Homemade Beef Stock
Learn how to make a rich, beefy, and nutritious Beef Stock! You can make beef bone broth in a slow cooker, on the stovetop, or in the Instant Pot. The most important tip is to use bones that are meaty i.e., they still have some meat on them, because the bones add gelatin and body, while meat = flavor! Without the beef, it will taste flat. The recipe card reflects timing for the Instant Pot method.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs meaty beef bones*
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 2 celery ribs, cut into thirds, leaves attached
- 2 carrots, peeled & cut into 1-2” chunks.
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt, optional*
- 1 bay leaf, optional but nice
- 10 peppercorns
- Filtered Water, Stock Pot: 16 c, 6 Qt Slow Cooker: 12 c., Instant Pot: 10–12c
Instructions
Roast the Bones (for all methods, but if using bones from cooked roast, skip this step)
- Roast - Place beef bones on a lined rimmed baking sheet along with vegetables, toss with olive oil, and roast at 450°F for 45 minutes or until browned. Transfer the meat, bones, and veggies to your cooking pot.
- Cook - Pour hot water over the baking sheet and scrape the bottom to deglaze the pan, then add the drippings/liquid to your cooking pot.
Instant Pot Beef Stock (2 hours)
- Add roasted bones, meat, and veggies to the Instant Pot along with any drippings deglazed from the pan. Add garlic, cider vinegar, salt, bay leaf, and peppercorns, then pour in water to the max fill line.
- Cook - Cover and cook on high pressure for 2 hours. Let the pot naturally depressurize for 30 minutes, then use the pressure release valve to carefully release any remaining pressure.
Stovetop Method (4-8 hours simmering)
- Add - Place roasted bones, veggies, and any deglazed/accumulated juices into your 8 Qt stock pot. Add garlic, cider vinegar, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Add 16 cups of water or enough to cover the meat and veggies with 2 inches of water.
- Cook - Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 4-8 hours. Skim off impurities that rise to the top and discard them in the garbage. Avoid stirring and do not boil rapidly, or the stock will get murky.
Slow Cooker Method (10–18 hours on low, or 5–6 hours on high)
- Add - Place roasted bones, meat, and veggies, along with the deglazed pan juices, into a 6 Qt Slow Cooker. Add garlic, cider vinegar, salt, bay leaf, and peppercorns along with 12 cups of warm water.
- Cook - Cover and cook on low heat for 10-18 hours.
How to Strain Beef Stock
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a second pot, extracting as much stock as possible. Discard the solids into the garbage. Cool the strained stock to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.
- Skim the fat - Once the beef stock is chilled, it will thicken. The fat will rise to the top and will solidify, which makes it easy to skim off. Do not put this fat into your sink, or it can clog up your plumbing. Instead, toss it in the garbage. The fat on top is essentially tallow (rendered beef fat) and can also be used as a cooking fat if you want to store it for later.
Notes
*Types of Meaty Beef Bones - Short ribs, oxtail, marrow, knuckle bones, or the bones from a Prime Rib. Substitute the meat on the bone with 1 pound of trimmed stew meat or leftover beef scraps.
*Salt - omit if you wish to salt the stock only when using it later in a recipe. I prefer to salt a little while making, and then add more salt when using in a recipe.
Storage - Once the fat has been removed, divide the stock into individual portions in freezer-safe containers like zip-top bags, mason jars, or plastic containers.
- Refrigerate covered for 4-5 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat to a rolling boil before consuming.
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Beef Stock
Amount per Serving
Calories
47
% Daily Value*
Fat
4
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
0.5
g
3
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
3
g
Sodium
310
mg
13
%
Potassium
103
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
4
g
1
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
1
g
1
%
Protein
0.4
g
1
%
Vitamin A
2594
IU
52
%
Vitamin C
3
mg
4
%
Calcium
15
mg
2
%
Iron
0.2
mg
1
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
