Beef Bone Broth (Printable Version)
Slow-simmered beef bones and aromatics yield a rich, nutrient-packed broth for sipping or as a soup base.
# What You Need:
→ Meats & Bones
01 - 2.5 lbs beef bones (marrow, knuckle, and/or oxtail)
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
04 - 1 large yellow onion, quartered
05 - 4 cloves garlic, smashed
→ Aromatics & Seasoning
06 - 2 bay leaves
07 - 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
08 - 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
09 - 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
10 - 12 cups cold filtered water
11 - Kosher salt, to taste (added after cooking)
# Directions:
01 - Arrange beef bones on a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 30 minutes until deeply browned, turning once halfway through. This step is optional but builds significantly richer flavor and darker color.
02 - Transfer bones to a large stockpot or slow cooker. Add chopped carrots, celery, quartered onion, smashed garlic, bay leaves, parsley, and whole peppercorns. Pour in apple cider vinegar and cold water, ensuring all bones and vegetables are fully submerged.
03 - Set over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. During the first hour, use a skimmer or ladle to remove foam and impurities that rise to the surface. This ensures a cleaner, clearer finished broth.
04 - Reduce heat to the lowest setting. Simmer uncovered or partially covered for 12 hours, checking periodically and adding small amounts of water as needed to keep bones submerged. The extended cook time draws maximum collagen and minerals from the bones.
05 - Remove pot from heat. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl or second pot. Discard all spent solids — the bones, vegetables, and aromatics have given their flavor.
06 - Season the strained broth with kosher salt to taste. Start conservatively — you can always add more, but you cannot remove it.
07 - Allow broth to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Once chilled, fat will solidify on the surface and can be easily lifted off with a spoon if desired. Store refrigerated for up to 5 days, or freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Once you taste homemade bone broth, those cartons from the store will feel like sad brown water.
- Your kitchen will smell incredible for hours, and you will feel genuinely resourceful using bones that cost almost nothing.
02 -
- A vigorous boil will make your broth cloudy and bitter, so keep it at the faintest possible simmer throughout the cooking time.
- If the broth does not gel when chilled, try simmering it longer next time or adding more collagen rich bones like knuckle and oxtail.
03 -
- Save vegetable scraps like onion skins, carrot peels, and celery ends in a freezer bag throughout the week, then dump the whole bag into the pot for zero waste flavor.
- The gelatin layer that forms on chilled broth is liquid gold, so never skim it off, that is the collagen that makes bone broth so nourishing and satisfying.