Homemade Beef Stock Recipe (2024)

Have you ever been to a fabulous restaurant and had a bowl of French Onion Soup that knocked your socks off?

Homemade Beef Stock Recipe (1)

How do they do this? Good stock. The base of any superb and memorable soup or gravy is a rich stock.

The Best Beef Stock recipe made with herbs and vegetables. Freezer friendly and full of flavor, you’ll never buy store bought again!

If there is nothing else you take from this post, take this: not all stock is created equal. Store bought stock, the kind you get in a cardboard box, will never have the same robust flavor as homemade.

Homemade Beef Stock Recipe (2)

I get it, it takes a lot of time to create a flavorful stock, it is so much easier to pick up a box and add a little Kitchen Bouquet to “beef” it up.

If only once, try making your own. You will forever respect the process. Another key to this process is the quality of ingredients.

Homemade Beef Stock Recipe (3)

The more meat and bones, the better the flavor. Depending on the meat used, you may not achieve the same dark brown color you would get out of bullion or store bought stock, but have no fear, those generally have color added to produce the finished product.

After you apply your beef stock to the intended recipe, you will never notice the difference in color because you will be blown away by the intense flavor. The texture will also be thicker, even gelatinous when cooled.

Homemade Beef Stock Recipe (4)
Homemade Beef Stock Recipe (5)

Another pro? Stock freezes really well. Take one lazy Sunday and make a triple batch to freeze for later.

If you do decide to freeze, allow space at the top of your container to allow it to expand. You will need a stock pot or large enamel Dutch oven to prepare your stock.

But before you get started, make sure to read my How To Make Stock to ensure yours is the BEST it can be!

Recipe that use beef stock:

  • Apple French Onion Soup
  • Short Rib Soup
  • Beef Stroganoff
  • Crock Pot Beef and Noodles
Homemade Beef Stock Recipe (6)

The BEST Beef Stock Recipe

4.38 from 29 votes

The Best Beef Stock recipe made with herbs and vegetables. Freezer friendly and full of flavor, you’ll never buy store bought again!

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 8 hours hrs

Total Time: 8 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 cups

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Ingredients

  • 3-4 pounds beef bones *
  • 2 large yellow onions , peeled and quartered
  • 1 cup carrots , roughly chopped
  • 3 celery ribs , cut into 4 segments
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 pound beef stew meat * , or scraps left over from other meals using beef cuts
  • 1 celery base , the bulb at the end
  • 4 cloves garlic , smashed and pealed
  • 1 turnip , diced into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/2 bunch parsley
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper , coarsely ground
  • 1 fresh thyme sprig
  • 1 fresh rosemary sprig

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss beef bones, onion, carrot and celery in olive oil. Roast for 1 hour, turning half way.

  • Meanwhile, place the stew meat, celery base, garlic, turnip, parsley, bay leaves, salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary in a large stock pot. Add the roasted vegetables and beef bones to the pot, although with any remaining liquid. Pour the red wine into the hot roasting pan to deglaze, loosening all the browned bits. Pour the wine and browned bits into the stock pot.

  • Add enough water to cover ingredients, plus two inches.

  • Simmer on low heat for 4-7 hours, the longer the better. About 2 hours after cooking, pull out the bones and using a potato nail or the end of a meat thermometer, scoop the marrow out and return to the stock along with the bones. The mixture might not be the deep brown color you are used to, after the mixture sits and fats separate from the broth, it will be less cloudy and more brown.

  • The liquid will have reduced by half, if not more. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out all solid ingredients. Line a colander or large sieve with a triple layer of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl, Dutch oven or casserole dish. Strain liquid through the cheese cloth. Discard solids. Cover and place liquid into the refrigerator.

  • After liquid has chilled, all of the fat will rise to the top and solidify. Now it can easily be spooned off the top leaving only deep, rich and flavorful beef stock. Now use your beef stock for something fabulous!

  • If you've tried this recipe come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.

Notes

*My grocer sells beef bones frozen in large hunks. Apparently not a lot of people in my area make their own stock. The problem is that frozen bones rarely have a lot of meat on them, so I compensate by adding extra stew meat. If your bones are super meaty you can omit the stew meat.

Nutrition

Calories: 296 kcal, Carbohydrates: 8 g, Protein: 13 g, Fat: 19 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 53 mg, Sodium: 1237 mg, Potassium: 364 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 2 g, Vitamin A: 3605 IU, Vitamin C: 4.8 mg, Calcium: 40 mg, Iron: 1.7 mg

Author: Jessica Formicola

Calories: 296

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef broth, beef stock

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!

Homemade Beef Stock Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the ratio of bones to water for beef stock? ›

The basic ratio for a good stock is 100% water, 50% bones and 10% mirepoix. To make it a rich stock you need to roast the bones and I like to bump the bones up to about 60% and the mirpoix to 15%. As in all brown stocks you would add a bit of tomato product too.

