Homemade Beef Stock

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Homemade Beef Stock takes your recipes to the next level.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…using the freshest ingredients makes for the best dishes, ever.

This is truly amazing.

Homemade beef stock in a jar

Get some beef bones from your local butcher and you are set!

Roasting the bones brings out the incredible flavor for the stock.

roasted beef bones for homemade beef stock

Vegetables and herbs add depth to the flavor of the stock.

All the flavors meld together for best beef stock ever.

Vegetables for homemade beef stock

Low and slow is the way to go for this homemade beef stock.

This takes some time, but your home will smell amazing!

And get ready for pure goodness. We love the addition of tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Tomatoes and fresh herbs into the stock pot for homemade beef stock

Be sure to chill the stock overnight in the fridge.

A thin layer of fat will congeal on the top of the stock that is easily removed the next day with a spoon.

Congealed fat removed with spoon from homemade beef stock

Boy, oh boy, is this stock good.

And though it takes time to make on the stove, it’s not labor-intensive.

Homemade Beef Stock is necessary when you want to make amazing recipes such as French Onion Soup or Beef Wellington.

Homemade beef stock in a jar

Ready to make the absolute Best Homemade Beef Stock in town? Ready to put your soups over the top in pure deliciousness? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photograph of the finished stock, and post it on Instagram! Then tag @howtofeedaloon and hashtag #howtofeedaloon!

Homemade beef stock in a jar surrounded by tomatoes, celery, and other vegetables.

Homemade Beef Stock

This homemade beef stock takes some time to prepare, but it is the basis for taking recipes that call for beef stock from ordinary to extraordinary.  
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Course: Stock
Cuisine: American / French
Keyword: beef, Homemade broth, how to make homemade beef sotck, Stock
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 84kcal

Equipment

  • Stock pot

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs beef bones such as ribs or marrow bones
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion quatered
  • 1 large carrot thickly sliced
  • 1 medium celery stalk thickly sliced
  • 1 lb mushrooms button, quartered
  • ½ cup dry vermouth or white wine or water
  • 2 medium tomatoes halved
  • 5 sprigs thyme fresh
  • 3 sprigs parsley fresh
  • 3 bay leaves

Instructions

  • Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 400°F.
  • Arrange the beef bones in a single layer in a large flameproof roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of the oil and then rub the oil all over the bones. Roast, turning the bones every 20 minutes, until deep brown, about 1 hour. 
  • Put the remaining 2 tbsp of oil and the onion, carrot, celery, and mushrooms in an 8-quart stockpot. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring once or twice, until tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables are browned in spots, about 3 minutes. 
  • Transfer the bones to the pot with the vegetables, leaving any rendered fat in the pan.
  • Discard the fat from the pan, and set the pan over medium heat. Add the vermouth and bring to a boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid from the pan into the stock pot with the bones and vegetables. Add the tomatoes, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves, and 1½ gallons of water to the stock pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered - the stock should barely bubble - for 6 hours, topping up the water level occasionally to keep the solids covered. 
  • Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Chill overnight, then skim off the layer of congealed fat. You'll have about 7 to 8 cups of stock. (The stock can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. 

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance.  If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Marrow bones can often be found in the frozen section of the meat department of many well stock supermarkets or from a butcher's meat market.  If you can't find them, ask the butcher, they can probably get some for you.  Be sure to ask ahead of when you plan on making the stock.  They may need to save some for you.
We often double the recipe and freeze in several containers.  The stock will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and will freeze for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3652IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in December 2013 but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in January 2022. 

2 Comments

  • Regarding Homemade Beef Stock
    When I increase the number of people to be served, the ingredients increase accordingly. However, the amount of water to be added in step 5 remains the same: 1 gallon.

    Am I correct in assuming that this is an error, and the amount of water should be increased in the same ratio as all the other ingredients?

    Mahalo for the help!

    • Hi Bob! That’s so strange! We need to look into why the water quantity didn’t increase. But you are absolutely correct, increase the water amount by the same ratio as the other ingredients. Let us know how it turns out!! All the best, Kris & Wesley

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