Cooking Grass-Fed Beef: Episode 5 – Homemade Beef Stock (There's Nothing Funny About It)

This video recipe for Homemade Beef Stock is the fifth in a series of videos I'm doing with grass-fed beef from Steve Normanton, focusing on how to cook the various cuts.

Normally when I get my package from Steve, I look to see what I have to work with and then decide what recipe would best show off the meat. This time I had no such decisions to make. When I saw this beautiful box of bones I knew there was only one option – a classic beef stock.

You know I like my cartons of ready-to-use stocks and broths. For the busy home cook they offer an easy way to have an array of cooking liquids on hand, which significantly expands anyone's recipe repertoire. Those recipes that say "add 3 cups of beef broth, or water," don't really mean that.

But when beef bones are available, making your own is a great idea. Not only will you be thrilled with the flavor of homemade stock, but you'll save a ton over those handy, but expensive cartons.

One statistical oddity to share – after watching this video I realized there wasn't one humorous moment in the entire thing. No bad puns, no pithy observations, no obscure references, no intentionally mispronounced words, nothing.

How ironic that the day I learn we've won Saveur Magazine's 1st Annual Best Food Blog Award for Most Innovative Video Content, I post this culinary cure for insomnia. Now that's funny! Enjoy.




Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, cut in 8ths
2 large carrots, cut in 1-inch chunks
2 stalks celery, cut in 1-inch chunks
5 pounds beef marrow bones
2 teaspoon tomato paste
8 whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
5 quarts cold water