Making Beef Stock from Scratch
Good stock doesn't need technique as much as it needs patience. If you rush the roast or the simmer, the liquid turns cloudy and tastes thin. Give it the time it needs, and it will gelatinize in the fridge, proving you have captured the body of the bones.
Cold water is your best friend.
Always start with cold water to draw out proteins and minerals slowly. If you use hot water, you lock those elements inside the bones, resulting in a weak stock.
- large heavy-bottomed stockpot
- large roasting pan
- fine-mesh sieve
- cheesecloth
What goes in.
- 5 lbbeef marrow and knuckle bones
- 2 lbbeef neck bones or oxtail
- 3large carrots, roughly chopped
- 3yellow onions, skin on, halved
- 3celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 headgarlic, halved horizontally
- 2bay leaves
- 1 tspwhole black peppercorns
The color is the flavor
Roast the bones at 425°F until they turn dark mahogany. This Maillard reaction is where your stock gets its depth and rich, dark color.
The method.
Roast the bones
Place bones in a roasting pan in a 425°F oven. Roast for 45 minutes, turning once, until they are deeply browned but not charred.
Deglaze the pan
Transfer bones to the stockpot. Pour a cup of water into the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Pour this liquid into the pot.
Add aromatics and water
Add vegetables, garlic, and herbs to the pot. Cover with cold water until the bones are submerged by two inches.
The long simmer
Bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat. Keep the lid slightly ajar and skim the grey foam from the surface during the first hour.
Strain
Simmer for at least 8 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Discard solids.
Cool and store
Cool the stock quickly in an ice bath, then refrigerate. Once chilled, lift the hardened layer of fat off the surface.
Other turns to take.
Brown Stock
Roast the carrots, onions, and celery along with the bones for a more intense vegetable character.
Red Wine Reduction
Deglaze the roasting pan with a dry red wine instead of water for a sharper, more complex finish.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Never let the pot reach a rolling boil; high heat emulsifies the fat and makes the stock cloudy.
If you have extra tomato paste, smear a tablespoon onto the bones before roasting to deepen the color.
Store in pint-sized containers in the freezer so you only thaw what you need.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my stock cloudy?
You likely let the water boil too hard, which churns the fats into the liquid. Keep it at a gentle, barely-moving simmer.
Can I add salt?
It is better to wait. If you reduce the stock later for a sauce, salted stock becomes far too salty.
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