Roast Beef Stock

Beef stock = bone broth. Simple.

While bone broth is all the rage it only tells me that what is old is new again. Or as my design professor in university quoted, "There is nothing new under the sun". I have been making this for years, as many of us have.

I was pleased to find marrow bones in my package of organically raised beef soup bones. You pay a premium for good marrow in a big city restaurant. The aroma and flavour transported me to a more exotic place than my humble kitchen. My earthly desires were satisfied with a feast of marrow and fleur de sel on crackers.

Roast Beef Stock

3 lbs. beef soup bones
2 large carrots
2 stalks celery
1 onion
1 head of garlic peeled and sliced in half
6 black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 whole clove
dried herbs as you wish, such as rosemary, sage, thyme

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Place bones in a roasting pan. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until bones and meat are beginning to brown.

Prepare the carrots and celery by peeling and cutting into three inches pieces. Peel onion and cut in half. Peel one head of garlic and slice cloves in half. Add all the the roasting pan and continue to bake for another 25-30 minutes.

Transfer bones and vegetables to a large stock pot. Add a little water to the roasting pan and scrape the tasty burnt bits from the bottom of the roasting pan and add them to the stock pot.

Add spices and herbs to stock pot. Fill with cold water to cover the bones by two or three inches. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours. Strain. Package into single use size containers and refrigerate or freeze.