Beef stock is a rich, gelatinous broth made by roasting beef bones with vegetables and aromatics before a long, slow simmer. The deep roasting step develops complex flavor and creates the silky, collagen-rich body prized in French cooking.
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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.
Cool completely, strain through fine mesh, and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months in containers or ice cube trays.
roasting pan · large stockpot · fine-mesh strainer · cheesecloth (optional, for extra-clear stock)
Stock is made from bones and simmered long (12+ hours) for gelatin and body. Broth is made from meat and simmered shorter (2–3 hours) for lighter flavor.
Yes. Slow cooker: 24 hours on low. Instant Pot: 2–3 hours high pressure yields good results, though traditional simmering extracts more gelatin.
Bones should be soft and crumbly, and the broth should gel when cooled due to collagen extraction.
Yes. Cool completely, strain, and freeze in ice cube trays, containers, or bags for up to 3 months.
