Beef Stock (Brown Stock)

3 canning jars of homemade beef stock with a white background.

5 from 6 votes

Use this homemade beed stock recipe as the base recipe for building many main dishes such as soups, stews, and braises. Homemade stock is more flavorful and lower in sodium than store bought varieties, which makes it a healthy alternative.

Prep Time10

Cook Time9

Total Time9 10

Course: Condiments, Soup

Cuisine: American, Beef, Gluten Free

Servings: cups

Calories: 226kcal

Author: Lauren Harris

Ingredients

2 pounds beef bones
6 1/2 cups water
1/2 onion (chopped)
1 celery stalk (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
4 teaspoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
3 peppercorns (crushed)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 sprig parsley
pinch dried thyme

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place the beef bones in a roasting pan or Dutch oven, not overlapping, and roast for about an hour, turning occasionally to brown and caramelize them.
2 pounds beef bones
Remove the bones from the oven and place in a stock pot. Remove and reserve the fat from the roasting pan.
Add 1/2 cup of water to the roasting pan and deglaze, scrapping up any cooked on bits with a wood spoon. Transfer to the stock pot along with the remaining 6 cups of water.
6 1/2 cups water
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer.
Meanwhile, add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved fat back to the roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until they start to brown.
1/2 onion, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot
Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook until it becomes a rich brown.
4 teaspoons tomato paste
Add the vegetables to the stock pot.
Place the bay leaf, garlic, peppercorns, parsley and thyme onto a small piece of cheesecloth and tie closed with a piece of twine. Add to the stock pot.
1 bay leaf, 3 peppercorns, 1 clove garlic, 1 sprig parsley, pinch dried thyme
Continue to simmer the stock for 6-8 hours, skimming any scum off that forms on the surface off periodically.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve and refrigerate to cool.
Skim any solidified fat off of the top of the stock once it has cooled.
Use or store, as desired.

Notes

Tips and Techniques

You can use leftover beef or veal bones, or purchase bones from your local butcher or grocery store. You may also find them in the freezer section.
To make beef bone broth, simmer the bones for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours.
Store stock in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. You can also freeze it for 3-6 months.

** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition