Nourish your body with this homemade bison bone broth. Meaty bones, herbs and vegetables simmer for hours, infusing this broth with a rich, savory flavor.
It's a good alternative to beef broth as well as a great way to utilize the bones of the bison, not only the meat. When I'm ordering bison from the local farmer, I just ask him to throw in a bag of mixed bison bones and keep them in the freezer until I'm ready to make this broth.
If you enjoy bison recipes, you should also try this bison meat sauce and bison sliders.
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Ingredients
- bison bones - preferably a mixture of bison short ribs, marrow and oxtail bones
- dried shiitake mushrooms - adds delicious meaty flavor or you can substitute with dried porcini mushrooms, which have a more earthy flavor
- bouquet garni - this is simply fresh herbs like bay leaves + thyme sprigs tied together with kitchen twine
- apple cider vinegar - helps to draw minerals out of the bones while simmering (you can substitute this with wine or lemon juice)
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
How to Make Bison Bone Broth
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the bones on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil.
Step 2. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until they are browned.
Step 3. Place the roasted bones in a stockpot. Add the vegetables, dried mushrooms, herbs, peppercorns and vinegar. Add enough cold water to cover the bones and vegetables by 1 to 2 inches.
Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 12 hours. If the water gets too low and bones are exposed, add some more.
Step 4. Remove the bones and meat from the broth using tongs. You can save the meat for other uses.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and then season it with salt and pepper.
Let it cool. Transfer to jars and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Pro Tips
- Roasting the bones before simmering will caramelize them, giving the broth a deeper, richer flavor, so be sure not to skip this step!
- As it's simmering, you will start to see foam at the top of the liquid. You can skim the foam within the first hour or two to help achieve a clearer bone broth.
- Once the bone broth cools, there will be a layer of fat on top. You can skim it off if that is your preference but I personally enjoy it.
Ways to Use Your Homemade Bison Broth
- You can enjoy sipping on your broth all day long to help you feel full and nourished, soothe your throat or to warm you up on a cool day.
- Use it as a base for soup, sauce or brown gravy.
- Try boiling rice or pasta with it instead of plain old water to add salty, savory flavor.
- Add it to other dishes like casseroles or savory smoothies to add flavor and nutrients.
- Dehydrate it to make bone broth powder.
Storage
- Never leave it out for too long because bone broth spoils quickly.
- You can store your bison bone broth in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 12 months.
- Freeze it in ice cube trays if you will be using it in small quantities or in jars for larger quantities.
Recipe FAQs
While the bones simmer they release minerals, amino acids and collagen providing numerous health benefits.
According to Eating Well, bone broth is generally safe to drink moderately but may not be suitable for everyone, including vegans and vegetarians.
More Bison Recipes You Will Love
If you tried this Bison Bone Broth Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Bison Bone Broth
Ingredients
- 4 pounds bison bones - preferably a mixture of marrow, short rib and oxtail bones
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large carrots - cut into chunks
- 1 large yellow onion - peeled and quartered
- 1 whole head garlic - outer layer peeled and cut in half crosswise
- 2 stalks celery - cut into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup dried shiitake mushrooms - or porcini
- 1 bouquet garni - bay leaves + thyme sprigs tied together with kitchen twine
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- salt & pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the bones on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until they are browned.
- Place the roasted bones in a stockpot. Add the vegetables, dried mushrooms, herbs, peppercorns and vinegar. Add enough cold water to cover the bones and vegetables by 1 to 2 inches.
- Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 12 hours. If the water gets too low and bones are exposed, add some more.
- Remove the bones and meat from the broth using tongs. You can save the meat for other uses.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and then season it with salt and pepper. Let it cool. Transfer to jars and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Equipment
Notes
- The yield will vary.
- As it's simmering, you will start to see foam at the top of the liquid. You can skim the foam within the first hour or two to help achieve a clearer bone broth.
- Once the bone broth cools, there will be a layer of fat on top. You can skim it off if that is your preference.
- Never leave it out for too long because bone broth spoils quickly. You can store your bison bone broth in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 12 months. Freeze it in ice cube trays if you will be using it in small quantities or in jars for larger quantities.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
cyn says
at some point you boiled this stock - its cloudy and that only happens when you boil a stock. great recipe but simmer is the only way to keep it clear in the end.
Joss Dyckson says
I appreciate the comment, Cyn. Yes, you should keep it to a gentle simmer (which I instruct in my recipe). If it bothers you for some reason, you can also skim the foam as it's simmering within the first hour or two to help with cloudiness. Also, the taste is what really matters and cloudiness doesn't affect the taste.