A Homemade Beef Stock is the extra special ingredient to add to your favorite beef dishes that makes a huge difference. You can control all the flavor, plus it leaves out all the additives that store-bought stock will have.

Try using homemade beef stock withBeef and Barley Soup with MushroomsorDutch Oven Barbacoa Tacos.

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Why Homemade Stock Matters?

You control the salt content. Store-bought stock will always have salt in it, while stock is typically made without salt so that you can control the salt during cooking.
Most store-bought stocks are not made from actual beef and are just flavored with beef.
Homemade stock extracts all the collagen and turns it into gelatin from beef bones, which will help your soup or stew thicken up naturally instead of adding things like a cornstarch slurry or flour.
It is perfect for batch-cooking in large amounts. You can make it yourself, and it freezes well.
It reduces waste and you can control all of the aromatics.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Beef Bones. Find beef bones that still have some meat left on them. The bones are great, but you want to have some meat remaining on the bone to give the stock the caramelized flavor.
Herbs. This is personal preference, but I like to use an assortment of herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves.
Vegetables. I like to use vegetables that have a slight sweetness, like carrots or celer,y but you can use any leftover veggies like asparagus stalks, broccoli stalks, etc.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.

How to Make Homemade Beef Stock

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425℉. Place beef bones on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes.

Step 2: Place roasted beef bones, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, rosemary, lemon, and garlic. Fill the pot up with water so that all the ingredients are covered. Raise the heat to high.

Bring the stock to a boil and then lower it to a very low simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 7-8 hours. You can lower the simmer time to 3-4 hours but increase the simmering level a bit higher. Still, the longer simmer will provide the most concentrated flavor.

Step 3: Place the stock in a container. Refrigerate overnight. The following day, remove the layer of fat from the top of the stock.

Step 4: Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Your stock should look as shown above. Gelatinous and thick because of the natural collagen in beef bones.

Use homemade beef stock for stews, soups, or gravy. Nothing like a fresh beef gravy for an Italian Meatloaf.

Pro-Tips

Find beef bones that still have some meat left on the bone. It's not beef stock if you don't have some actual meat.
Roasting the bones provides the stock with a caramelized, savory flavor.
Simmer time is extremely important to flavor and gelatin content. The longer you simmer, the more flavor you have and the more collagen will cook and release from the beef and cook into gelatin. The stock will look more bouncy and will give the soup or stew a thicker texture.
Storing the stock is just as important. Store for up to 6 months in the freezer and use all winter!

Recipe FAQs

Why do you not add salt?

Not adding salt allows you to control the salt content of the dish you are creating. The more you cook down the stock, the higher the salt content would be if you added salt. Add the salt to the dish you are using the stock for.

What does homemade stock have that store-bought doesn't?

Natural collagen. Which is then simmered over time to be turned into gelatin. The gelatin will help thicken your dishes like beef stew, goulash, or bolognese.

What is the difference between beef broth and beef stock?

Stock is cooked without salt, while beef broth will have added salt.

How often should I skim the stock while it's cooking?

I don't skim at all. I just wait until the end, then chill the stock. Once it's cooled, all the excess fat will rise to the top.