How to Make Beef Bone Broth on the Stovetop (Simple From-Scratch Method)

Make a rich, nourishing beef bone broth on the stovetop—that's all finished up before it's time to go to bed. Using this method, you can make a long-simmered beef bone broth that can cook for up to 15 hours without leaving your stove on overnight. In just a short time you'll have a collagen rich broth ready to use in your favorite recipes or to enjoy on its own!

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Bone broth has become a staple in our household. I love adding it to homemade soups like this From-Scratch Beef Borscht recipe. I can't believe that for years I was throwing away all of my bones or just tossing them to my dogs.

Making bone broth sounded intimidating and difficult to me. I attempted making it a couple of times but didn't like how it turned out, so I stayed away from making bone broth and just purchased it instead. But after realizing what ingredients were in the store-bought bone broth, I didn't like that option either—so it was back to figuring out how to make bone broth in ways that worked for me and tasted good!

One of the biggest obstacles I had with making my own bone broth was that I personally wasn't comfortable leaving my stove on for 24 hours plus. I wouldn't be able to sleep with the stove on! I know everyone has a different thought on those types of things, and that's ok, but I just couldn't do it.

When I started using an electric roaster oven to make bone broth, that changed everything! I had found a solution to be to be able to make bone broth that I could let simmer for 24 hours or longer. I love that using an electric roaster makes a large batch. You can find a post about how I make a large batch of beef bone broth in an electric roaster oven here.

But I like to have options and sometimes I only have a small number of bones, and that's where this Beef Bone Broth on the Stovetop recipe comes in. I found a way that works for me to be able to get a decent amount of simmer time, all in one day and be finished before bedtime—with no overnight cooking required! Farther down in the post, I'll post a visual timeline of how I do this and share my schedule below.

What is Beef Bone Broth?

Let's talk about the basics before we go any farther. Beef Bone Broth is a nutrient dense beverage/broth that is made by simmering beef bones and connective tissues, vegetables, herbs, and spices in water for an extended amount of time. This time can range from 12-48 hours, sometimes longer. The long simmering process allows for the extraction of collagen, amino acids, and minerals.

Typically, something acidic is added to the water to help extract the minerals as well, like apple cider vinegar. After the long, slow simmer is finished, the broth is strained and the bones and vegetables are discarded. Because bone broth contains gelatin, amino acids, and minerals, people often drink it warmed in a mug for the health benefits. It's also a great nutritious broth to add to soups, stews, and recipes to give your meals a boost in nutrition and flavor as well, which is how my family uses it.

What's is the Difference Between Broth, Stock and Bone Broth?

Broth: traditionally made from meat, along with vegetables and seasonings, and simmered for a short amount of time—between 2-4 hours.

Stock: mostly made of bones, vegetables, and seasonings, and simmered for a few hours— between 4-6 hours.

Bone Broth- almost the same as "stock" as it is bones, vegetables, and seasonings but the big difference is that bone broth cooks for 12-48 hours. The longer simmer time extracts more collagen out of the bones—and collagen in the bones converts to gelatin in the broth.

Why You'll Love This Homemade Beef Bone Broth

Realistic for busy schedules- everything can be prepped the night before, thrown in the stockpot in the morning, simmered throughout the day, and finished up by bedtime! Completely doable on the weekend!

No special equipment- this stovetop method doesn't require special equipment or kitchen supplies. You only need tools that are typical in most well stocked kitchens.

Mostly hands off- after you prepare all of the ingredients and get the broth simmering, all that's needed is to check in on it every now and then.

Nourishing- rich in minerals, nutrients, and collagen. Bone broth also has a good amount of protein—with each cup containing 8-10 grams of protein.

How I Schedule Making Beef Bone Broth on the Stovetop

I found this timeline to work really well to be able to achieve a long simmer and still finish cooking by bedtime. This makes it possible to make a nourishing bone broth without any overnight cooking! Here is how I plan this out so that it is easy and doable for anyone!

Evening Before/Day Before

1. Roast the bones: Roast the bones in the oven to brown and caramelize. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

2. Prep the vegetables: Wash and rough chop carrots, celery, and onions. Place them in a Ziplock bag or bowl and store in the refrigerator.

3. Measure the spices: Combine dried thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or Ziplock bag.

Now all the prep work is complete for cooking the bone broth the next day!

Cooking Day

1.Start early: Around 5:30 AM, place the roasted bones, prepped vegetables, and measured spices into the stockpot and add vinegar and filtered water.

2. Simmer all day: Let the broth gently simmer until about 8:30 PM—approximately 15 hours. You can cook for less time if you prefer, or whatever suits your schedule.

3. Strain and cool slightly: Strain the broth and allow it to cool for around 30-60 minutes before moving it to the fridge around 9:30 PM.

Next Day

Skim the fat off the top and the broth is ready to use in soups, freeze it, or pressure can for later use. With this schedule you can get a delicious collagen-rich beef bone broth without needing to cook overnight!

Ingredients for Homemade Beef Bone Broth

Making beef bone broth requires just a few simple ingredients.

Beef Bones

• 4-5 pounds beef bones (knuckle/joint bones, marrow bones, or oxtail)

Vegetables

• 2-3 carrots
• 2-3 celery stalks
• 1 large onion

Herbs and Seasonings

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon mineral salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Liquid

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• Filtered water

Ingredient Tips

• A mixture of bones creates the best flavor. Marrow bones add richness while knuckle bones add gelatin.
• Roughly cut the vegetables. The vegetables will be strained out and discarded later, so no need to be precise.
• Apple cider vinegar helps extract minerals from the bones during the long simmering process.
• Tips for sourcing beef bones. The best and most affordable way to get a large amount of beef bones is to buy a share of beef from a local farmer. Another great option is to check with a local butcher or ask meat venders at your local farmer's market. High quality bone broth starts with high quality bones from healthy animals, so it's always best to try sourcing bones that come from grass-fed and grass-finished cows. If you live on the east coast of the USA, a great online source is Watson Farms. We have personally toured their farm and learned about their regenerative practices.

