Beef Broth – This flavorful powerhouse is super easy and seriously delicious on its own or in your favorite soup. You’ll never go back to the canned broth when you discover how simple it is to create this incredibly versatile ingredient.
Bone broth became the rage a few years ago when people started doing the paleo and keto diets. I’m not into fads, so I ignored the ruckus. But then I found out how much better homemade beef stock can be.
The great thing about this beef stock recipe is that you have complete control. You can get as fancy or simple as you want. Use just bones and water, or add all the deliciously aromatic spices to create a masterpiece. Not only that, it’s the base for soooo many recipes that it would be a shame not to have this on hand.
Why Make Your Own Beef Bone Broth?
Have you seen the ingredient list on a can of broth? I can’t even pronounce some of those words. Know the ingredients you’re putting in your body, I say. You can save bones that you would normally throw away. Just freeze them in a bag, and simmer away when you’ve collected enough. It also has to be one of the most versatile recipes out there.
Fun Fact: You can drink pure broth without breaking your fast, given it doesn’t contain solids, starch, or sugar. So it’s perfect for those doing low-carb and intermittent fasting. 😉
Recipe Ingredients
This homemade beef broth is a simple recipe with a fair list of ingredients and is easily customizable to suit your taste.
- Beef Bones – It’s amazing how much nutrition is in beef bones, and they’re usually pretty economical. You can use knuckles, ribs, legs, necks, or shanks for higher collagen content. It’s great with leftover oxtail bones after making oxtail stew.😉
- Vegetables – Carrots, onions, and celery also add a comfort food flavor.
- Seasonings – Garlic, bay leaves, whole peppercorns, parsley, and thyme add flavor and nutrition. Yum!
How to Make Beef Broth
Make the Broth
- Bake – Place beef bones on a large tray and drizzle with oil. Bake them for about 30 minutes, and then take them out.
- Add the Veggies – Add carrots, onions, and garlic to the tray, drizzle with oil and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Load the Stock Pot – Transfer browned meat, carrots, onions, and garlic to your dutch oven or large stock pot.
- Season – Add celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Deglaze – Deglaze the tray with a cup of warm water, scraping all that flavor off the bottom. Then pour it all into the dutch oven.
- Heat – Add seven cups of water to the dutch oven or stock pot and bring it to a boil.
- Skim – Reduce to a simmer and skim the stock with a spoon to remove the surface scum.
- Simmer – Cook for 3-8 hours on medium-low without the lid. It should be a very gentle simmer.
- Adjust Seasoning – Your stock should be rich and dark brown. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Cool – Turn off the heat and allow the beef broth to cool.
Store the Broth
- Strain – Take out the bones and vegetables, pour the stock through a fine mesh colander lined with a cheesecloth, and set over a large bowl.
- Remove the Fat – Refrigerate the broth. When the fat solidifies on the surface of the broth, carefully remove it with a spoon and discard it.
- Ready to Go – The broth will have a jelly consistency when refrigerated. You can use it as is, microwave it, or heat it up in a saucepan to liquefy it. Keep refrigerated or use immediately in your soups.
Recipe Variations
- Chicken Broth – Chicken bones also make fantastic broth.
- Pork Broth – Pork stock is another option. Sometimes, I save chicken, beef, pork, and lamb bones in the freezer and make a fantastic medley bone broth.
- Vegetable Broth – Mild-flavored vegetables make a good broth. Carrots, celery, squash, tomatoes, etc., are excellent. However, brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) tend to be a bit too strong.
- Spicy Beef Broth – If you are a chili or spicy broths fan, you can add many peppers or chili pepper to your liking.
Tips and Tricks
- Adjust seasonings as you go. Remember that intense flavors like ginger and cumin are better left for the final recipe.
- Skim the scum as it occurs for a more attractive broth.
- You can reduce it to a concentrate by simmering it longer after straining. It takes a while and needs regular stirring, but reducing the broth to a concentrate saves space in the freezer.
