Makin’ your own stock is a bit time-consuming, but the reward is in the depth of flavor it brings to any dish. There’s nothing hard about the preparation, and it makes your house smell delicious.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 to 12 cups

　　5 pounds meaty beef soup bones (such as shanks or ribs)

　　2 medium onions, quartered

　　2 carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks

　　1/4 cup vegetable oil

　　Kosher salt and black pepper

　　2 cups plus 4 quarts water

　　3 stalks celery, cut in large chunks

　　6 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

　　2 bay leaves

　　Small handful of fresh Italian parsley

　　1 tablespoon tomato paste

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450°. Arrange the beef bones, onions, and carrots in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Pop the pan into the oven and roast for 90 minutes, turning the pieces every 15 minutes til the meat is deeply browned.

　　

Step 2

Scoop the meat and veggies out of the roasting pan and put them in a large soup pot. Skim off the fat in the roasting pan. Set the pan over medium heat on top of the stove and add 2 cups of water. Heat, stirring constantly and scraping up all the brown juices clinging to the sides and bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid into the soup pot.

　　

Step 3

Add the celery, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, and tomato paste to the pot. Cover the ingredients with 4 quarts of water and set the pot over high heat. Bring it quickly to a boil. As soon as it starts to bubble, knock the heat down to low and simmer the stock. As the ingredients in the pot heat, a scum will rise to the surface. Skim it off every 5 minutes or so til it stops appearing.

　　

Step 4

Simmer gently, uncovered, for 4 hours to pull every bit of flavor out of the meat. Line a large colander with several layers of dampened cheesecloth. Set the colander over another large pot and strain the stock. Season to taste with salt. Pour into quart containers and chill, uncovered, in the fridge. Once chilled, lift off and discard the fat that has come to the surface. Cover the stock and use it in a couple of days, or label and freeze for use later.

　　Dinosaur Bar-B-QueTen Speed Press