Bone broth powder is a compact way to keep homemade stock. The catch is the yield: broth is about 96% water, so a full tray gives you a few tablespoons. It is worth doing for flavor and convenience, not for volume.
Fat is the main enemy. Chill the broth overnight and lift off the solid fat cap before pouring.
Prep and loading
- Chill broth overnight and remove the fat cap.
- Pour ½ inch deep, or freeze in silicone cube trays first.
- Freeze solid before loading.
- Blend the dried sheet into powder.
How to tell it’s done
- The sheet is dry and powders easily.
Not sure? The weight check compares two weighings and the expected dry weight for broth.
Problems and fixes
Powder clumps
Broth powder is very hygroscopic. Package immediately in small jars.
Rehydrating and storing
Rehydrate: Stir powder into hot water. By weight, 100 g of dried broth takes back about 2325 g of water to return to fresh weight; the rehydration calculator does any amount.
Store: Small jars with oxygen absorbers.
Ways to use it
- Instant cups of broth
- Seasoning for rice and soups
- Sipping broth on the trail
How much fits per batch
At a normal single layer, broth load at roughly 2.6 lb of fresh food per square foot of tray. That works out to:
| Machine | Fresh per batch | Dried per batch |
|---|---|---|
| Harvest Right Countertop 360 | 6.5 lb | 4.3 oz |
| Harvest Right Small | 7.8 lb | 5.2 oz |
| Harvest Right Medium | 12.2 lb | 8.0 oz |
| Harvest Right Large | 20.0 lb | 13.2 oz |
| Harvest Right X-Large | 40.6 lb | 1.68 lb |
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central: soup, chicken broth, ready-to-serve (water content)
- Utah State University Extension: Can I Freeze-Dry That? (2026)
- Penn State Extension: Let’s Preserve: Freeze-Drying
- Iowa State University Extension AnswerLine: Preserving by home freeze drying
Water content rounded from USDA FoodData Central (soup, chicken broth, ready-to-serve). Cycle times are typical ranges at default settings; thickness, load and your room change them. How we put these together.