To make beef bone broth, roast 1.5 to 2kg of beef marrow and knuckle bones at 200°C for 30 to 40 minutes. Put them in a big pot with vegetables, herbs and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, cover with cold water and bring to a gentle boil. Then simmer on the lowest heat for about 48 hours. Strain, chill overnight and lift off the fat. Use it within two days (48 hours, per the Food Standards Agency, cooking your food (2026)) or freeze it.
Short on time? Our Original Beef Bone Broth Concentrate is made from bones we slow-cook for 48 hours, then reduced to a thick liquid you stir into hot water. Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons into a 250ml cup of hot water, depending on what you are using it for. One serving is one 250ml cup.
What are the quick facts?
Use 1.5 to 2kg of beef bones in 3 to 4 litres of cold water, roast at 200°C for 30 to 40 minutes, then simmer for about 48 hours.
- Bones: 1.5 to 2kg beef marrow and knuckle bones
- Water: enough cold water to cover by about 5cm, usually 3 to 4 litres
- Roast (optional, for a deeper flavour): 200°C for 30 to 40 minutes
- Simmer: about 48 hours
- Chill: overnight in the fridge before you lift off the fat
Which bones should you use for bone broth?
Marrow bones and knuckle bones work best for beef broth. Marrow bones give a rich, fatty flavour. Knuckle bones give the broth its set, the jelly-like wobble you see once it is cold. Buy 1.5 to 2kg for one big pot. Grass-fed bones are ideal if you can find them.
| Bone | Why use it |
|---|---|
| Marrow bones | Rich, fatty beef flavour |
| Knuckle bones | The set: gelatine that makes the broth wobble when cold |
| Oxtail or beef ribs (optional) | Extra meaty flavour; swap in for some of the weight |
Butchers and farm shops may sell bones. If they are not on display, ask. We only make beef bone broth, so this guide sticks to beef. Chicken carcasses and lamb bones also make broth. They need different timings from the ones below.
What do you need to make bone broth?
You need beef bones, vinegar, vegetables, herbs and cold water. Quantities are below.
- 1.5 to 2kg beef bones (marrow and knuckle)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 onions, quartered
- 3 carrots, roughly chopped
- 3 celery stalks
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- Fresh thyme and rosemary (optional)
- Enough cold water to cover (usually 3 to 4 litres)
How do you make bone broth on the hob?
On the hob, roast the bones, fill the pot, simmer low for about 48 hours, then strain and chill.
1. Roast the bones (30 to 40 minutes)
Spread the bones on a baking tray and roast at 200°C for 30 to 40 minutes until browned. Roasting browns the surface of the bones, which adds a deeper savoury flavour (this is the Maillard reaction). Unroasted bones make a blander broth.
2. Fill the pot
Move the roasted bones to your largest pot. Add the vegetables, garlic, herbs and peppercorns. Pour in cold water until everything is covered by about 5cm, then add the vinegar.
3. Simmer low and slow (about 48 hours)
Bring to a gentle boil, then turn the heat right down to the lowest simmer your hob allows. You want tiny bubbles rising now and then. Simmer for about 48 hours.
The bones should crumble when you press them. Top up the water as needed and hold a low simmer. If you will be out or asleep, use the slow cooker method below rather than leaving a pot on the hob.
4. Strain and chill (20 minutes, then overnight)
Take the pot off the heat and let it cool for 20 minutes so you do not burn yourself. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth, and throw the solids away. Pour the liquid into smaller glass jars or containers, so it cools more quickly, and get it into the fridge within two hours of cooking (see "How do you store, cool and reheat bone broth?" below). Leave it there overnight. A layer of fat will set on top. Lift it off when you reheat, or before if you like.
Can you make bone broth in a slow cooker?
You can, using the same ingredients as the hob method.
- Roast the bones as above.
- Put everything in the slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for about 48 hours, topping up the water as needed. Many slow cookers switch to keep-warm or turn off after about 20 to 24 hours, so check your slow cooker's maximum run time and restart it if needed.
- Strain and chill as in step 4.
Can you make bone broth in an Instant Pot?
Yes, with 3 to 4 hours in a pressure cooker (such as an Instant Pot), the timing in BBC Good Food's beef broth recipe (2026).
- Roast the bones first for a deeper flavour.
- Put the bones, vegetables and herbs in the pot and add cold water, staying below the maximum fill line.
- Pressure cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- Strain and chill as in step 4 of the hob method.
What are the most common bone broth mistakes?
Four common mistakes are boiling instead of simmering, using too little bone for the water, skipping the roast and stopping too early.
Boiling instead of simmering
A hard boil makes the broth cloudy and bitter. Keep it low.
Too little bone for the water
Stick to 1.5 to 2kg of bones for 3 to 4 litres, which is about 1kg of bones to 2 litres of water, the ratio in BBC Good Food's beef broth recipe (2026). Too much water gives a thin, diluted flavour.