- Some people simmer their beef stock for 2-3 days. However, I find 24 hours provides the best flavor because much more than that gives it a slight mineral taste.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can always use beef broth immediately after making it, but you can make it ahead and freeze it, too. You could even can it in pint or quart jars if you love canning for a rainy day.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Beef broth is a great flavor base for soup, stews, and vegetable or rice dishes. Of course, you could always enjoy this by steaming hot by itself on a cold day.
Because it’s liquid, you’re probably better off storing your broth recipe in a glass jar with a sealable lid. It will last in the fridge for five days and in the freezer for six months.
Pro Tip: You can freeze the broth in ice cube trays, then transfer the cubes to sealable freezer bags as soon as they’re frozen.
FAQs
Super easy! Make a roux with butter or oil and flour, then stir in your beef broth. Let it simmer until it thickens, and season it however you want. You can also add cream to make it even richer.
Some people use them interchangeably. However, stock uses bones, while broth uses meat and vegetables.
I’m not a doctor, but research (https://www.livescience.com/is-bone-broth-good-for-you) says it is. It’s full of vitamins and nutrients, and it’s delicious. How could it be bad?
How to Use Beef Broth
The homemade beef broth will definitely make any dish more flavorful because of its deep meaty flavor. It’ll work best in these mouthwatering recipes below.
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Beef Tripe Soup
- Braised Beef Neck Bones
- Vegetable Beef Soup
- Corned Beef and Cabbage
More Meaty Soup Recipes to Try
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Stuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Instant Pot Oxtail Soup
- Taco Soup
- Chicken Feet Soup
Conclusion
Beef bone broth is an excellent addition to recipes for more nutrient-dense soups and sauces. And now that the weather is getting chilly, I might make soups more often. How about you? Let me know in the comments!
Watch How to Make It
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Beef Broth
Ingredients
- 4 pounds (1.8k) beef bones (You can use knuckles, ribs, legs, neck, or shanks)
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) canola oil
- 2-3 medium carrots, cut into 2 or 3
- 2 medium onions quartered
- 1 head garlic, sliced in half crosswise
- 2 large bay leaves
- 10 whole peppercorns
- 5 sprigs fresh parsley
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2-3 stalks celery, chopped into 2 or 3 pieces
- 1 teaspoon (7g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (2.3g) ground black pepper
- 1 cup (240ml) warm water
- 7 cups (1.6l) cold water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉/205℃.
- Place beef bones on a large tray and drizzle with oil. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and take out.
- Add carrots, onions, and garlic to the tray, drizzle with oil, and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Transfer browned meat, carrots, onions, and garlic to a dutch oven or large stock pot.
- Add the celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Deglaze the tray with 1 cup of warm water, and add it to the dutch oven.
- Add 7 cups of water to the dutch oven and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and skim the stock with a spoon to remove the surface scum.
- Cook for 3-8 hours on medium-low without the lid. It will be a very gentle simmer. (The longer you simmer it, the more concentrated the flavor will be.)
- Your stock should be rich and dark brown. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn off the heat and allow the broth to cool.
- Line a fine-meshed colander with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Then remove the bones and vegetables from the pot and gently pour the stock through the colander.
- Refrigerate the broth. When the fat solidifies on the surface, carefully scrape it off with a spoon and discard it.
- The broth will have a jelly consistency when it is refrigerated. You can use it as is or heat it in the microwave or a saucepan to liquefy it.
- Freeze or refrigerate it for later or use it immediately in your soups.
Tips & Notes:
- Adjust seasonings as you go. Remember that intense flavors like ginger and cumin are better left for the final recipe.
- Skim the scum as it occurs for a more attractive broth.
- You can reduce it to a concentrate by simmering it longer after straining. It takes a while and needs regular stirring, but reducing the broth to a concentrate saves space in the freezer.
- Some people simmer their beef stock for 2-3 days. However, I find 24 hours provides the best flavor because much more than that gives it a slight mineral taste.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
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