How to Make Beef Bone Broth (Recipe)

After years of hearing about the health benefits of bone broth, I finally decided to give it a shot. Now, I can vouch for its transformative effects. But it’s more than the benefits it provides.

Bone broth has a deep, savory aroma and is a comforting drink.

I was determined to find the best beef bone broth recipe, so I spent months trying out different recipes I found online. I graded each bone broth I made until I found the one that tasted the best and was the most nutritious.

Here’s how to make a beef bone broth recipe step-by-step.

Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 hours
• Total Time: 8 hours and 30 minutes
• Number of Servings: Around 12 cups

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pounds of beef bones
• 2 large carrots, chopped into 2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 garlic head, halved crosswise
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Water, as needed

Instructions

1. Blanch the bones by placing them into a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil on high heat. Simmer the bones for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse the bones with water.
2. Roast bones with vegetables. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place the blanched bones, carrots, onions, garlic, and celery in a roasting pan. Roast for half an hour, then gently toss and roast for 15 more minutes.
3. Place the roasted bones and vegetables in a stockpot (if you used this stockpot previously to blanch the bones, make sure to wash it). Scrape any bits in the roasting pan and place them in the slow cooker with the bones.
4. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, and apple cider vinegar to the beef stock. Add water so the bones are completely submerged. Cover the pan and bring to a low boil.
5. Once your homemade beef bone broth boils, lower the heat and let it simmer. Place the lid slightly askew. Skim foam or excess fat as it appears. Simmer for about eight hours. If necessary, add more water to make sure the beef bones and vegetables are submerged.
6. Once your beef broth is done cooking, strain the bones using a fine mesh strainer.
7. Leave the bone broth and the bones to cool. Then, remove the meat from the bones and use it in soup or sandwiches.
8. Place the beef broth in the fridge. You’ll have gelatinous beef broth. You can scoop the top layer of fat, but this is optional.
9. Keep the broth in the fridge for up to five days.

Recipe Notes

Here are tips and tricks for making bone broth:

• Plan to cook the bone broth ahead. It’s best to start early in the morning so you can simmer it on the stove all day. If you aren’t comfortable leaving the broth overnight, you can cool and store it in the fridge and continue cooking the next day. It won’t impact the flavor.
• Use a mix of beef bones for the best flavor. Different types of beef bones provide a different flavor to the broth.
• Make sure to blanch the bones before roasting. Not all recipes include this step, but I found blanching helps remove coagulated protein and blood, and the result is clear, rich broth.
• Roast the bones to give them more flavor and caramelize them.
• Don’t add too many vegetables and other ingredients so the beefy flavor of the bones can shine through.
• If you’re using a lot of bones, divide them into two stockpots so they are fully submerged in water.
• Don’t overdo the water. Add just enough so the bones are covered.
• Simmer long enough when making beef bone broth. A larger pot of bones may need to simmer for 14 hours.
• If you want a leaner bone broth, refrigerate it and remove the fat layer from the top.
• Experiment with different ciders, herbs, seasonings, and bones to find what you like best.
• Boil the bones first, and then summer without boiling, to prevent a cloudy beef broth.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 24
• Protein: 9g
• Fat: 1g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g

Ingredient Substitutions

Here’s which ingredients are must-haves for a delicious bone broth recipe and which ones you can substitute:

• Try different bones. Beef joints, beef marrow bones, knuckles, and neck bones have the most collagen and connective tissue. Use shank, oxtail, or short ribs for more flavor.
• Add spices if you want more flavor. Thyme, rosemary, oregano, star anise, and parsley are good choices.
• Try various vegetables, such as leeks, tomatoes, mushrooms, and scallion greens.
• Use sauces for enhanced flavor, such as tomato sauce, soy sauce, and miso paste.
• Use one to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to extract the collagen from the bones.

What Bones to Use for the Best Bone Broth?

The bones for the best bone broth are:

• Knuckles
• Feet
• Joints
• Marrow bones
• Oxtail
• Shank
• Short ribs
• Chicken feet and other chicken bones (for chicken bone broth)

Note: The bones of younger animals have a lot of cartilage. This cartilage turns into bones as the animal grows older. This is why veal bones are especially popular for making stock.

If you’re looking for the bones with the most health benefits when cooking bone broth, choose bone marrow. It’s great for healthy joints, stronger bones, and better skin [1].

“Bone marrow is highly nutritious and comprises approximately 97% fat, 3% protein, and 0% carbohydrate.”

- Health News

If you aren’t sure which bones to get for your homemade beef broth, ask the butcher at your grocery store. You can also ask that they cut them in half to make sure they fit into your pot.

You can also buy bones in advance and store them in a freezer. Another way to have bones ready to go is to collect bones and beef trimmings from your cooking and use them later on.

Related Articles:

• Beef Broth Substitute
• Carnivore Diet Bone Broth
• How to Make Turkey Broth

What’s the Difference Between Regular Broth, Regular Stock, and Bone Broth?

The difference between regular broth, regular stock, and bone broth is in color, preparation, and consistency.

Homemade bone broth has a golden color and is very flavorful. It’s made by simmering bones for a long time in a slow cooker (often 12+ hours). It can also be made in a pressure cooker for around four hours. Once you make beef bone broth, it firms up and gets a jelly consistency (because it has a high gelatin content).

The consistency of regular stock depends on the exact bones you use. It’s made to extract flavor and nutrients from the bones and the meat. It’s usually simmered even longer compared to regular broth. For example, homemade chicken stock can be used for a whole chicken, which requires cooking for a long time.

The regular broth is thinner than the stock and beef broth because it has much less collagen. It’s made by boiling meat, not marrow-rich bones. For example, the liquid that remains after poaching chicken is considered chicken broth and has a different color and consistency than beef bone broth recipes. This broth has seasonings, so it’s more palatable when consumed straight away compared to stock.

Overall, beef broth is the richest in nutrients and collagen. Also, the goal of broth is to extract collagen into drinkable broth because of its health benefits. The goal of making stock is to get a base for soup bones and other recipes.

How to Store Beef Bone Broth?

Store beef bone broth in the fridge for five days to one week. Keep it in a jar with a lid on. Leave the layer of fat on top if you want the beef bone broth to last as long as possible, as it adds a protective layer against bacteria.

You can also store the beef bone broth in the freezer for three to five months. Place it in zip-top bags or freezer-safe canning jars. Make sure there’s an inch of space at the top, as the bone broth will expand as it freezes.

Pro tip: Don’t freeze the entire broth in one package; divide it into portions or recipe-ready amounts.

FAQs

References:

1. https://healthnews.com/longevity/longevity-supplements/what-are-the-health