Beef stock

A clear, fragrant beef stock made from beef shank on the bone and aromatic vegetables. Lightly browning the onions adds more depth, while keeping the stock clear and refined. A timeless base for soups, sauces and stews.

Serves: approx. 6–8
Preparation: approx. 25 minutes
Cooking: approx. 4–5 hours
Total time: approx. 4.5–5.5 hours

Ingredients

• 1–1.2 kg beef shank, preferably on the bone
• Stewing beef, chuck or beef rib (optional, as an addition or partial replacement)
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 1 leek (white and light green part)
• 2 sticks celery
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• 5–6 sprigs thyme
• Stalks from 1 bunch of parsley
• 10 black peppercorns
• 2 cloves
• 3–3.5 litres cold water
• Salt, to taste (only when using)

Preparation

• Peel the onions and cut them in half lengthways. Peel the carrots and cut into large pieces. Slice the leek into rings of about 2 cm and rinse well. Cut the celery into rough pieces.
• Crush the garlic cloves with the side of a knife. Tie the bay leaves, thyme and parsley stalks together into a bouquet garni (e.g. with kitchen string). Put the peppercorns and cloves in a spice bag or tea infuser.

Method

1. Start the meat in cold water and skim
   Put the beef in a large, roomy pot and add cold water so the meat is well covered (3–3.5 litres). Bring to a gentle boil slowly over medium-high heat, uncovered. As soon as foam and impurities rise to the surface, carefully skim them off with a slotted spoon. Continue until hardly any foam appears (allow about 15–20 minutes). Then reduce the heat so the stock stays just below boiling point. The calmer this phase, the clearer the stock.
2. Brown the onions
   Meanwhile, heat a frying pan without oil over medium-high heat. Place the halved onions cut-side down in the dry pan. Let them colour gently until the cut side is a deep golden brown (with a few darker edges if you like), about 8–10 minutes; do not let them burn. Add the crushed garlic in the last minute and warm it through briefly. This step gives the stock extra depth, a warm colour and a subtle toasted note.
3. Let the stock gently infuse
   Add to the pot with the meat and water: the browned onions (and garlic, if using), carrot, leek and celery, the bouquet garni and the spice bag with peppercorns and cloves. Make sure the liquid only moves very gently; the stock should not actually boil. Let the stock infuse gently for 4–5 hours with the lid half on the pot. Taste after about 3.5 hours: if the stock is already full and aromatic, you can stop earlier; if not, let it infuse longer. Stir the pot as little as possible; that helps keep the stock clear.
4. Strain, cool and finish
   Remove the meat and vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon and keep the meat for later use if you like. Pour the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pot or bowl. For extra clarity, you can strain it again through a sieve lined with a clean cloth (or cheesecloth). Let the stock cool a little on the worktop, then divide it among smaller bowls or containers. Chill completely in the fridge; a solid layer of fat will form on top. Lift off this fat layer. Season the stock with salt only when you use it, depending on the dish it will go into.

Tip for leftover meat: Shred the tender meat and use it in a simple vegetable soup, ragout, pie or salad. This way nothing goes to waste and you build on the same classic base.