Skipping the roast
Unroasted bones give a broth that tastes like slightly beefy water.
Stopping too early
If the bones do not crumble when pressed, give it longer.
How do you know if your bone broth set?
A good broth wobbles like jelly after a night in the fridge. Shake the container to check. That wobble is gelatine, which comes from the collagen in the bones and sets as the broth cools. If yours is liquid, use more bones or simmer for longer next time. If it set, you have made a proper bone broth.
How do you store, cool and reheat bone broth?
Cool it within two hours, keep it in the fridge and use it within two days, or freeze it. The details are below.
- Cool it quickly. The Food Standards Agency, student guide to food safety and hygiene (2026) says to cool and cover leftovers and put them in the fridge or freezer within one to two hours. NHS inform, 2025 says to cool cooked food as quickly as possible, within 2 hours. Splitting the broth into smaller portions helps it cool quicker.
- Fridge. Keep your fridge between 0°C and 5°C (NHS inform, 2025, Food Standards Agency, how to chill, freeze and defrost food safely (2026)). Use the broth within two days (48 hours) of cooking, or freeze it (Food Standards Agency, cooking your food (2026)).
- Freezer. Freezing in smaller portions means you can defrost only what you need. Only take out of the freezer what you intend to use within 24 hours of defrosting. If it has been frozen and defrosted, reheat it and eat it within 24 hours (NHS inform, 2025).
- Reheating. Heat it until it is steaming hot throughout, and only reheat it once (Food Standards Agency, cooking your food (2026), NHS, meat in your diet (2024)). On the hob, stir frequently.
Already using concentrate instead? Here is how to store bone broth after opening.
What is the difference between bone broth, bone stock and beef broth?
Bone broth comes from simmering bones in water for a long time. Stock is usually made by simmering meat and vegetables. "Beef broth" is the general name for a beef-flavoured broth, and a bone broth made from beef bones is one kind of it. People also search for this recipe as bone stock or beef broth. The method on this page is simmered beef bones.
What if you do not have time to simmer for 48 hours?
If you do not have two days, our Original Beef Bone Broth Concentrate is ready in minutes in a 250ml cup of hot water. We slow-cook ours for 48 hours so you don't have to. A cook that long at home means two days of topping up the water and keeping the hob or slow cooker running, plus finding the bones and room to store litres of broth. Use 1 teaspoon for a lighter sip and 2 for a richer broth or for cooking. Original Beef is beef and evaporated sea salt. The cattle are 100% grass-fed and come from Australia and New Zealand, and the broth is made in Queensland.
Saul, our co-founder: "Mostly a mug in the morning but I also use it for adding protein to my rice or as part of a stir-fry"
- Original Beef Bone Broth Concentrate - 350g (35 Servings)
- Original Beef Bone Broth Concentrate - 260g (25 Servings)
- Original Beef Bone Broth Concentrate - 375g (37 Servings)
- See the Original Beef collection, or every flavour in the beef bone broth collection.
Our jars and bottles last 12 months unopened, but check the best-before date on the label. Once opened, keep it in the fridge with the lid on and use it within 4-6 weeks. Delivery takes up to 3-5 working days.
Looking for what to cook with it? See our bone broth recipes. Once you have a batch, see what to make with bone broth.
What do people ask about making bone broth?
How long should I simmer bone broth?
About 48 hours. On the hob, keep the heat at the lowest simmer, with tiny bubbles rising now and then. The bones should crumble when you press them.
What are the best bones for bone broth?
For beef broth, marrow bones and knuckle bones work best. Use 1.5 to 2kg of bones for 3 to 4 litres of cold water. Oxtail and beef ribs also work, and grass-fed bones are ideal if you can find them.
Do I have to roast the bones first?
Roasting is optional, and it gives a deeper broth. Roast the bones at 200°C for 30 to 40 minutes until browned.
Can I make bone broth in a slow cooker or pressure cooker?
Yes. In a slow cooker, roast the bones first, then cook on LOW for about 48 hours, topping up the water as needed. Check its maximum run time, as many slow cookers switch to keep-warm or turn off after about 20 to 24 hours. In a pressure cooker such as an Instant Pot, cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, then let the pressure release naturally. A long simmer gives more depth than the pressure version.
How long does homemade bone broth keep?
Keep it in the fridge and use it within two days (48 hours), or freeze it. Split it into smaller portions so you can defrost only what you need, and eat it within 24 hours of defrosting. Reheat it until it is steaming hot throughout, and only once.
Why did my bone broth not set?
It usually means there were too few bones for the water, or the broth did not simmer for long enough. Next time, use more bones or simmer for longer. After a night in the fridge, a broth that has set wobbles like jelly, and that is the gelatine from the bones.
What if I do not have 48 hours?
Use our Original Beef Bone Broth Concentrate. Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons into a 250ml cup of hot water. It comes in a 350g jar and in 260g and 375g bottles.
