Beef Stock
Stock is super easy to make. There's nothing to it just throw some veggies and bones in a big pot of water and let it boil.I don't use beef stock all that often. But when I need beef stock I am glad to have my own freshly made stock in the freezer waiting to be used.
Stock is super easy to make. There's nothing to it just throw some veggies and bones in a big pot of water and let it boil. The only thing you'll have to commit to is time. It pretty much takes all day but, thankfully, you don't have to baby-sit stock. Once it starts simmering you can go play Frisbee or whatever catches your fancy.
Procedure
For about one gallon
- 8 pounds beef bones
- 6 quarts water
- 8 celery stalks
- 8 large carrots
- 3 medium white onions
- 1 Sachet d'epices
Roast the beef bones to get started. I just chuck them into a big roasting pan with a little oil to coat the bones. Put them under the broiler for five minutes or so then flip them around so they brown evenly. After another five minutes they should be done roasting.
Once the bones are done roasting, pull them out of the roasting pan, and place the water and the bones in to the biggest pot you have. Get it up to a boil then turn it down to simmer. Let them simmer for 5 hours. Skim off any scum that forms.
Put your carrots, celery, and onions into the roasting pan you used for the bones and roast them for 10 minutes also. Turn and coat the veggies with the fat that's left in the roasting pan. Continue turning them until they are a nice golden brown.
Add your veggies and the sachet d'epices and let it simmer for another hour or two. You know your time is up when the liquid color is golden, rich, and flavorful.
When you are ready strain the liquid. I use my big pasta colander lined with a big sheet of cheesecloth. I'll place the colander into a bowl that can hold at least a gallon of liquid and pour the stock directly into it. In the end you just want a clear stock free from bones, carrot chunks, or whatever else might be in the stockpot.
The stock needs to cool entirely. Normally, I'll divide the stock among 4 freezer safe Ziploc containers and set them in the fridge overnight. In the morning I'll pull the containers out to skim the fat that's formed in the top of the container. Then I snap the lids back on and put them in my freezer.
Tricks
Where do you get 8 pounds of beef bones? Ask your butcher. No doubt he'll have much more than 8 pounds of scraps from carving up the loads of beef cuts you see in the butcher case. If your butcher does not have any beef bones back away slowly from the counter and find a new butcher immediately.
Don't over spice your stock. The flavors should be fairly subtle. When you use the stock later you can add whatever spices you like.