Classic Brown Beef Stock

Name: Classic Brown Beef Stock
Prep time: 1 h 35 min
Cook time: 7 h 25 min
Total time: 9 h
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 5 pounds (2270 g) beef bones, mixed meaty and marrow/knuckle bones, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces; 3 tablespoons (48 g) tomato paste; 2 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) yellow onions, unpeeled, quartered (skins add color); 3 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) carrots, scrubbed, not peeled, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks; 3 ribs (about 6 oz) (170 g) celery ribs, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks; 1 head (50 g) garlic, halved crosswise, skin on; 4¼ quarts (4040 ml) cold water, cold: 1 cup (240 ml) for deglazing plus 4 quarts (3.8 L) for the pot; keep a kettle of hot water for topping up during the simmer; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs; 1 teaspoon (3 g) black peppercorns; 6 stems (10 g) parsley stems (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deep, glossy, mahogany-colored French-style stock made by roasting beef bones and vegetables with tomato paste, then simmering gently for 6 hours. The foundation for soups, sauces, braises, and French onion soup.

Prep: 1 hr 35 min
Cook: 7 hr 25 min
Wait: 6 hr 15 min
Total: 15 hr 15 min
Makes: About 2½ quarts (2.4 liters) stock, 10 cups of 1 cup (240 ml) each

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Ingredients

10 servings

5 pounds (2270 g) beef bones, mixed meaty and marrow/knuckle bones, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces
3 tablespoons (48 g) tomato paste
2 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) yellow onions, unpeeled, quartered (skins add color)
3 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) carrots, scrubbed, not peeled, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
3 ribs (about 6 oz) (170 g) celery ribs, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
1 head (50 g) garlic, halved crosswise, skin on
4¼ quarts (4040 ml) cold water, cold: 1 cup (240 ml) for deglazing plus 4 quarts (3.8 L) for the pot; keep a kettle of hot water for topping up during the simmer
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs
1 teaspoon (3 g) black peppercorns
6 stems (10 g) parsley stems (optional)

Equipment (10)

Large rimmed baking sheet, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm), or a large roasting pan
12-quart (11 L) stockpot
Fine-mesh strainer
Large heatproof bowl or second pot, 8-quart (7.5 L) or larger
Ladle
Cheesecloth (optional, for extra-clear stock)
3–4 shallow containers or metal pans, about 2 inches (5 cm) deep, plus a sink or tub for an ice bath
Instant-read thermometer
Ice wand or sealed frozen water bottles (optional, speeds cooling)
Airtight containers or freezer-safe jars

Steps

Before you start

Buy a mix of bones: meaty ones (short rib, shank, oxtail) for flavor and knuckle or marrow bones for body. Ask the butcher to cut large bones into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces.
Use a 12-quart (11 L) stockpot. A smaller pot will not hold the bones and water with room to simmer.
Plan about 11 hours from start until the stock is strained and cooled to 70°F (21°C), plus at least 4 more hours of chilling (about 15 hours total). Most of it is unattended simmering and cooling.
Before straining, set up your cooling station: ice, a sink or large tub, and several shallow containers (about 2 inches / 5 cm deep) or metal pans. Have an instant-read thermometer ready.
Do not add salt. The stock reduces later, so season the dish you use it in.

