Beef bones rich stock base (Printable)

Deep-flavored stock made from roasted beef bones and aromatic vegetables for versatile use.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats and Bones

01 - 3.3 lbs beef bones (preferably marrow and knuckle bones)
02 - 1.1 lbs beef shank or stew meat (optional for richer flavor)

→ Vegetables

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

→ Aromatics & Seasonings

08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
11 - 5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 10 parsley stems
13 - 1 teaspoon salt (optional; adjust to taste)
14 - 16 cups cold water
15 - 1 cup water (for deglazing)

# How To Make:

01 - Set the oven to 425°F.
02 - Arrange beef bones and optional shank in a single layer on a roasting pan and roast for 30-40 minutes, turning once until deeply browned.
03 - Add carrots, celery, onions, and optional leek to the roasting pan and continue roasting for 15 additional minutes.
04 - Transfer roasted bones and vegetables to a large stockpot. Place roasting pan over medium heat, add tomato paste and 1 cup water to deglaze, scraping up browned bits, then pour into stockpot.
05 - Add garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, and salt to the stockpot. Pour remaining cold water over ingredients until submerged.
06 - Slowly bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat and skim off foam or impurities with a ladle.
07 - Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for at least 4 hours, up to 8 hours for intensified flavor, occasionally skimming and adding water to keep ingredients submerged.
08 - Remove from heat and strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids. Cool rapidly using an ice bath if possible.
09 - Chill stock in refrigerator and once cold, skim off any solidified fat on top.
10 - Use immediately or transfer to containers; refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You'll have a deeply flavored base that makes every dish taste like it's been lovingly simmered all day—because it has
  • Once you taste homemade stock, you'll never go back to the store-bought version; it's like the difference between fresh bread and cardboard
  • The roasting step creates this incredible depth that simply cannot be rushed, and your kitchen will smell absolutely divine while it happens
02 -
  • Never rush the roasting step—deep color from caramelization is what separates homemade stock from weak broths that taste like disappointment
  • Keep your simmer genuinely gentle; a rolling boil will emulsify fat into your stock and make it cloudy instead of clear and beautiful
  • Skimming matters more than you think—those first 20 minutes of skimming impurities make the difference between murky and crystal clear
03 -
  • Save your vegetable scraps (carrot ends, celery leaves, onion skins) in the freezer—they're gold for stock and prevent waste
  • Starting with cold water and heating slowly is the secret to clarity that hot water never achieves; this single step changes everything

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