Homemade Beef Stock

The base of every great soup, stew, gravy and so many other recipes is a great stock. Best way to ensure you have that is to make your own. It isn't difficult and the pay off is amazing. Save your scrap bones, your peels from vegetables, carrots got soft? Freeze them to save for stock.

Ingredients

2 lbs beef bones

1 can tomato paste (optional but highly recommended)

1 large onion

3-4 cloves garlic

16 cups water

Any combination of:

Carrots, leek, celery, potato, mushrooms

1. Start by lightly coating your beef bones with tomato paste, bake in the oven at 450° until paste starts to blacken, about 20 minutes. This will give that great umami beef flavour.

2. In a large stock pot or crock pot add all ingredients together. Cook in crock pot on low for 12 hours. Or simmer in stock pot for 12 hours.

3. Let it cool and scrape the scum off the top, strain out the broth and set aside. I like to freeze my broth in plastic bags, 1 cup per bag.

* I recommend having paper towel on hand to wipe the drool from having to smell the amazing scent of fresh broth.