Beef Stock

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). On a large roasting pan, place the beef shank and neck bones. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of oil and season lightly with salt.

Roast the bones for 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven. Apply tomato paste over the bones, spreading it evenly.

Return the pan to the oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes.

Transfer the roasted bones to a large stockpot. Deglaze the roasting pan by pouring hot water onto it and scraping up all the browned bits (fond) with a spatula. Pour this flavorful liquid into the stockpot.

Add enough cold water to the stockpot to cover the bones completely. Bring to a very gentle simmer over low heat.

As the stock simmers, use a ladle to skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface. Simmer the bones alone for 4-5 hours.

While the bones are simmering, prepare the vegetables. On a separate roasting pan, arrange the leeks, carrots, onions, and garlic. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt.

Roast the vegetables at 400°F (200°C) for about 30 minutes, or until nicely browned and caramelized.

After the bones have simmered for 4-5 hours, add the roasted vegetables to the stockpot. You can deglaze the vegetable pan with a ladle of stock and add that liquid back to the pot as well.

Add the fresh parsley and thyme to the pot. Continue to simmer for one more hour.

Strain the finished stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large, clean container. Discard the solids.

Allow the stock to cool, then refrigerate overnight. The next day, the stock should be gelatinous. Scrape off any solidified fat from the surface before using or storing.