1
Heat the ovenOven 450°F / 230°C
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 450°F (230°C).
- While it heats, pat the bones dry with paper towels so they brown rather than steam.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 450°F (230°C) and the bones are dry to the touch
Tip: Dry bones brown far better than wet ones.
2
Roast the bonesOven 450°F / 230°C
- Spread the bones in a single layer on the baking sheet with space between them.
- Roast at 450°F (230°C) for 30 minutes, then turn the bones over with tongs.
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Ready when: Bones are browned on the underside and fat is rendering
Tip: Use two pans if the bones touch. Crowding causes steaming.
3
Add vegetables and pasteOven 450°F / 230°C
- Remove the pan.
- Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic around the bones.
- Smear the tomato paste over the bones and vegetables, tossing gently to coat.
- Roast at 450°F (230°C) for 30 minutes, stirring once at the 15-minute mark.
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Ready when: Bones and vegetables are deep brown, the tomato paste is brick-red to dark brown, and edges of vegetables are charred in spots but not blackened
Tip: Burnt bits make the stock bitter. If anything turns black, discard that piece.
4
Transfer to the pot
- Use tongs to move the bones and vegetables to the stockpot, leaving the fat behind.
- Tilt the baking sheet and spoon off and discard most of the fat, leaving the browned bits.
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Ready when: Everything is in the pot and the pan has only a thin layer of fat and browned bits
Tip: Don't pour hot fat down the drain. Let it cool and discard it in the trash.
5
Deglaze the pan
- Set the baking sheet across two burners over medium heat.
- Pour in 1 cup (240 ml) water and scrape up all browned bits with a wooden spoon for 1–2 minutes.
- Pour this liquid into the stockpot.
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Ready when: The pan surface is clean and the liquid is dark brown
Tip: These browned bits hold much of the flavor.
6
Cover with cold water
- Add 4 quarts (3.8 L) of cold water, or just enough to cover the bones by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- The water level should sit at least 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) below the pot rim so there is room to skim and to top up.
- If the pot is that full before the bones are covered, use slightly less water.
- Starting with cold water helps proteins release slowly, which keeps the stock clearer.
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Ready when: Bones are submerged and the water is 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) below the pot rim
Tip: A lower water level also means less to cool later.
7
Bring to a bare simmer
- Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring it slowly to a near simmer, about 45 minutes.
- Skim off the gray foam that rises every few minutes.
- When tiny bubbles break the surface every second or two, reduce the heat to low.
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Ready when: Surface shows only a few small bubbles, with no rolling boil, and most of the gray foam has been skimmed
Tip: Never let the stock boil hard. Boiling emulsifies fat and makes the stock cloudy.
8
Add aromatics
- Add the bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and parsley stems, if using.
- Keep the heat low enough to maintain a gentle simmer with an occasional bubble.
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Ready when: Aromatics are submerged and the surface is barely moving
Tip: Adding herbs late keeps their flavor fresh instead of stewed.
9
Simmer for six hours
- Simmer uncovered (or partly covered if the heat is hard to keep low) for 6 hours total.
- Skim the surface about once an hour.
- If the liquid drops below the bones, top up with hot water from a kettle.
- Expect the stock to reduce to roughly 2½–3 quarts (2.4–2.8 L).
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Ready when: The stock is deep brown, smells rich and roasty, a spoonful chilled on a plate jiggles slightly, and the meat on the bones is falling apart
Tip: Use a heat diffuser or the lowest burner setting if it starts to bubble vigorously.
10
Strain the hot stock
- Turn off the heat.
- Remove the large bones with tongs.
- Ladle the hot stock through a fine-mesh strainer, lined with cheesecloth if you want it extra clear, into a large heatproof bowl or second pot.
- Discard the solids.
- Start cooling immediately; do not let the stock sit at room temperature.
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Ready when: The stock is clear of bits and about 2½ quarts (2.4 L) remain
Tip: Do not press on the solids, which clouds the stock.
11
Cool in shallow containers
- Right away, divide the hot stock among the shallow containers so it is no deeper than about 2 inches (5 cm).
- Set them in an ice bath in the sink, with ice reaching the level of the stock.
- Stir every 10 minutes, and use an ice wand or sealed frozen water bottles if you have them.
- Check with an instant-read thermometer: the stock must fall from 135°F (57°C) to below 70°F (21°C) within 2 hours.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads below 70°F (21°C) in the center of each container within 2 hours of straining
Tip: Refresh the ice as it melts. If the stock isn't below 70°F (21°C) in 2 hours, add more ice and keep stirring.
12
Chill and remove fat
- Move the containers to the refrigerator, loosely covered or uncovered, so the stock reaches 41°F (5°C) or below within 4 more hours.
- Once cold, cover tightly and chill at least 4 hours total or overnight.
- Lift off the solidified fat from the top and discard it or save it for cooking.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 41°F (5°C) or below, and the stock is cold, jelly-like and topped with a firm white fat cap
Tip: Leave space between containers so cold air circulates. A gelled stock means plenty of collagen.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the simmer barely moving. A hard boil makes the stock cloudy and greasy.
Cool the stock fast in shallow containers and check the temperature. Slow cooling lets bacteria that survive simmering grow, and reheating won't destroy their toxins.
Freeze in 1-cup (240 ml) portions, or in ice cube trays for pan sauces.
For a richer sauce base, reduce strained stock by half to make a demi-glace-style concentrate.

Make ahead

Make the stock up to 4 days ahead and keep it refrigerated, or freeze it for up to 6 months.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in tightly covered containers for up to 4 days at 41°F (5°C) or below. Freeze for up to 6 months in portions, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or reheat from frozen in a saucepan over low heat. Always bring refrigerated or thawed stock to a full simmer (at least 165°F / 74°C) before using, regardless of how long it was stored.

Substitutions

beef bones, mixed meaty and marrow/knuckle bones → veal bones. Gives a milder, more gelatinous stock. Use the same weight.
fresh thyme sprigs → 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Add at the same step.
tomato paste → 1 cup (240 g) canned crushed tomatoes. Roast with the vegetables. The stock will be slightly less concentrated in color.
yellow onions → 2 leeks, white and light green parts. Wash well and roast the same way for a gentler sweetness.