Sunday 19 February 2012

Easiest Homemade Beef Stock Recipe Ever

Believe me, it is just as easy, much less expensive and far more nutritious to make your own stock than it is to buy the salty boxed stuff, or goodness forbid that horrific canned stuff from the back of your grandmother's pantry.

CONSUMER TIP:
 
I get my bones from Kowloon Market on Somerset (an Ottawa based Chinese butcher and fish monger).  They are always fresh can be cut to any size you like and are $4 for a 5lb. bag of beef or marrow bones.  Chicken carcasses I also buy from Kowloon and are 3 for $1.  
1 5lb. bag for beef is needed for the following recipe. 2 bags are all that are needed if you are making chicken broth.

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED:

5 lbs, or 2 kilos of beef bones (you can use chicken, turkey, lamb, venison for whatever base you are attempting to achieve or even roasted vegetables for a vegan broth);
3 carrots broken;
3 stalks celery broken;
1 onion cut in half;
3 fresh bay leaves or 1 large dry;
1 table spoon black pepper corns;
2 table spoon's kosher salt;
1 bouquet garni (sprigs of time, rosemary and oregano) put in cheese cloth tied with string;
1 large roasting tray;
1 large stock pot.

HERE'S HOW TO DO IT:

Place bones in roasting tray, season with salt and grind 1/2 of the black pepper on top.
Place in 450 degree oven for 45 minutes;
Put vegetables, bay leaves, remaining salt, pepper and bouquet garni in stock pot;
Remove browned bones from the oven and transfer into stock pot. Leave whatever dripped from the bones in the roasting pan and discard;
Cover bones with COLD water until water is about 2" above bones;
Place pot on stove over a medium heat, slowly bringing to a simmer;
Once boiling begins use a spoon to remove any impurities that come to the top, it'll look like muddy froth.  These impurities can make a stock slightly bitter and less attractive;
Simmer slowly for 4-5 hours occasionally skimming the surface and tasting to adjust the seasoning.

Strain through fine strainer and refrigerate in a covered container, discarding the bones;
Leave overnight in the fridge remove the congealed fat from the top once set and discard;

Reheat to a warm temperature and divide the stock into zip bags or resealable container.

This beautiful "homemade" broth can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or put into zip bags and frozen. The broth will keep for months, but it probably won't last that long and you'll be off and experimenting with your own personalized stock creations.

Enjoy.

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