Knowing how to make broth or stock from scratch is a basic skill I encourage everyone to learn. Not only does homemade taste better (with no dubious ingredients!), but it's less expensive, highly nutritious, avoids kitchen waste, and is EASY! I've blogged before about how to make bone broth and various other types of stock, but today, I'm focusing on making any type of stock or broth in an Instant Pot! Watch my video below, or scroll down for written highlights.

Making stock or broth in the Instant Pot is very similar to making it the traditional way (in a pot on the stove). Just put meat bones and vegetable scraps in the Instant Pot, add a little seasoning (if desired), and then some water. There are two important points to remember when adding the water:

1. While all bone stock or broth has collagen in it, and collagen is what makes some stock gelatinous when cooled, your stock will only look gelatinous if you don't add too much water. A good rule of thumb is to add enough water to cover the bones by only one or two inches.

2. When using the Instant Pot to make stock or broth, be careful not to overfill. Know where the top fill line is on your IP, and don't go over it - or your IP may spray very hot water all over your kitchen,

I also like to add just a little glug of either apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar to the pot. This helps leach the bones of all their wonderful nutrients.

Next, put the top on the Instant Pot, turn the valve to "Sealing," and set the IP to "Manual." For vegetable broth or delicate bone stocks (like chicken and rabbit), set the timer to 50 minutes. For heavier bones (like ham, beef, or venison), set the timer to 2 hours (120 minutes).

Now let the Instant Pot do it's magic! When the IP beeps to tell you the cooking time is over, allow the pressure to come down naturally. Then remove the lid and allow the stock to cool a little. Strain out the solids and place the finished stock in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, you'll see the fat has risen to the top and gone solid. Scrape off the fat and

You may store your stock in the refrigerator for (conservatively) about a week. Or freeze it. Or freeze dry it. Or can it. Some people also dehydrate it, but I must tell you that places like The National Center for Home Food Preservation - beacons of home preserving safety - are silent about whether or not this is safe. If you do decide to dehydrate bone stock (using fruit leather trays or parchment paper over your dehydrator's regular trays), use a temp of 160 degrees F. Store the dehydrated stock in the refrigerator (for short term use) or freezer (for long term use).