Beef Stock
Do not salt beef stock while you are making it. You may want to reduce it later and then it could be too salty. Salt it when you use it in a recipe.
4 lbs. meaty soup bones (short ribs or beef shank crosscuts) - include a couple veal bones if you can, for their gelatin
3 carrots, cut-up
2 medium onions, cut up
2 stalks celery with leaves, cut up
8 sprigs fresh parsley
10 black peppercorns
1 tsp. dried, crushed thyme
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves,
halved
water
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Put the soup bones in a large, shallow roasting pan. Bake bones about 30 minutes, or until well browned, turning at the 15-minute mark. Then add the carrots, onions, and celery and bake for another 30 minutes.
Put soup bones and vegetables in a large pot. Pour 1/2 c. water into the roasting pan and scrape up any crusty browned bits. Add water mixture to pot.
Add the parsley, black peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, and salt to pot. Add 10 c. water to pot (the water should be 1 to 2 inches over the top of the bones) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 3 1/2 hours. Remove soup bones.
Line a colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Set over a heatproof bowl and pour broth into colander to strain. Discard vegetables and seasoning.
Chill broth, then lift off fat. Store broth in covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days, or freeze for up to six months.
Some recipes Using Beef Stock
