Making and preserving instant pot broth

Making homemade broth in the instant pot has become a favorite hobby. It is so easy, tastes delicious, and I know what’s in it and am able to pronounce all of the ingredients! Now I have found an even better way to store it, so I have to share!

I started a couple of years ago making bone broth in the instant pot, here is a link to all of those details, Instant Pot Bone Broth. Then I tried vegetable broth. This experiment led to keeping two freezer bags of scraps in the freezer, one labeled Veggie Broth, and the other labeled Bone Broth. Anytime there are bones leftover from a meal they get put in the Bone Broth bag, and Veggie leftovers and scraps go in the Veggie Broth bag. The vegetable scraps can really add up fast - potato peels, broccoli and cauliflower extra pieces, onion scraps, carrot peels, ends and tops, extra seasonings such as cilantro, rosemary, and thyme. If it’s extra, it goes in the bag and the Veggie bag fills up really fast! Keep in mind, the quality of the food scraps is important to making a healthy broth. If it is organic meat and vegetables, you are going to end up with the most healthy and quality broth.

When it is time to make broth, simply place your ingredients into the instant pot, add water to cover the ingredients, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and any extra seasonings you might like. Set the time for 50 minutes on manual high, or a comparable setting for your instant pot.

If you are in a hurry to use the broth you could release the pressure, or if you have time and are planning ahead for a meal, allow it to sit in the pot until you are ready to use it. That is one of my favorite qualities of the instant pot!

I recently discovered these silicon freezer cubes that are perfect for preserving your broth. Each cube is 1 cup, perfect for measuring out for recipes! Simply fill the cubes, freeze, and then store the cubes in a freezer bag. One cup portions are at your fingertips whether you are making soup, simmering rice, or putting stew in the crock pot, the homemade broths are simple and healthy! And I think kinda fun to make, it’s like a craft day in the kitchen! These silicon freezer trays are available on amazon.

When you have gathered enough bones or vegetables to fill your instant pot at least half full, you are ready to make broth. Whether it is chicken, beef, vegetables, or a combination of all of those, just make sure you have your pot about half full. If you prefer a clearer broth you could run it through a cheesecloth or strainer. Then into the freezer cubes it goes and once frozen it can be removed and stored in a freezer bag. On the day you plan to use the broth, just place the cube or cubes in a glass measuring cup on the counter to thaw.

Another love about the instant pot is that you can walk away, go do errands or yard work, and come back hours later to resume your kitchen project. No need to hassle over a timer, or make sure something is removed from the heat in time.

So good, so healthy, so simple, and now so easy to store. I hope you enjoy this healthy little kitchen trick as much as I do! Here’s to healthy broth!