Homemade beef stock
A deep brown, gelatine rich stock from roasted beef bones, the foundation for proper gravy, stews and French onion soup.
Make this once, then cook it into 12 different dishes.
- Time6 hr 30
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.42 a head
- Makesabout 2 litres of stock
- Oven220°C (200°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Spread the bones, onions, carrots and celery in a large roasting tin and roast for 45 minutes, turning once, until deeply browned.
45 min - 2
Smear the tomato purée over the bones and vegetables and roast for 10 minutes more.
10 min - 3
Lift everything into a large stockpot of about 6 litres. Pour a little hot water into the roasting tin, scrape up the sticky brown bits and add them to the pot.
- 4
Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and vinegar, then pour in the cold water. Bring slowly to the edge of a boil, then turn the heat right down.
- 5
Skim off the foam in the first 15 minutes, then simmer very gently with the lid slightly ajar for 5 hours, skimming now and then. Top up with hot water if the bones become uncovered.
300 min - 6
Strain through a colander and a fine sieve into a clean container. Cool quickly, standing it in a sink of cold water, so it is cool within 1 to 2 hours. Chill overnight, lift off the layer of fat, and use or freeze.
About homemade beef stock
Beef stock is a rich brown liquid made by roasting beef bones with vegetables, then simmering them in water for several hours. It is the base for gravy, stews, pies, French onion soup, braises and many sauces, and it gives a depth of flavour that stock cubes do not.
Roasting the bones and vegetables first browns them and gives the stock its colour and savoury, almost meaty flavour. A little tomato purée adds depth, and a splash of vinegar helps draw out the goodness from the bones. Use a mix of marrow bones for richness and bones with some meat on, such as shin or short rib, for flavour and body.
It contains no added salt, so it is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free and well suited to low salt cooking. Ask your butcher for bones; they are often very cheap. The batch makes about 2 litres.
Tips
- Roast the bones until properly dark brown but not burnt. Pale bones make pale, weak stock, and burnt ones make it bitter.
- Keep the simmer so gentle that only a bubble breaks the surface every few seconds. A hard boil makes the stock cloudy and greasy.
- Do not add salt. Season the finished gravy or stew, because if the stock is reduced it will become too salty.
- For a concentrated stock (demi glace style), boil the strained stock down by half and freeze in ice cube trays.
- A pressure cooker does this in about 2 hours at high pressure. A slow cooker needs 10 to 12 hours on low.
- The fat that sets on top of the cold stock can be saved for roasting potatoes, or discarded for a lighter stock.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours, then keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Bring to a rolling boil before using and reheat only what you need.
Dishes you can make with homemade beef stock
Carne en su Jugo (Jalisco Beef and Bean Broth)
GFDFEFBeef Madras with Carrots
GFDFEFGaeng Massaman Gae (Slow Braised Lamb Shanks in Massaman Curry)
GFDFEFMassaman Beef Noodle Soup with Rice Noodles
GFDFEFGyu Kare (Slow Cooked Japanese Beef Curry)
GFDFEFBulgogi Jeongol (Korean Bulgogi Hot Pot)
GFDFEFZuppa di Fagioli e Ragù (Cannellini Bean and Ragu Soup)
GFDFEFRisotto al Ragù
GFEFNFCheeseburger Mac (One Pan Cheesy Beef Macaroni)
NFSpezzatino di Manzo con Piselli (Italian Beef Stew with Peas)
GFDFEFCola de Buey Estofada (Spanish Braised Oxtail in Red Wine)
NFHPBraised Lamb Shanks with Harissa and Chickpeas
GFDFEFQuestions
How long should beef stock simmer?
About 5 hours at a very gentle simmer gives a rich, full flavoured stock from bones. Beyond 8 hours the flavour does not improve. A pressure cooker takes around 2 hours.
Do I need to roast the bones?
Yes, for the best beef stock. Roasting browns the bones and vegetables, giving the stock a darker colour and a deeper, savoury flavour. Unroasted bones make a paler, lighter stock, closer to a white beef stock.
Is homemade beef stock gluten free?
Yes. It contains only beef bones, vegetables, herbs, tomato purée, vinegar and water, so it is gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. Check the label on the tomato purée, and avoid adding shop stock cubes which can contain wheat or milk.
Why is my stock cloudy?
It has probably boiled too hard or been stirred. Cloudy stock is still fine for stews, gravy and soup. For a clear stock, simmer very gently and strain without pressing on the bones.
Can I freeze beef stock?
Yes. Chill it first, remove the fat, and freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge or in a pan over a low heat, and boil before using.
Where can I get beef bones?
Ask a butcher, or look in the meat section of larger supermarkets for beef marrow bones and shin or short rib bones. Butchers often sell them cheaply or give them away.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