What is the ratio for stock ingredients? ›

Basics: The basic ratio I use for making stock is 4:1 1/2:1/2:1/2. That's 4 pounds of bones and meat, 1 1/2 pounds of onions, and 1/2 pounds each of carrots and celery. This ratio works for beef, chicken, turkey, ham/pork, veal, whatever the meat is and makes about 2 quarts of stock.

How do you make the perfect stock? ›

How to make stock
  1. Place chicken carcasses/bones into large pan and top with cold water. Heat to a gentle simmer and skim off any protein scum which rises up. ...
  2. Add vegetables and bouquet garni. ...
  3. Strain the stock, pour into a clean pan and boil fiercely to reduce the stock and intensify the flavour.

Is it worth making your own beef stock? ›

Making Your Own Beef Stock

If you make a big batch and freeze it, you may save some money. But the main reason is that you'll get a richness of flavor and texture in your homemade stock that you just can't buy at the store.

How long to boil bones for stock? ›

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for at least 10-12 hours, or until reduced by 1/3 or 1/2, leaving you with 6-8 cups of bone broth. The more it reduces, the more intense the flavor becomes and the more collagen is extracted. We find 12 hours to be the perfect cook time.

How many beef stock cubes for 2 cups of water? ›

What is the ratio? You can substitute bouillon cubes or granules in most recipes that call for broth or stock. The recommended equivalent measure is to dissolve 1 bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon of bouillon granules) in 8 ounces of boiling water for every 1 cup of broth.

What are the 3 basic ingredients in making good stocks? ›

Stocks are prepared with a few basic ingredients including bones, mirepoix, herbs and spices, and sometimes tomatoes or wine. They are often prepared using leftover ingredients as a cost-effective measure for the kitchen.

What is the most important ingredient in a stock? ›

Bones: bones are the major ingredients of stocks (except water, of course). Most of the flavor and body of stocks is derived from the bones of beef, veal, chicken, fish and occasionally lamb, pork, ham and game. The kinds of bones determine the kind of stock: • Chicken stock, of course is made from chicken bones.

What is the best ratio for a stock? ›

A P/B ratio of 1 indicates the company's shares are trading in line with its book value. A P/B higher than 1 suggests the company is trading at a premium to book value, and lower than 1 indicates a stock that may be undervalued relative to the company's assets.

What not to do when making stock? ›

Share
  1. MISTAKE #1: TOO HOT IN HERE. A rich, full-bodied broth comes from the conversion of connective tissue (mainly collagen) into gelatin through the application of heat in the presence of moisture. ...
  2. MISTAKE #2: ALL INGREDIENTS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. When it comes to cooking time at least. ...
  3. MISTAKE #3: FORGETTING TO FINISH.

How do you make a stock from scratch? ›

Combine the beef or poultry bones, veggies, seasonings, and spices in a large stockpot. Cover ingredients by about 2 inches of cold water. If you'd like to simmer the liquid longer (think 6-24 hours) for more concentrated flavor and less monitoring, try using a slow cooker instead of a stockpot on the stove.

How do you make homemade stock more flavorful? ›

How to Make Broth More Flavorful
  1. Add herbs and spices.
  2. Add acidic ingredients.
  3. Pack in umami flavor.
  4. Roast the ingredients first.
  5. Let it evaporate and cook longer.
  6. Skim excess fat.
Jun 28, 2023

How do you make beef stock taste better? ›

The base of most stocks are flavorful aromatics, like onion, carrot, and celery. An easy way to punch up the lackluster flavor of boxed stocks is by adding more of those basics. An onion sliced in half, plus a few chunks of carrots and celery can go a long way in flavoring store-bought stocks.

What is the difference between beef broth and beef stock? ›

Although both stock and broth involve simmering in water, broth uses meat while stock uses bones. As a result, broth contains very little protein, a key ingredient in building flavor. Additionally, broth often does not contain vegetables or herbs, thereby requiring higher sodium levels to impart flavor.

How long will homemade beef stock last? ›

Stock will keep about four days in the refrigerator if you chill it properly. To do that, let it cool first. It's not a good idea to put a large container of hot liquid straight into your refrigerator.

How much water do you add to beef stock? ›

Place beef bones in a very large stock pot, at least 7 litres / quarts; Add the herbs and vegetables, and 3 litres of water to just cover the bones. Pack the bones and vegetables down so you minimise the amount of water required. Nobody wants to end up with a watery beef stock!

Is 2 cups of bone broth too much? ›

Thankfully, the collagen and amino acids in bone broth are incredibly beneficial for joint aches and pains. While everyone is different, we've seen customers rave about joint pain disappearing with regular bone broth consumption. To see benefits for joints and cartilage, we suggest drinking 2-4 cups of broth per day.

How much water is used to make 1lb of beef? ›

It takes approximately 1,847 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef — that's enough water to fill 39 bathtubs all the way to the top.

What is the ratio of meat to water in stock? ›

In subsequent batches, I bumped the chicken up, and found that you want at least two pounds of chicken per two quarts of water, a 1:2 ratio by weight.

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