Homemade Beef Broth

Homemade Beef Broth-1-6Homemade broth is liquid gold.

The flavor of broth made at home just does not compare to store-bought broth. They don’t even come close. Its SO easy to make broth, it literally only takes 5 minutes or less to do the prep work. Whenever I make broth, I cook a huge pot of it and then refrigerate and freeze most of it and it lasts me for quite a while. Broth is an essential ingredient in achieving amazing flavors in your cooking. I already shared my recipe for Homemade Chicken Broth, so you can check it out if you want to make Chicken Broth instead of Beef.

Ingredients:

5 pounds oxtails and beef shank

1-2 onions

2 celery stalks

3 carrots

1 garlic head

3 dry bay leaves

5-7 black peppercorns

salt

water

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the beef in a large roasting pan and season with salt and pepper.

Homemade Beef Broth-1

Roast in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, until the beef is golden brown.

Roasting the beef will give incredibly intense flavor to the broth.

Homemade Beef Broth-1-2

Quarter the onions, cut the garlic head in half, cut the carrots and celery into coarse pieces and place them into the largest stockpot that you own. Mine is 16 quarts. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, the roasted beef (with the accumulated juices) to the stockpot. Homemade Beef Broth-1-3

Homemade Beef Broth-1-4

Fill the whole pot with water. Season with salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, at a low simmer, for about 1 1/2-2 hours.

Strain the beef broth through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towels. Homemade Beef Broth-1-5

Store in canning jars in the refrigerator. You can also store the beef broth in the freezer, just make sure to not fill the containers too much, since it will expand when it freezes and could burst your jar or container.

Homemade Beef Broth-1-6

Homemade Beef Broth
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Miscellaneous
Serves: 9.5 quarts
Ingredients
  • 5 pounds oxtails and beef shank
  • 1-2 onions
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 garlic head
  • 3 dry bay leaves
  • 5-7 black peppercorns
  • salt
  • water
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place the beef in a large roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, until the beef is golden brown. Roasting the beef will give incredibly intense flavor to the broth.
  3. Quarter the onions, cut the garlic head in half, cut the carrots and celery into coarse pieces and place them into the largest stockpot that you own. Mine is 16 quarts. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, the roasted beef (with the accumulated juices) to the stockpot. Fill the whole pot with water. Season with salt.
  4. Bring it to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, at a low simmer, for about 1½-2 hours.
  5. Strain the beef broth and store in canning jars in the refrigerator. You can also store the beef broth in the freezer, just make sure to not fill the containers too much, since it will expand when it freezes and could burst your jar or container.

13 Comments

  • Nina

    Hi, Olga,

    I have the same question as Olga has. I cannot wait to make it. Can I use other kind of beef for this broth and how do use this broth in the future. Can you give us your recipe that you use this broth.

    THANKS MUCH.
    ): LOVE YOUR BLOG

    • olgak7

      For the best flavor, use the meat that I specified. However, you can also use other cuts of beef. It is best to use beet with some bone as well.
      I use the broth in many recipes. Anywhere you would use broth, such as Beef Goulash, Beef Stroganoff, any kind of beef soup, gravy, sauces, etc.

  • Katerina

    Thanks for sharing. I was wondering where you buy the oxtails and beef shank – I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in our stores… Also, I’ve always read that stock should be simmered for 12 hours or so – do you find that 1-2 hours is enough to get the rich flavor?

    • olgak7

      I find both cuts of meat in my regular local grocery stores. Ask the butcher; many times they can prepare it for you, and the meat is relatively inexpensive.
      I never cook broth more than 2 hours. In my opinion, the flavor is very aromatic, rich and delicious and doesn’t need to be cooked for 12 hours.

    • olgak7

      I never keep broth in the refrigerator for more than a week, since I freeze everything that we aren’t using at the moment, and only keep a small container in the refrigerator. The broth can be stored in the freezer for 3 months or so.

  • Alesia

    HI olga, I was wondering how you defrost the broth that was frozen? Also, what’s the best way to freeze it? Which type of container?

    • olgak7

      I freeze the broth in plastic containers and then simply take it out of the freezer and wait for it to defrost on the counter at room temperature. When it’s still really cold and has just a bit of ice left, I put the container in the refrigerator. If I need the broth quickly, I’ll put the container under hot running water just until it thaws a bit around the edges, just enough to come out of the container. Then I melt it in a saucepan on the stovetop.

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