Beef stock is one of those things that separates a good home kitchen from a great one. Made properly — bones roasted until deeply browned, vegetables caramelised, wine reduced until the acidity is gone — it is a dark, clean, gelatinous base that improves everything it touches. Use it straight from the pot for soups and braises, or reduce it down and freeze in portions as a concentrated sauce base.
No salt, ever. You salt at the point of use, whether that is a soup, a braise, or a reduced pan sauce. Salt before reduction and the finished dish will be unworkable.
Ingredients
- 5 kg Beef bones, mix of knuckle, marrow and joint bones
- 1 kg White onions, roughly chopped, skin on
- 750 g Carrots, roughly chopped
- 500 g Celery, roughly chopped
- 30 g Tomato purée
- 250 ml Dry red wine
- 3 Bay leaves
- 1 small bunch Thyme, fresh
- 12 Black peppercorns, whole
- 6 litres Water, cold
Equipment
- Large roasting tray (or two)
- Large stockpot — minimum 10 litre capacity
- Fine chinois or muslin cloth
- Stock skimmer
- Ice cube trays
- Freezer bags
Method
Spread the bones across one or two large roasting trays in a single layer. Roast at 220°C for 45–60 minutes, turning once, until deeply browned throughout — not golden, not pale brown.
Add the onions, carrots and celery to the bone tray for the final 30 minutes of roasting. They should caramelise and colour at the edges — not burn.
Smear the tomato purée over the bones and vegetables for the final 10 minutes of roasting. It will darken and concentrate against the hot tray.
Remove the tray from the oven and pour in the wine while still hot. Scrape every bit of fond from the base — put the tray over a hob flame briefly if needed to loosen. Reduce until almost completely dry before transferring everything to the stockpot.
Transfer the bones, vegetables and deglazed juices to the stockpot. Cover with cold water by 3–4 cm. Bring very slowly to a bare simmer over medium-low heat — allow 30–40 minutes. Do not boil.
For the first 45 minutes after the stock reaches a simmer, skim continuously. A grey-brown foam will rise to the surface — remove all of it before adding the aromatics.
Once skimming is done, add the bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns. Maintain the gentlest possible simmer — the surface should barely move — for a minimum of 6 hours, ideally 8–10. Top up with water only if the bones become exposed.
Strain through a fine chinois or muslin cloth into a clean container. Discard the solids. Cool rapidly in a sink of iced water, then refrigerate overnight.
The next day, lift the solidified fat cap from the surface and discard. What remains should be dark, clean, and lightly gelatinous when cold — it should wobble slightly when the container is shaken. Use as is or follow the next step to reduce.
Bring the degreased stock to a simmer in a wide, heavy pan. Reduce uncovered by 50–60%, skimming occasionally. Test by chilling a spoonful — it should set softly, not rubbery and not watery. Pour into ice cube trays, freeze solid, then transfer to labelled freezer bags.
Notes & Substitutions
No salt: Salt concentrates during reduction and becomes difficult to control. Always season at the point of use — in the soup, braise, or sauce — rather than in the stock itself.
How to use it: Use straight from the pot or fridge for soups, braises, and risottos. For pan sauces, reduce the stock by 50–60% before adding to the pan — or reduce the finished stock and freeze in ice cube trays as a ready-made concentrated base. Each cube is approximately 30–40ml, enough for one or two portions.
Bones: Ask your butcher to cut large bones into sections — more surface area means more extraction. Marrow bones add richness; knuckle and joint bones add gelatin. A mix of all three gives the best result.
Wine: Use a Bordeaux-style dry red. Avoid fruity or jammy New World reds, which add sweetness rather than depth. It does not need to be expensive, but it should be something you would drink.
Scaling: This recipe scales proportionally — double the bones, double the water, double the aromatics. Simmer time stays the same regardless of batch size.
Yield: Approximately 4.5–5 litres of finished stock.
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Beef Stock
Beef stock is one of those things that separates a good home kitchen from a great one. Made properly — bones roasted until deeply browned, vegetables caramelised, wine reduced until the acidity is gone — it is a dark, clean, gelatinous base that improves everything it touches. Use it straight from the pot for soups and braises, or reduce it down and freeze in portions as a concentrated sauce base.
