Making Beef Stock from Scratch
A good stock is the skeleton of a meal. If you start with a box, the finish is always compromised; if you start with roasted bones, the foundation is set.
Patience is your primary ingredient
This process cannot be rushed. Plan for the better part of a day where the pot remains on a back burner, scenting the room.
- large heavy-bottomed stockpot
- large roasting pan
- fine-mesh strainer
- cheesecloth or muslin
What goes in.
- 5 lbbeef marrow and knuckle bones
- 2large yellow onions, unpeeled and halved
- 3large carrots, roughly chopped
- 3celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 headgarlic, halved crosswise
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 4fresh thyme sprigs
- 2bay leaves
- 1 tspwhole black peppercorns
Roasting for color
The deep, dark color of your final stock depends on the crust formed during roasting. Do not pull the bones from the oven until they look dark mahogany.
The method.
Roast the bones
Arrange bones and vegetables in a roasting pan. Roast at 425°F for 45 minutes, turning once. Smear the tomato paste over the bones halfway through.
Deglaze the pan
Transfer everything to your stockpot. Pour a cup of water into the hot roasting pan, scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon, and pour that liquid into the pot.
Fill and simmer
Cover the bones with cold water by two inches. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately drop to the lowest heat setting. A single bubble breaking the surface every few seconds is ideal.
Skim the surface
During the first hour, use a ladle to skim off the gray foam that rises to the top. This keeps the finished liquid clear.
Strain
After 6 to 8 hours, fish out the large bones. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a clean container.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always start with cold water; it extracts more proteins and flavor than hot water.
If you have a cold day, chill the finished stock in the fridge overnight to let the fat solidify on top; it peels off in a single disk for easy removal.
Do not salt the stock while it simmers, as it will reduce and concentrate, potentially becoming too salty.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I cover the pot while it simmers?
Leave the lid slightly ajar. This allows for a small amount of evaporation, which intensifies the flavor, without losing so much liquid that your bones become exposed.
Can I freeze this?
Yes. Portion it into containers, leaving an inch of headspace at the top, and it will keep for up to three months.
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