Beef Stock

Name: Beef Stock
Ingredients: 3 to 4 pounds meaty beef bones, like shank, shin, tail, or short ribs; 2 medium onions, chopped; 2 medium carrots, chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried; 10 fresh parsley sprigs, or more to taste; 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste; 3 cloves; 10 peppercorns

9 ingredients

10 steps

Ingredients

3 to 4 pounds meaty beef bones, like shank, shin, tail, or short ribs
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried
10 fresh parsley sprigs, or more to taste
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3 cloves
10 peppercorns

Directions

1

Rinse the beef bones well under cold running water, then transfer to a large stockpot and add the remaining ingredients.
2

Add about 1 gallon water or enough to cover by a couple of inches.
3

Bring just about to a boil, then partially cover and adjust the heat so the mixture sends up a few bubbles at a time.
4

Cook, skimming off any foam that accumulates at the top, until the meat falls from the bones and the bones separate from one another, 2 to 3 hours.
5

Strain, pressing on the vegetables and meat to extract as much juice as possible.
6

Taste and add salt if necessary.
7

Refrigerate, then skim any hardened fat from the surface.
8

Refrigerate for 4 to 5 days (longer if you boil it every third day, which will keep it from spoiling) or freeze.
9

Omit the thyme, parsley, and cloves.
10

Add 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, 3 scallions, trimmed and chopped, and 7 nickel-sized pieces of fresh ginger to the stock.