For those lucky enough to have plenty of freezer space, freezing bone broth in ice cube trays is a great method of long-term storage. To say my freezer space is limited is a gross understatement…too narrow and too crowded to successfully accommodate ice cube trays. It took me quite a bit of rearranging to get enough free space for a handful of mason jars. So, for those of you with a similar problem, here’s how to safely freeze your bone broth. This method also works for soups and sauces.
Once your broth is finished, carefully funnel it into mason jars. I used a ladle and a breast pump flange — ah, the glamorous life of a nursing mother. Leave at least an inch of headspace. I usually leave more to be on the safe side. Liquid expands as it freezes, so you need to allow some wiggle room. Do NOT put the lids on the jars (yet). Notice the photos are lid-free. Let the jars cool at room temperature for a couple of hours. You can also put them in the fridge if there’s enough room…without lids. Once the jars are no longer piping hot, place them in the freezer. Without lids. (It’s kind of important!)
Leave the opened jars of broth in the freezer for approximately 24 hours. This allows plenty of time for the liquid to freeze and expand. The extra headspace and lack of lid keep the jar from bursting. After everything is frozen solid, affix the lids. Lids are the last step.
All of these jars contain the same amount of broth. The fully frozen jar on the right shows how much expansion occurs during the freezing process. Not a huge amount, but definitely enough to crack your jars. The frozen broth (or soup or sauce) will last about six months.
This is the perfect way for me to enjoy a cup of bone broth when I start feeling a little under the weather. While I use some of it for cooking, my main purpose for making bone broth is to get me through cold and flu season. As soon as my throat gets scratchy, I grab one of the frozen jars and thaw it in warm water. Once it’s thawed, I heat it up, season with sea salt, and sip it like hot tea. Delicious!
Waiting Passionately 