Beef Stock

Beef Stock

 

Stock is one of the staples you have to have to make soups and sauces.  A few years ago, we decided to try and make our own.  The process isn’t very difficult, but it does take some time.  You can make beef, chicken, turkey, lamb and vegetable stock, to mention a few.  In this case, this is for beef stock.  The bones can be had from most groceries store or Costco.  The beef scraps came from trimming roast before cooking.

Ingredients:

 

Beef bones and scrapes	4 to 6 pounds
Olive Oil	1/4 cup
Onion	1 medium, rough chop
Carrots	2 to 3, rough chop
Celery	2 to 4 stocks, rough chop
Mushrooms	4 to 6 medium, rough chop
Garlic	8 cloves, smashed
Pepper	2 teaspoons
Salt	2 teaspoons
Water	2 gallons
Bouquet Garni
Parsley	4 branches
Laurel (Bay Leaf)	2 leaf
Thyme	4 twigs

Instructions: 

Step 1:

Pre heat oven to 375’.  On a large sheet pan, spread your beef bones and scarps.  Coat with olive oil.  Salt and pepper, about quarter teaspoon of each.  Place into the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until all the meat and bones have browned.  Move the beef bones & scraps into a large stock pot, do NOT pour off the fat into the pot.

Step 2:

Spread the vegetables onto the same sheet pan that you just cooked the beef bones on, be careful of splashing yourself with the fat, it’s hot!  Put the vegetables into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through.  With a slotted spoon put the vegetables into the stock pot.

Step 3:

Pour into the stock pot, two gallons of cold water.  Add the remaining salt and pepper and the bouquet garni.  Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, about 10 minutes or so. Reduces the heat to medium, cover and let simmer for 5 to 7 hours (make sure it’s no boiling).  The stock should reduce to about half it’s volume.

Step 4:

Turn off the heat and let cool a bit.  Transfer the stock into another pot or large storage container through a strainer.  Put the stock into a cool place for a couple hours.  The fat should have risen to the top and solidified, which makes it easy to remove.  You now have stock!  In the regenerator it will keep for a week or so…or pour some into gallon size freezer bags, lay them flat in your freezer.  It will keep for months in the freezer.