Beef Stock

Do you ever end up with a lot of beef bones? Maybe after de-boning a large roast? If you hate to waste food like I do, try this simple way to make beef stock using bones! It’s so simple, and yet a smart way to take advantage of leftover bones.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Start by putting all of your trimmed bones in a large roasting pan. Globs of trimmed fat are fine as well. Some people believe in salting and peppering the bones and bits, but I just leave mine plain. After you’ve collected the stock, you can taste and season. That way, you also don’t end up with too salty of a stock.

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Roast the bones for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 375 degrees and continue roasting for another hour.

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Remove the pan from the oven and place it over 1 or two burners on the stove. Let the pan cool for a while, then add some filtered water to it.

Turn on the heat until the broth just boils, then turn it down to a low simmer. You could add other ingredients at this point, and seasonings like bay leaves, but I like to just leave it alone and keep it simple. Bones and water. And some fat.

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After about two hours, and occasionally turning the bones, you’re left with a beautiful broth like this.

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Let the mixture cool somewhat, then place everything through a colander over a large bowl and drain well. And there you have it.

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Refrigerate the broth overnight, then remove the fat layer before proceeding with a recipe.

I used this broth when I made Chili and Boeuf Bourguignon!

note: This could be called either a stock or a broth. There are more involved home-made stocks, like those that also include vegetables, but personally I like just using the bones. Then I get the meaty beef flavor into my soup or stew via the stock/broth, and then add the aromatics at that time I’m preparing the soup or stew recipe. It’s just a personal choice.

By Published On: October 23rd, 201329 Comments on Beef Stock

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

29 Comments

  1. StefanGourmet October 23, 2013 at 1:41 AM - Reply

    Hi Mimi, I like the simplicity of your recipe. I think it’s important for the flavor to use bones with some meat still attached, as you did judging from the photo.

    • chef mimi October 23, 2013 at 7:47 AM - Reply

      Thanks! There was definitely meat attached, and quite a bit of fat, which I just removed the next day. Come to think of it, I should have kept the fat…

      • StefanGourmet October 25, 2013 at 8:47 AM

        For sure, because it is very tasty and can for instance be used to brown the meat for your chili. I also use it to roast cauliflower and then serve it over pasta – yum!

  2. Conor Bofin October 23, 2013 at 2:45 AM - Reply

    Very good Mimi, I have beef stock on my list. I plan to buy a big stock pot soon. They appear in the supermarkets here in the run in to Christmas (when everybody thinks they are a master cook) and disappear quickly after the reality of Christmas cooking is revealed.
    Best,
    C

    • chef mimi October 23, 2013 at 7:46 AM - Reply

      hahahahaha! That is so funny. I still have macarons on my list at Christmas time, and then, as always, Christmas gets in the way!

  3. sallybr October 23, 2013 at 9:20 AM - Reply

    It’s the time of the year to start making beef and chicken stock – I actually used up all my precious bags from the freezer…

    interesting that you don’t add veggies, I like that – a pure beef stock.

    • chef mimi October 23, 2013 at 6:38 PM - Reply

      I use veggies when I make chicken broth, for beef broth I just do the meaty bones. I guess because I’d have to roast the veggies separately, and so I just keep it simple!

  4. Judy @Savoring Today October 23, 2013 at 9:55 AM - Reply

    Homemade stock is the best! Roasting the bones, as you did, is also important in my opinion — a nice, deep flavored stock.

  5. colormusing October 23, 2013 at 10:47 AM - Reply

    I’ve done this, and must say that the extra effort is more than worthwhile. I used my first batch to make real French onion soup, which was out-of-this-world delicious!

    • chef mimi October 23, 2013 at 6:37 PM - Reply

      French onion soup really requires a good broth. Great idea!

  6. yummychunklet October 23, 2013 at 4:05 PM - Reply

    Great idea!

  7. richardmcgary October 23, 2013 at 5:39 PM - Reply

    Very simple, very tasty. You just cannot find beef stock/broth with near the flavor as homemade. Also, you paid for the bones when you bought the meat so you might as well use them. Once you have a good beef stock you can do an immense variety of dishes, i.e. soups, sauces, stews, chili, braises, etc., etc., etc. I just made a batch of chicken stock Sunday but we haven’t eaten beef in a while so no beef stock. Typically, because we eat so little beef, when I make beef stock, I have to go buy bones. Ankle bones are pretty inexpensive and we can get them from the Mexican markets with a fair amount of meat still on them. I also try to buy 1 large femur bone because of the marrow. The marrows adds that umami quality to a good beef stock. Also, the house is so aromatic when you make stock. I love it. :)

    • chef mimi October 23, 2013 at 6:39 PM - Reply

      I order marrow at restaurants. That’s how much I like it. I’ve never thought to order bones – I’ll have to see if that will work here!

      • richardmcgary October 23, 2013 at 8:10 PM

        I find them at Alberstons here for $2.25/lb.

      • chef mimi October 24, 2013 at 9:27 AM

        I’ll have to look more closely!

      • richardmcgary October 24, 2013 at 10:00 AM

        They won’t be out on display. Ask someone in the meat market. They will even cut it up for you. :) Also, if you cannot find a femur bone at Albertsons, try a local butcher. They typically have all sorts of bones, lamb bones, pork bones, etc. Some may even have venison bones. :)

  8. Garden Walk Garden Talk October 23, 2013 at 7:12 PM - Reply

    I will do it this way from now on. Always did it differently, thanks.

    • chef mimi October 24, 2013 at 9:42 AM - Reply

      There’s no reason to change if you like your beef stock! This is just an easy option!

  9. anotherfoodieblogger October 23, 2013 at 8:43 PM - Reply

    I make the beef stock/broth with the veggies roasted with the bones, then just tump all of it in water to boil for hours and hours. I also use a cheese cloth to strain. I have never tried a pure beef bone stock, I bet it’s delicious and rich cooked down like that.

    • chef mimi October 24, 2013 at 9:27 AM - Reply

      Any version works, doesn’t it?!! It’s just what you like. I usually do veggies in a roasting pan separately just because I don’t roast them at as high of a temperature as I do the meat. So maybe, that means I’m lazy, and just roast the bones for this stock!

  10. Debra Eliotseats October 23, 2013 at 8:53 PM - Reply

    I have never deboned a roast but I would like to get my hands on some beef bones just to make this stock. I bet that chili was excellent using this broth.

  11. chef mimi October 24, 2013 at 9:42 AM - Reply

    It was good. Nice and meaty tasting. I’ve never just bought bones, but I know you can. I’ll have to do that, too!

  12. hotlyspiced October 24, 2013 at 10:09 PM - Reply

    I really must start making my own stock. This is a great way to avoid wasting those beef bones. xx

    • chef mimi October 25, 2013 at 8:06 AM - Reply

      Unless you have dogs who can eat leftover bones, I think this is definitely the way to go!

  13. elderjscott October 25, 2013 at 8:06 AM - Reply

    As you know I’m a huge fan of little waste & of making homemade stock. I’m looking forward to our next batch of beef stock so I can make a big batch of Vietnamese noodle soup (pho). We had one at Noodle Station in Iceland this summer that was like none if ever tasted. Hoping to replicate it!

    • chef mimi October 25, 2013 at 8:14 AM - Reply

      In Iceland? Who’d have thought!!! Funny you mentioned pho, cause I have a recipe from F & W I was going to use to make it all from scratch. Just enjoyed pho at a little dump in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but boy was it good! And, of all things, at Whole Foods I discovered and purchased a carton of pho broth, just like chicken or vegetable broth that’s on the shelf. I thought I’d test it out as well!

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