Homemade Beef Stock
I actually made this gorgeous and luxurious beef stock back in October when I made my AMAZING French Onion Soup. I wanted it to be as delicious as possible, so of course I decided to make my own stock. It’s really easy, just a little time consuming- it’s a perfect activity for a Saturday or Sunday while you’re home all day. Making your own homemade stock is so much richer and more complex than the stock that you get from the store, so if you’re looking to elevate your soup or whatever dish you’re cooking- homemade stock is where it’s at!
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Rich Homemade Beef Stock
Ingredients
4-5 pounds (about 1.8 kg) beef bones (such as marrow bones, knuckle bones, or a mix)
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
2 large onions, quartered
5 large carrots, unpeeled and chopped into large chunks
1 bunch of celery stalks (about 12 stalks) chopped into large chunks
1 head of garlic, cut in half
a bunch of flat leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon of Szechuan peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
12-15 cups cold water (enough to submerge the bones)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Place the beef bones on a large baking sheet, cover them with salt and pepper (you can omit pepper if you want to have unsalted stock) and roast them for about 30-40 minutes until they turn a deep, golden brown. This roasting step adds depth and richness to the stock. Once the bones are done roasting, take them out and toss the veggies, bones, and tomato paste together and then stick back in the oven to roast for another 1-1.5 hours. Make sure to turn the veggies and bones throughout cooking for even roasting.
When the bones and vegetables are done roasting, add them to the stockpot and scrape all of the goodness from the pan into the stock pot as well. Cover the bones/veggies with about 12-15 cups of cold tap water making sure that everything is submerged.
Add the parsley, bay leaves, fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, black peppercorns, and salt.
Place the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. As it comes to a boil, skim off any impurities or foam that rise to the surface using a fine-mesh strainer or a ladle. This step helps to ensure a clear stock.
Once you've removed the impurities, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the stock simmer for at least 6 hours, but up to 8-10 hours for the richest stock.
Check the stock periodically and skim off any new impurities that rise to the surface. Be sure the liquid remains at a low, gentle simmer.
After simmering, I like to refrigerate it over night and then discard the fat the following day. Then strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into another large pot or bowl. Then refrigerate or freeze it!