No salt, ever. You salt at the point of use, whether that is a soup, a braise, or a reduced pan sauce. Salt before reduction and the finished dish will be unworkable.
Ingredients
- 5 kg Beef bones (mix of knuckle, marrow and joint bones)
- 1 kg White onions (roughly chopped, skin on)
- 750 g Carrots (roughly chopped)
- 500 g Celery (roughly chopped)
- 30 g Tomato purée
- 250 ml Dry red wine
- 3 Bay leaves
- 1 small bunch Thyme (fresh)
- 12 Black peppercorns (whole)
- 6 litres Water (cold)
Equipment
- Large roasting tray (or two)
- Large stockpot — minimum 10 litre capacity
- Fine chinois or muslin cloth
- Stock skimmer
- Ice cube trays
- Freezer bags
Method
Roast the bones
Spread the bones across one or two large roasting trays in a single layer. Roast at 220°C for 45–60 minutes, turning once, until deeply browned throughout — not golden, not pale brown.
Roast the vegetables
Add the onions, carrots and celery to the bone tray for the final 30 minutes of roasting. They should caramelise and colour at the edges — not burn.
Add the tomato purée
Smear the tomato purée over the bones and vegetables for the final 10 minutes of roasting. It will darken and concentrate against the hot tray.
Deglaze with wine
Remove the tray from the oven and pour in the wine while still hot. Scrape every bit of fond from the base — put the tray over a hob flame briefly if needed to loosen. Reduce until almost completely dry before transferring everything to the stockpot.
Add water and bring to a simmer
Transfer the bones, vegetables and deglazed juices to the stockpot. Cover with cold water by 3–4 cm. Bring very slowly to a bare simmer over medium-low heat — allow 30–40 minutes. Do not boil.
Skim thoroughly
For the first 45 minutes after the stock reaches a simmer, skim continuously. A grey-brown foam will rise to the surface — remove all of it before adding the aromatics.
Add aromatics and simmer
Once skimming is done, add the bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns. Maintain the gentlest possible simmer — the surface should barely move — for a minimum of 6 hours, ideally 8–10. Top up with water only if the bones become exposed.
Strain and cool
Strain through a fine chinois or muslin cloth into a clean container. Discard the solids. Cool rapidly in a sink of iced water, then refrigerate overnight.
Remove the fat cap
The next day, lift the solidified fat cap from the surface and discard. What remains should be dark, clean, and lightly gelatinous when cold — it should wobble slightly when the container is shaken. Use as is or follow the next step to reduce.
Reduce and freeze
Bring the degreased stock to a simmer in a wide, heavy pan. Reduce uncovered by 50–60%, skimming occasionally. Test by chilling a spoonful — it should set softly, not rubbery and not watery. Pour into ice cube trays, freeze solid, then transfer to labelled freezer bags.
Notes & Substitutions
No salt: Salt concentrates during reduction and becomes difficult to control. Always season at the point of use — in the soup, braise, or sauce — rather than in the stock itself.
How to use it: Use straight from the pot or fridge for soups, braises, and risottos. For pan sauces, reduce the stock by 50–60% before adding to the pan — or reduce the finished stock and freeze in ice cube trays as a ready-made concentrated base. Each cube is approximately 30–40ml, enough for one or two portions.
Bones: Ask your butcher to cut large bones into sections — more surface area means more extraction. Marrow bones add richness; knuckle and joint bones add gelatin. A mix of all three gives the best result.
Wine: Use a Bordeaux-style dry red. Avoid fruity or jammy New World reds, which add sweetness rather than depth. It does not need to be expensive, but it should be something you would drink.
Scaling: This recipe scales proportionally — double the bones, double the water, double the aromatics. Simmer time stays the same regardless of batch size.
Yield: Approximately 4.5–5 litres of finished stock.
Free guide: How to Cook Properly
How to Cook Properly — the 11 principles that turn average into outstanding
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The wok costs £25. The heat underneath it is what you're really paying for.
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The wok costs £25. The heat underneath it is what you're really paying for.
£10-£25
The wok costs £25. The heat underneath it is what you're really paying for.
£10-£25
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