Maybe you’re looking to change things up in the kitchen and want to experiment a little more, or maybe you’re planning to make a delicious roast or stew.
Since the beginning of time, people have made bone broth. In fact, bone broth has been used by practitioners of Chinese medicine for 2,500 years to support the digestive system and strengthen the kidneys. Despite the fact that the majority of food historians place the origins of bone broth in Asia, broth has likely been consumed in some form for thousands of years.
Because broth is typically made using an animal’s bones, skin, or fat, the majority of broth is actually bone broth. To put it another way, people use the leftover meat to make broth.
Homemade beef stock, also referred to as beef stock or bone broth, is a substance made from celery, carrots, onions, herbs, and vinegar along with boiled ox or beef bones.
Since beef bone broth is frequently used as a component in a variety of dishes, it is already present in many kitchens.
If you have thoroughly searched your cabinets and still can’t find any beef broth, you probably want to see if anything else you have can serve as a stand-in.
Fortunately, there are a number of delicious alternatives to beef broth that can be just as delicious. Many dishes rely on beef broth for flavor and substance, so it is critical that its substitute meet these standards.
Below, we’ll look at 6 delectable alternatives to homemade beef broth to help you avoid spending all day in the kitchen!
- Peel and halve the onion and, if necessary, roughly chop the beef.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. …
- Pour in a little water and use a spoon/spatula to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. …
- Boil the beef broth for about 30 minutes.
What’s the Difference Between Beef Broth and Beef Stock?
Although they are frequently used interchangeably, broth and stock are not the same. The world of flavor is where you’ll find it most often.
Typically, beef broth is the liquid used to cook meat, occasionally with the addition of vegetables. Typically, herbs and spices are used to season broth, and occasionally, a little wine or acid is added to balance the flavors and make it palatable on its own.
Beef stock is more meaty flavored than beef broth. It gains its richness from beef bones that have had their meat removed for common beef cuts. The bones release gelatin (or collagen) as they cook in plain water, thickening the broth or stock and giving it a beefy flavor.
You should be careful with the amount of salt you add to either batch. I advise keeping it on the lighter side and adjusting the amount as desired at the very end.
So Then…What Is Bone Broth?
Bone broth has become “a thing” ever since the paleo diet gained popularity, and for good reason.
Bone broth is essentially the same thing as beef stock: bones in water that are simmered low and slow with vegetables. It’s restorative, said to help with digestion, joint health and a myriad of other health benefits. It’s also said to create radiant looking skin. No wonder everyone’s trying it.
What Ingredients Do You Use to Make Beef Broth or Stock?
By using both a cut of beef and raw bones, my beef stock straddles the lines between beef broth and beef stock.
You’ll need these as the main components to get that beefy bite.
Cuts of beef to use for broth or stock:
- Chuck roast
- Beef shank
- Beef short ribs
- Our Vietnamese cooking instructor used neck bones and beef skirt belly to make the broth for her pho.
Types of bones to use for beef stock:
- Neck bones
- Shin bones
- Knuckle bones
- Oxtail
- Marrow bones should not be used by themselves as they lack any meat and have a round hole of fat in the center that will only add fat and no flavor.
I purchase these bones from the Asian or Mexican grocery stores because they are more typical in ethnic cooking.
Types of vegetables & herbs I use for beef stock:
Adding vegetables to beef stock may offend some purists, but in my opinion, it gives the dish more flavor, especially if you use the stock for dishes like soups, pot roasts, or chili, where vegetables are usually included anyway.
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onions
- Parsnip or leeks
- A whole head of garlic cut in half
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- Bay leaves
- PeppercornTip: You don’t have to peel the vegetables; just throw them all in the pot.
To start the stock off, I also add beef base bouillon to the pot.
How Long Do You Cook Beef Stock?
Your stock will become richer as it cooks or simmers for a longer period of time and the gelatin breaks down. I typically cook my stock for no less than two hours. The longest has been 8 hours. The length of time it takes to cook typically depends on how much time I have to monitor it.
