Enter your batch size, bone type, and cooking method into the Bone Broth Ratio Calculator to get the exact amounts of bones, water, apple cider vinegar, and mirepoix vegetables needed. Perfect ratios every time — whether you're making a small stovetop pot or a large slow-cooker batch.
Bones Needed
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Water Needed
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Water (cups)
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Apple Cider Vinegar
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Onion
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Celery
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Carrot
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Recommended Cook Time
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The classic culinary ratio is roughly 1 lb of bones per 1–1.5 quarts of water. For chicken broth this is often slightly higher (more water) while beef and lamb bones, being denser and higher in collagen, use a slightly lower water ratio. This calculator adjusts automatically based on your bone type selection.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is added at the start of cooking to help draw minerals — including calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium — out of the bones and into the broth. A typical ratio is about 1 tablespoon of ACV per quart of water. The acidity dissipates during the long cook, so you won't taste it in the finished broth.
Mirepoix is a classic French aromatic base made from roughly 2 parts onion, 1 part celery, and 1 part carrot by weight. For bone broth, the standard culinary guideline is about 1 lb of mirepoix per gallon (4 qt) of finished broth. This calculator scales those amounts proportionally to your batch size.
Roasting bones at 400–450°F (200–230°C) for 30–45 minutes before simmering creates a brown stock with a deeper, richer flavor through the Maillard reaction. If you prefer a lighter, more neutral flavor (white stock), skip roasting. Beef and lamb bones especially benefit from roasting, while chicken bones are good either way.
Bones with high collagen and marrow content produce the richest, most gelatinous broth. For chicken, use backs, feet, necks, and carcasses. For beef, choose knuckles, oxtail, marrow bones, and feet. A mix of joint bones (for collagen/gelatin) and marrow bones (for richness and flavor) gives the best results.
A well-made bone broth should gel when refrigerated — this is a sign that adequate collagen has been extracted. Stovetop and slow-cooker broth typically need 8–24 hours, while an Instant Pot can extract collagen in 2–3 hours. If your broth doesn't gel, it may need more cook time, a higher bone ratio, or more collagen-rich bones.
Refrigerated bone broth keeps for 4–5 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze it in portions (mason jars, silicone molds, or zip-lock bags) for up to 6 months. Always cool broth completely before refrigerating or freezing to maintain food safety.
Yes — especially for chicken bones. You can simmer them for a second shorter batch (4–6 hours), though the resulting broth will be lighter in body and flavor. Beef and pork bones are denser and may yield a decent second extraction. By the third batch, most of the collagen and minerals will have been drawn out.