Martha Stewart Brown Beef Stock

Martha Stewart brown beef stock is a deep, glossy homemade stock with roasted veal bones, short ribs and caramelized vegetables, ready in 10 hours 25 minutes. Save this make-ahead stock base for weeknight dinner soups, holiday gravies or Sunday braises, because it freezes beautifully.

Roast the bones and vegetables until they are deeply browned, since that color is what turns plain broth into rich brown stock. Pull them out pale and the stock tastes thin and flat, no matter how long it simmers.

Martha stirs tomato paste into the hot pan and lets it darken for 30 seconds, which cooks out its acidity and leaves a sweeter backbone. She also deglazes the roasting pan with water or red wine and reduces it by half, so every brown bit ends up in the pot.

Martha Stewart Brown Beef Stock

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Course: SoupCuisine: American, FrenchDifficulty: Medium

Servings

14

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

10

hours 

25

minutes

Calories

25

kcal

Roasted bones and vegetables simmer gently for hours until the stock turns dark, rich and full-bodied. Chilling it overnight lets the fat rise and set so you can lift it right off.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds veal bones, such as knuckles and shin
  

• 2 pounds short ribs or oxtail (optional; add 3 more pounds veal bones if not using ribs)
  

• 3 tablespoons sunflower or other neutral-tasting oil
  

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  

• 2 onions, unpeeled and quartered
  

• 2 celery stalks, each cut into thirds
  

• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  

• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled and crushed
  

• 1 cup water or red wine
  

• 6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
  

• 4 sprigs thyme
  

• 2 dried bay leaves
  

• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
  

Directions

• Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Then set out a large, heavy roasting pan for the bones.
• Roast the bones: Arrange 4 pounds veal bones and 2 pounds short ribs or oxtail in a single layer in the roasting pan. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil and turn to coat, then roast about 45 minutes, turning once and stirring often, until the bones begin to brown.
• Add tomato paste and vegetables: Remove the pan from the oven, stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste, then cook over medium heat for about 30 seconds so it browns a little. Add 2 quartered onions, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots and 4 crushed garlic cloves. Roast about 40 minutes until the vegetables are browned and tender and the bones are deeply browned.
• Deglaze the pan: Move the bones and vegetables to a large stockpot and spoon the fat out of the roasting pan. Set the pan over two burners, add 1 cup water or red wine, then scrape up the brown bits and boil about 3 minutes until reduced by half.
• Fill the stockpot: Pour the pan contents into the stockpot, then add enough water to cover everything by 2 inches, about 6 quarts. Bring it to just under a boil and reduce the heat until bubbles barely break the surface.
• Simmer with herbs: Add 6 parsley sprigs, 4 thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves and 2 teaspoons peppercorns. Simmer very gently, uncovered, for 8 hours, adding water whenever needed to keep everything submerged.
• Strain and chill: Pour the stock through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large heatproof bowl without pressing on the solids, then discard them. Cool completely, refrigerate at least 8 hours, and lift off the hardened fat before using or storing.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart 16-inch roasting pan with rack, Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Olicity grade 90 cheesecloth. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

How long does brown beef stock keep in the fridge?

Martha says it keeps up to 3 days in the refrigerator. After that, freeze it in airtight containers instead of pushing your luck.

Can I freeze brown beef stock?

Yes, it freezes for up to 3 months in airtight containers. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator before using, and freeze it in 1 or 2 cup portions so you only thaw what you need.

Can I make a traditional veal-only version?

Yes, just skip the short ribs and add 3 more pounds of veal bones. You get a more delicate stock, while the beef version tastes deeper and richer.

Do I need to peel the onions and garlic?

No, the recipe leaves both unpeeled, and the skins add color to the stock. Strain everything out through the cheesecloth at the end, so none of it ends up in the finished stock.

What is the biggest mistake when making brown stock?

Boiling it hard is the classic one, because it clouds the stock and makes it greasy. Keep it at a bare simmer where bubbles just break the surface, and don't press on the solids when you strain.