Best 2 Basic Beef Stock Recipes

In the culinary world, few things are as versatile and flavorful as a rich, homemade beef stock. This liquid gold forms the foundation of countless dishes, from hearty soups and stews to savory sauces and braises. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook looking to elevate your cooking, mastering the art of beef stock preparation is a skill that will reap dividends in the kitchen. This comprehensive guide provides detailed recipes for basic beef stock, as well as variations such as brown beef stock, pressure cooker beef stock, and slow cooker beef stock. With step-by-step instructions and expert tips, you'll learn how to extract the maximum flavor from bones, vegetables, and herbs to create a stock that will enhance any dish it's added to. So, gather your ingredients, fire up the stove, and embark on a culinary journey that will transform your cooking repertoire.

Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!

BASIC BEEF STOCK

Basic Beef Stock image

Rich, hearty beef stock.

Provided by Wolverine

Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Broth and Stock Recipes

Time 6h10m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

6 pounds beef soup bones
1 large onion
3 large carrots
½ cup water
2 stalks celery, including some leaves
1 large tomato
½ cup chopped parsnip
1 medium potato
8 whole black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 cloves garlic
12 cups water

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Trim root end off onion. Slice or quarter the onion, peel and all. Scrub carrots and chop into 1-inch chunks. In a large shallow roasting pan, place soup bones, onion, and carrots. Bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until the bones are well browned, turning occasionally.
Drain off fat. Place the browned bones, onion, and carrots in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Pour 1/2 cup water into the roasting pan and rinse. Pour this liquid into soup pot.
Scrub the potato and chop it into chunks, peel and all. Chop the celery stalks into thirds. Add celery, tomato, parsnip, potato, peppercorns, parsley (including stems), bay leaf, salt, thyme, and garlic to the pot. Pour in the 12 cups of water.
Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 hours. Strain stock. Discard meat, vegetables, and seasonings.
To clarify stock for clear soup: In order to remove solid flecks that are too small to be strained out with cheesecloth, combine 1/4 cup cold water, 1 egg white, and 1 crushed eggshell. Add to strained stock. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Strain again through a sieve lined with cheesecloth.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 61 calories, Carbohydrate 13.9 g, Fat 0.4 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 1.9 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 978.4 mg, Sugar 3.6 g

BASIC BEEF STOCK

Basic Beef Stock image

This rich stock can be used in a variety of soups and sauces. Reserve the shredded beef and tomato pieces to make Hearty Beef Stew.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes

Yield Makes 3 1/2 quarts

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

6 pounds beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 quarts plus 1 cup water
1 can (28 ounces) peeled whole tomatoes, roughly chopped, juice reserved
2 dried bay leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
1/2 small bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange ribs in a large roasting pan; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast 1 1/2 hours, turning ribs halfway through.
Combine 3 quarts water and tomatoes and their juice in a stockpot. Bundle bay leaves, peppercorns, and dill in a small piece of cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine, and add to pot.
Transfer roasted ribs to pot. Pour off and discard fat from roasting pan. Pour remaining cup water into pan, and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, until water is reduced by half. Transfer liquid and bits to stockpot.
Cover the pot; bring mixture to a simmer over high heat, but do not boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and place a smaller pot lid directly on surface of stock to keep ingredients submerged; cook until meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone, about 1 1/2 hours. Skim surface with a spoon as needed.
Prepare an ice bath. Remove herb bundle from pot, squeezing out liquid into pot, and discard. Strain stock through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl set in ice bath until stock is room temperature, stirring frequently.
Transfer ribs and tomato pieces to another bowl. When cool enough to handle, pull rib meat from bones, and shred with your fingers. Discard bones. Store meat and tomato pieces in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 3 days.
Transfer the cooled stock to airtight containers; refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. With a large metal spoon, skim off and discard fat layer that has collected on the top. If storing, leave fat layer intact (it helps to seal in flavor).

Tips:

Use a variety of bones. Different bones impart different flavors to the stock. For a rich, beefy flavor, use a combination of marrow bones, knuckle bones, and oxtails. If you want a lighter stock, use more knuckle bones and fewer marrow bones.
Roast the bones before making the stock. Roasting the bones prior to simmering them in liquid helps develop rich, caramelized flavors that add complexity to the final stock. This step is optional, but highly recommended.
Use a large stockpot. You'll need a large stockpot to hold all of the bones and water. A 12-quart stockpot is a good size.
Simmer the stock for at least 4 hours. The longer you simmer the stock, the more flavor it will have. For a rich, flavorful stock, simmer it for at least 4 hours. You can simmer it for up to 24 hours if you have the time.
Strain the stock carefully. Once the stock is done simmering, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any solids. Be sure to strain the stock carefully to remove all of the solids. This will ensure that your stock is clear and flavorful.

Conclusion:

Making beef stock from scratch is a great way to add rich, beefy flavor to your soups, stews, and other dishes. By following the tips above, you can make sure that your beef stock is flavorful and delicious. So next time you're making a soup or stew, try using homemade beef stock instead of store-bought. You'll be glad you did!