Beef bone broth is simple to make and requires very little hands-on time — it gently simmers while you go about your day. Homemade broth delivers the best flavor, but a good canned broth can stand in when you need a shortcut.
There are many types of broth — chicken, vegetable, fish and beef among them. I use chicken and beef broths the most. The core components of a flavorful broth are straightforward: bones, meat, water and aromatics like carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peppercorns and fresh herbs with a couple of bay leaves.
Cooking time varies by type. Fish broth only needs about 30 minutes and benefits from finely chopped vegetables, while beef bone broth takes much longer to develop deep, rich flavor; the vegetables can be left in large pieces or whole so they don’t break down and cloud the liquid.
What is the best beef bones to use for Beef Broth?
Most butchers and well-stocked grocery meat counters offer beef bones at a reasonable price. For a richer, more savory broth, choose meaty bones: bone-in chuck roast, brisket or meaty short ribs deepen the flavor. In this recipe I used oxtails and beefy chuck short ribs. Roasting the bones first also adds color and an enticing brown, beefy aroma.
Prepare the bones/meat:
After roasting the bones and short ribs, transfer them to a large stockpot and add the aromatics. Scrub the carrots and celery and cut into large chunks. Peel the onions but leave them whole; cut the garlic head in half and add it unpeeled. Keep the vegetable pieces large so they simmer slowly without breaking down and clouding the broth.
Add the herbs, bay leaves and plenty of whole peppercorns. Salt is optional and can be adjusted at the end.
Pour in enough cold water to cover the bones and vegetables by a couple of inches, bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest simmer. This step is important for a clear broth — keeping it at a rolling boil can make the stock cloudy and bitter. Beef bone broth typically needs 6–8 hours of gentle simmering to extract deep, concentrated flavor.
Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below.
Ideas to use beef broth:
- Beef with Mushrooms and Barley
- Farro, Mushroom and Leek Risotto
- Irish Beef and Stout Pies
Beef Bone Broth
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Pin
Comment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds oxtails
- 2½ pounds meaty chuck short ribs, preferably meaty ribs from the chuck section
- 1 large beef soup bone
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 carrots, 8-inches each, trimmed and scrubbed, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 4 stalks celery, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled
- 1 head garlic, cut in half
- 1 bunch curly leaf parsley
- 1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 to 3 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
- Kosher salt, to taste (optional)
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
-
Brush the bones and chuck ribs with olive oil, place them on a baking sheet and roast for 20–30 minutes, until well browned with a dark crust.
-
Transfer the roasted bones and ribs to a large stockpot, scraping any browned bits and drippings from the baking sheet into the pot.
-
Add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Tie parsley, thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add the bundle to the pot. Cover the bones and vegetables with cold water by 2–3 inches, bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover and simmer for 6–8 hours. Taste occasionally; the broth is ready when it has a deep brown color and rich flavor.
-
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Once chilled the fat will solidify on top and can be skimmed off. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer, discard solids, and transfer the strained broth to containers. Refrigerate or freeze for future use.
Notes
- Substitute beef chuck roast or brisket for short ribs if desired — more meat equals more flavor.
- To capture browned bits from the baking sheet, add a splash of water to the sheet and heat over two burners; scrape the loosened bits into the stockpot.
- For a clear broth, bring to a boil only briefly and then keep at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used only as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!