The slow cooker has been going since yesterday, the kitchen smells wonderful, and now there are four quarts of bone broth cooling with no plan for them. Or a carton you opened for one mug is still sitting behind the milk, and you can’t remember the day. How long does bone broth really last? Here is what USDA and extension guidance says about homemade and store-bought bone broth, gelling, freezing, and when to pour it out.
Does bone broth go bad?
The Short Answer: Yes. Homemade bone broth keeps about 3 days in the refrigerator, up to 4 for chicken, and USDA’s beef chart gives cooked beef broth only 1 or 2 days, so we’d plan on 2 for beef. For opened store-bought bone broth, follow the label, since the brand directions we read run from 5 to 14 days. With no label time, 3 to 4 days is a conservative default based on USDA’s general guidance. Unopened shelf-stable cartons keep to the date and storage directions on the package. Throw out perishable broth left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the air is above 90°F. A jelly-like set in the cold is normal for bone broth. Freezer times of 2 to 3 months are about quality. Discard broth with mold, a sour smell, or a bulging or leaking package.
For a complete pantry and fridge reference, see our Food Storage Guide. The same rules apply to chicken broth, beef broth and vegetable broth, though USDA lists them separately.
Bone Broth Shelf Life: At a Glance
Unopened shelf-stable carton
Follow the best-by date and storage directions. USDA says dates are about quality
Unopened can
USDA lists low-acid canned soups at 2 to 5 years on the shelf
Opened store-bought
The label time if it has one. Otherwise 3 to 4 days as a conservative default
Homemade chicken bone broth
3 days, up to 4. USDA chicken broth row: 3 to 4. NMSU and Penn State: about 3
Homemade beef bone broth
Plan on 2 days. USDA beef chart: 1 or 2 days
Left out on the counter
2 hours at most, 1 hour above 90°F, per USDA
Freezer at 0°F
2 to 3 months for best quality. USDA says it stays safe
Gel in the refrigerator
Normal for bone broth. It melts when heated
Mold, sour smell, bulging or leaking package
Discard it
Key Takeaways
USDA has no bone broth row. Its chicken chart and its Keep Food Safe chart list chicken broth, gravy and meat broth at 3 to 4 days. Its beef chart lists cooked beef gravy or beef broth at 1 or 2 days.
NMSU Extension’s fact sheet on homemade bone broth says up to about 3 days refrigerated, and that bones themselves shouldn’t be refrigerated more than two days before use. Penn State Extension says finished stock keeps up to three days.
Commercial directions are product-specific. A retailer listing for Swanson’s 32 oz chicken bone broth says 14 days. Pacific Foods’ FAQ says 7 to 10, and Bonafide Provisions’ FAQ says 7. Kettle & Fire’s pages say to enjoy an opened carton within 5 to 7 days and to freeze leftovers beyond that.
Swanson’s FAQ says bone broth may gel in colder tempera
