How to Can Beef Broth for Delicious Homemade Stock Year-Round

Canning homemade beef broth allows you to enjoy the rich, hearty flavor of meat stock all year long. While freezing small batches of broth is one storage option, processing it in a pressure canner extends the shelf life for up to 2 years!

Canned beef broth is infinitely better than store-bought boxes. You control the ingredients, quality of beef, and cooking time. Follow these simple steps for safely pressure canning beef broth at home.

Benefits of Canning Beef Broth

Canning homemade stock offers many advantages:

Long shelf life – Properly canned broth lasts 18+ months. No need to worry about freezer burn.
Saves money – Much cheaper than store-bought broth. Make your own from scratch.
Flavor control – Craft your perfect broth with bones, veg and seasonings.
Convenience – Pantry-stable broth ready anytime for cooking or soups.
Storage space – Canning takes up less room than storing freezer containers.
Nutritious – Full of collagen, minerals and nutrients from real bones and meat.

Tips for Making Beef Broth for Canning

Start with good ingredients for the most flavorful canned broth:

Bones – Use meaty soup and marrow bones. Roast in the oven first for deeper flavor.
Meat – Brown off beef shanks, oxtails or other stew meat to add to the broth.
Veggies – Onion, celery, carrots, garlic all add great flavor and nutrients.
Herbs & spices – Bay leaves, thyme, parsley and peppercorns enhance the broth.
Simmer time – Gently simmer stock for at least 2-4 hours, up to 24 for maximum extraction.
Acids – Avoid adding vinegar or wine, as acids can interfere with canning safety.

How to Can Beef Broth in a Pressure Canner

Pressure canning is the only safe method for low-acid foods like meat broth. Follow these steps:

1. Prepare the Broth

Start with about 6 quarts freshly made beef broth. Remove bones and strain out solids. Skim off any fat that rises to the top.

2. Preheat Pressure Canner

Place rack and 2 inches of water in canner. Heat on medium until steaming.

3. Fill Jars

Ladle hot broth into clean pint or quart jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Wipe rims. Apply lids and rings.

4. Load Canner

Place sealed jars on rack using a jar lifter, without touching sides. Lock canner lid.

5. Vent and Pressurize Canner

Once steam releases from vent pipe, close it. Allow canner to reach required pressure.

6. Process Jars

Process pint jars for 20 minutes, quart jars for 25 minutes at designated pressure based on your altitude.

7. Allow Canner to Cool

When processing time ends, let canner depressurize naturally on its own for 10-15 minutes.

8. Remove Jars

Once canner is fully depressurized, use a jar lifter to transfer jars to a towel to cool completely undisturbed.

9. Check Seals

After 12-24 hours, check lids for an airtight seal. Press center of each lid – it should not pop up and down if properly sealed.

10. Store Sealed Jars

Wipe jars clean. Label and date lids. Store in a cool, dark place up to 2 years. Use within 1-2 days once opened.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Canning Beef Broth

Follow this complete walkthrough for safely pressure canning beef broth at home:

Ingredients

4 quarts beef broth
4 pint jars or 2 quart jars
Jar lids and rings
Pressure canner
Jar lifter
Canning funnel

Process

Make a rich beef broth using soup bones, roast beef bones, vegetables and seasonings. Simmer for at least 2 hours.
Strain the broth through a mesh strainer into a large pot. Discard solids. Skim off any fat from the top.
Fill the pressure canner pot halfway with water. Place canner rack inside. Heat on medium-high until steaming.
While canner comes to a boil, prep jars. Wash in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Let air dry.
Fill a canning funnel halfway with strained broth. Ladle hot broth into jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp paper towel. Center lids and screw rings on just fingertip tight.
Use a jar lifter to transfer full, sealed jars to canner rack, gently lowering them onto rack.
Lock canner lid in place. Turn heat to high. Exhaust steam 10 minutes then close vent.
Once correct pressure is reached, start timer for 20 minutes (pints) or 25 minutes (quarts).
When time is up, turn off heat. Allow canner to depressurize 10-15 minutes before opening lid.
Use jar lifter to transfer jars to a towel. Leave undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Do not retighten rings.
After jars fully cool, test seals by pressing on centers of lids. Lid should not pop up and down if properly sealed.
Label sealed jars with contents and canning date. Store in a cool, dark place up to 2 years. Refrigerate after opening.

Troubleshooting Canning Beef Broth

Having issues with your canned broth? Here are some common problems and solutions:

Cloudy broth – Strain thoroughly through cheesecloth before canning. Skim fat before and after canning. Use a gentle simmer when cooking.

Floating food – Remove any bones, veggies or herbs before canning. Leave proper 1 inch headspace. Release pressure naturally.

Not sealing – Check jar rims for chips. Use new lids. Adjust for altitude. Process full indicated time in pressurized canner.

Losing liquid – Clean jar rims thoroughly before applying lids. Tighten rings just finger-tip tight before processing. Allow canner to depressurize naturally.

Discolored broth – Use stainless steel pots and avoid cast iron or aluminum pots when making broth to prevent discoloration.

Off smells or taste – Never can meat broth using a water bath canner, always use a pressure canner. Check seals before storing. Discard any jars with poor seals or rust.

Tips for Using Canned Beef Broth

Canned beef broth is ready to use in all your favorite recipes! Follow these tips:

Check seals before opening jars – lids should not flex up and down when center is pressed.
Refrigerate jars immediately after opening and use within 2 days for best quality.
Shake or stir well before using, as some sediment may form during canning.
Simmer open broth for 5 minutes before consuming or using in cooked recipes as an added precaution.
If reheating a full jar, microwave in 30 second intervals, stopping to stir and check temperature.
Add canned broth straight to soups, stews, gravies, risottos and pot roasts as you would commercial broth.
Substitute equal amounts of canned or boxed broth in any recipe – use 1 cup canned for 1 cup fresh or commercial.

With the step-by-step guide and tips above, you’ll be ready to make and can your own delicious homemade beef broth. The investment of time pays off in big flavor dividends!

Making and Canning Homemade Beef Bone Broth

FAQ

Can beef broth be canned?

Homemade stock is easy and economical to make – unfortunately, once made it has a limited shelf-life unless canned or frozen. Jars of stock are handy time-savers year round.

Can homemade broth be canned?

Pressure canning bone broth at home is a great way to ensure you have quick and easy ingredients on hand that are both healthy and very inexpensive to make. With a family my size, having canned convenience meals or freeze dried convenience meals on the shelf can save dinnertime!

Can you can broth without a pressure cooker?

REMEMBER: If you are canning low-acid foods such as vegetables, broth, and meats, you WILL need a pressure canner. However, if you are canning high acid foods like jams and jellies, fruits (like canning peaches), applesauce, pickles, etc., you can use safely and confidently water-bath canning.

How do you preserve meat broth?

To preserve stock/broth safely you will need to use a pressure canner. This method of food preservation is used because the food item is meat-based and low in acidity. We could also package the broth in food-safe freezer containers.