Beef Stock

This stock recipe is a combination of recipes from many years of making beef stocks. It has a rich and delicious flavour and will add incomparable depth to any soup or stew recipe and wow, does it make divine gravy with the addition of roast juices. While it takes a while it does produce a stock that people will remark about time and time again.

Ingredients

1              kg meaty beef bones (shank, short ribs, shin bones)
1              kg cracked beef bones (knuckle I find is best and your butcher can crack them for you)
2              carrots, chopped
2              celery stalks with leaves, cut into 5cm lengths
2              onions, cut in half
3-5           litres cold water
1              large can diced tomatoes, undrained
1-1/2       tsp. salt
1/2           cup chopped fresh parsley
6-8           whole peppercorns
4              dried bay leaves

Directions

Place all bones in a large roasting pan and roast at 200 degrees C for 30 minutes. Turn well then add carrots, celery and onions and roast for 45-60 minutes longer, until bones are very deep brown, stirring mixture occasionally.

Place roasted ingredients into a large stockpot. Spoon off fat from liquid in the roasting pan, then add 2 cups water to the drippings in roasting pan and heat and scrape to loosen any browned drippings. Add to pot along with remaining water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 1/2 hour. Skim off any residue (fats and oils) that rises to the surface. Add remaining ingredients and simmer partially covered for 3-5 hours.

Remove bones. Strain the stock and discard the ingredients and add more salt to season if needed. Cool uncovered in refrigerator. Skim fat from stock before using. This stock will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or will freeze up to 3-4 months. You can freeze it in ice cube trays, then pop out of the trays and store in a ziplock freezer bag.