Rich flavorful beef stock (Printable Version)

Slow-simmered beef stock infused with vegetables and herbs for deep, savory flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 3.3 lb beef bones (preferably marrow or oxtail, with some meat attached)
02 - 1.1 lb beef shank or stew meat (optional)

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 large onions, quartered
04 - 3 medium carrots, roughly chopped
05 - 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
06 - 1 leek, cleaned and roughly chopped (optional)
07 - 1 head garlic, halved horizontally

→ Herbs & Spices

08 - 2 bay leaves
09 - 6 sprigs fresh thyme
10 - 10 black peppercorns
11 - 6 parsley stems
12 - 2 whole cloves
13 - 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

→ Other

14 - 12.7 cups cold water
15 - 2 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Place beef bones and shank on a roasting pan and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning once, until deeply browned.
02 - Transfer roasted bones and meat to a large stock pot. Pour off fat from the pan, add a little water to loosen browned bits, then scrape and add these to the pot.
03 - Add onions, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic to the pot.
04 - Stir in tomato paste if using, to deepen color and flavor.
05 - Add enough cold water (about 12.7 cups) to cover the ingredients completely. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium heat.
06 - During the first 30 minutes of simmering, skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
07 - Add bay leaves, thyme, parsley stems, peppercorns, cloves, and salt to the pot.
08 - Partially cover and simmer gently without boiling for 4 hours, skimming the surface occasionally.
09 - Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container, discarding solids.
10 - Cool quickly, refrigerate, and once chilled, remove solidified fat if desired. Use immediately or store refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You'll finally understand why restaurant food tastes so much better—homemade stock is the secret they don't advertise
  • This golden liquid elevates everything from simple soups to elegant sauces with a depth that store-bought broth simply can't match
  • Once you have this freezer staple ready, weeknight dinners feel less like cooking and more like magic
  • The whole kitchen smells absolutely incredible while it simmers, like comfort itself
02 -
  • Roasting the bones first is non-negotiable—it's the difference between stock that tastes like water and stock that tastes like the soul of beef
  • Never, ever skip the skimming step in those first 30 minutes; it's the single most important thing you can do for clear, beautiful stock
  • The difference between stock and broth is commitment—true stock simmers for hours, extracting every bit of collagen and gelatin that makes it silky and rich
  • Cold water is your secret weapon; starting cold extracts flavors gradually and gently rather than shocking everything into submission
03 -
  • If you roast your vegetables alongside the bones for the last 15 minutes of roasting, you'll get even deeper, caramelized vegetable flavor—this is what restaurants do
  • Don't discard that solidified fat layer on top of chilled stock; it's actually protective and keeps your stock fresh longer, and it's liquid gold for cooking
  • A splash of the finished stock is all you need to transform a pan sauce from adequate to incredible—this is why having it frozen changes your cooking life

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