Kitchen Supplies Needed for Making Beef Bone Broth

• Large stockpot (minimum 8 quart)
• Sheet pan or 9x13 Pyrex dish (for roasting bones)
• Parchment paper-optional but saves a lot of cleanup time
• Tongs
• Soup ladle
• Fine mesh strainer
• Large bowl
• Skimmer-optional, but can be helpful when removing the fat layer from the top of the broth

How to Make Beef Bone Broth on the Stovetop

Start by roasting the bones in the oven—technically this step is optional, but I highly recommend roasting the bones for the best flavor.

Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a sheet pan or a 9x13 Pyrex dish with parchment paper (optional, but helpful for faster cleanup). Then, place the bones in a single layer on the pan and roast them in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Using tongs, turn the bones about halfway through the roasting time.

While the bones are roasting, prepare the vegetables by chopping the carrots, celery, and onions. You can leave the skins on the onion if you prefer for a richer colored broth.

Remove the roasted beef bones from the oven once they are browned and caramelized—just be careful not to burn them. They should look similar to the picture below.

If you're following my schedule that is posted above, place the bones and the vegetables in the refrigerator for the next day.

When you're ready to start simmering the broth, place the bones in the bottom of a large stockpot.

Add the carrots, celery, onions, dried herbs, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper.

Add filtered water to the stockpot until everything is covered, leaving several inches of space from the top, so that it doesn't boil over.

Place the lid on the stockpot slightly ajar and turn the temperature to high for 15-20 minutes or until the broth reaches a gentle boil. Then reduce the temperature to low and simmer for 12-15 hours.

*Note-Keep an eye on the liquid levels throughout the day, as you will likely need to add extra water back into the stockpot, because some water will evaporate while cooking. Be sure the bones and vegetables stay covered.

Once finished cooking, now it's time to strain the bone broth. Place a fine mesh strainer over the top of a large bowl. Ladle the broth into the strainer collecting the vegetable scraps and any pieces of meat, fat, or bones.

* If you are going to pressure can the broth, you need to avoid getting any vegetable pieces in your broth because canning times for bone broth are altered when there are vegetables in the broth verses a clear broth.

Discard the remaining vegetable scraps and bones or compost them.

Allow the bowl of strained broth to sit on the counter to cool off slightly for 30-60 minutes, then place the bone broth in the refrigerator. Chill overnight.

Once the broth is fully chilled the fat will rise to the top and solidify in a solid layer. Using a skimmer or a spoon, gently lift the fat off the top of the broth. You can discard this or save it and use it for cooking. Now all that's left is a beautiful gelatinous beef bone broth!

Your beef bone broth is now ready to be used right away, freeze for later, or pressure can for shelf stable storage.

Try using this delicious bone broth in soup recipes like my From-Scratch Beef Borscht.

Helpful Tips for the Best Bone Broth

• Use a mix of marrow and knuckle bones for best flavor and maximum collagen
• Add vinegar to help extract minerals and collagen
• Use high quality bones from grass fed and grass finished cattle
• Gentle simmering prevents cloudiness
• Roast the bones before simmering

How to use Beef Bone Broth

Homemade beef bone broth can be used in many simple everyday recipes; here are a few ways to enjoy it.

• Use it as a base for soups and stews, like my borscht recipe
• Cook rice or grains in bone broth for extra flavor
• Add it to sauces and gravies
• Sip a warm mug of broth on its own

How to Store Beef Bone Broth

• Refrigerator: 4-5 days
• Freezer: 6 months for best quality, up to 12 months maximum
• Pressure canning

Frequently Asked Questions About making Beef Bone Broth on the Stovetop

How long do I need to simmer beef bone broth?

Simmer the broth for a minimum of 12 hours, but for beef bones, it's best to simmer for at least 24 hours or longer. Although this stovetop method only simmers for 15 hours, you'll still get a nutritious, collagen rich bone broth. If you're interested in a simple way to simmer broth for a longer time, check out my recipe using an electric roaster oven here.

Why didn't my bone broth gel?

Gel formation primarily depends on the release of collagen, because collagen (in bones) converts to ➡️gelatin (in the broth).
A few reasons bone broth may not gel:
•Not using enough collagen-rich bones (like knuckle/joint bones, oxtail)
•To short of simmer time.
•Water to bone ratio was too high. (This can also happen by adding to much water back into the broth from evaporation, which dilutes the gelatin.)
•Not using apple cider vinegar, which help to maximize collagen extraction from the bones.

Do I need to roast the bones first?

Roasting the bones really helps the flavor of bone broth. You can skip this step if desired, but I feel it really helps to enhance the flavor of the finished broth.

How long does beef bone broth last in the refrigerator?

Homemade beef bone broth will keep in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. For longer storage freeze or pressure can.

Can I freeze bone broth?

Yes. Allow the broth to cool, then transfer broth to an airtight freezer container, leaving a little extra room for expansion. Frozen broth can be stored for 6-12 months. (*12 months only if stored in a deep freezer that holds a temperature of 0℉ or colder.)

Can you make bone broth in an electric roaster?

Yes! Roasters work great for making large batches because they hold more bones and water than stockpots. It's also easier to simmer bone broth for extended amounts of time compared to using the stovetop method. Find my instructions for an electric roaster method here.