 cups water , see notes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the bones to a large pot and cover them with an inch of water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Continue to boil the bones rapidly for 15 minutes. Dain the bones through a colander. 6 lb beef soup bones
- Place the bones on a baking sheet and put them into the oven. Roast the bones for 45 minutes, or until they are well browned. Carefully remove the pan from the oven. (Tip: save the oil that is on the pan and use it for cooking!)
- Place the roasted bones in a stockpot and cover with 3-inches of water. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so that the water is simmering very gently. Continue to simmer the broth (with the lid on!) for 12-48 hours. Check the pot occasionally and add water if the bones start showing. 48 cups water
- Place a colander in a very large bowl. Carefully strain the stock to remove the bones.
- Place a fine-mesh sieve over another large bowl and strain the broth a second time to remove any small bits of bones.
- Let the broth cool slightly then put it into your fridge to cool completely. Letting it cool overnight is best.
- Carefully scrape off the layer of fat that has hardened on top. Underneath the fat, the broth will be thick and jello-like. (Tip: save this fat and use it for cooking, too!)
- Store the broth in the fridge for up to 4 days or in your freezer for 6 months.
