Canned Bone Broth with Apple Cider Vinegar

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1Understand before you begin that bone broth is a low-acid liquid and must be processed in a pressure canner; a boiling-water bath is never safe for broth, and adding a small amount of apple cider vinegar does not change this.
2. 2Wash 7 quart jars in hot soapy water or a dishwasher and keep them hot; wash new lids and prepare them exactly as the manufacturer instructs.
3. 3Place the bones in a large stockpot, add the apple cider vinegar and enough water to cover, and let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes before heating; the vinegar is added in this small amount only to help draw minerals out of the bones during the long simmer, not to acidify or preserve the broth, and this small quantity is nowhere near enough to lower the broth's pH into a range that would ever be safe for boiling-water-bath canning.
4. 4Add the optional vegetables, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, partially covered, for 12 to 24 hours to fully extract collagen and minerals from the bones, topping up with water as needed.
5. 5Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot, discarding the solids, and skim off and discard the fat that rises to the surface.
6. 6Bring the strained broth back to a full rolling boil so it is hot when it goes into the jars.
7. 7Ladle the boiling broth into the hot jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace, and add salt only if desired for flavor, never for safety.
8. 8Run a bubble tool around the inside of each jar to release any trapped air, then recheck and adjust the headspace back to 1 inch if it has changed.
9. 9Wipe the jar rims clean of any fat or broth residue, center a lid on each jar, and screw the band on fingertip tight.
10. 10Load the jars into the pressure canner, add water as the manufacturer directs, lock the lid, and vent steam steadily for 10 minutes before pressurizing.
11. 11Process pint jars for 20 minutes and quart jars for 25 minutes at 10 pounds pressure in a weighted-gauge canner up to 1,000 feet (15 pounds above 1,000 feet), or 11 pounds in a dial-gauge canner up to 2,000 feet (12 pounds from 2,001 to 4,000 feet, 13 pounds from 4,001 to 6,000 feet, 14 pounds from 6,001 to 8,000 feet).
12. 12Turn off the heat and let the canner depressurize naturally on its own once processing finishes; never quick-release broth, even broth containing vinegar.
13. 13Wait until the gauge reads zero, then wait 2 more minutes, slowly vent any remaining pressure, wait 10 more minutes, then unlock and open the canner.
14. 14Set the jars on a towel-lined counter and let them cool completely undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours; the broth may gel firmly as it cools, which is normal.
15. 15Confirm each lid has sealed, wipe the jars clean, label with contents and date, and store in a cool, dark place for up to about 1 year.
16. 16Before drinking or cooking with it, boil the broth hard for 10 minutes to destroy any possible botulinum toxin, and discard without tasting any jar with an off smell, spurting liquid, or a lid that never sealed or is bulging.