Consider roasting the bones and vegetables for 30 minutes before adding them to the pot for a deep colored broth. I rarely add this step. Instead, I first season and brown the beef cut in my soup pot or Dutch oven with the bones. I occasionally sauté the vegetables with the bones and occasionally I don’t I advise you to experiment with it until you discover a flavor you like.
How Long Does Beef Stock Stay Good In the Fridge?
Although I’ve been known to keep homemade stock in the fridge for longer than that, it will keep well in the fridge for 5-7 days. When the stock turns cloudy or fails the smell test, it’s time to discard it.
If, as your stock cools in the refrigerator, a gelatinous layer of fat appears on the top, don’t be alarmed. Gelatinous blob=more flavor, and more flavor is good. Simply collagen extracted from beef bones, it aids in keeping the stock fresh in the refrigerator. However, if you intend to freeze your stock, you should first remove the fat. Freeze the broth for up to 6 months.
Tips for Freezing Stock
- To allow for the liquid to expand in the freezer, ensure that there is an inch of space between the stock and the top of the container you are freezing it in.
- Given that many soup recipes call for 4 cups of stock, freeze the stock in freezer bags in portions of 4 cups. Once frozen, fill the bag with the contents and place it flat on a shelf before stacking it up like tiny chicken stock soldiers.
- Ice trays or 1-inch muffin tins are ideal containers for freezing smaller portions of stock for recipes that don’t call for much, and each one is roughly equivalent to 14 cup. Tip: These reusable silicone liners will make this a snap.
- Always label and date your food, and don’t forget that homemade stock keeps well in the freezer for up to six months.
5 Recipes That’ll Put Your Homemade Beef Stock to Work
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Easy Homemade Beef Broth StockBe sure to skim the foam and solids that rise to the top of the stock with a fine mesh strainer every 30 minutes or so. Doing so produces the best, clean, beefy flavor.
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 ½ pound beef chuck roast or beef shank
- 5-6 pounds beef neck bones bouillon or soup bones
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 onion quartered
- 2 carrots cut into 4-5 sections
- 1 celery cut into 4-5 sections
- 1 parsnip cut into 4-5 sections (optional)
- 1 head of garlic sliced in half
- 2 bay leaves
- Bunch of thyme leaves
- Small bunch of parsley
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon base
- 6-8 whole peppercorns
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt plus more after cooking to taste
- Over medium-high heat, preheat the oil in a Dutch oven or large stock pot. Brown the chuck roast in the pot on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper before transferring it to a plate or platter. Add the bones and brown in batches on all sides. Add the chuck roast, browned bones, carrot, celery, onion, half a garlic clove, and parsnip (if using) to the pot. Cover the meat and vegetables with 4 quarts of cold water, at least 1-2 inches deep. Add a handful of parsley, keeping the leaves and stems on hand, along with some thyme sprigs, bay leaves, peppercorns, and kosher salt.
- Every 30 minutes or so, skim the stock with a fine mesh strainer after bringing to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook partially covered for two to eight hours, or until the stock is rich, brown, and flavorful. Add more salt to taste if necessary.
- Place a large colander over a Pyrex 4-cup glass measuring cup and slowly pour the broth from the remaining aromatics, letting the colander catch any vegetables or bones that may fall from the pot as you do so. Turn off the heat and let the broth cool, or if using right away, place the colander over the Pyrex and let the broth cool. After that, pour the stock into your subsequent recipes soup stock pot using a fine-mesh strainer. Alternatively, if you’re saving it to use later, strain into 1-quart wide-mouth glass jars, let them cool, and then cover tightly. Use a refrigerator for up to 5 days or a freezer for up to 6 months.
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Classic and Essential Beef Stock | Chef Jean-Pierre
FAQ
How do you make beef broth if you don’t have any?
For beef broth, combine water with 1 tablespoon soy sauce. In place of vegetable broth, a variety of dried herbs, as well as garlic and onion powders, can be added to boiling water.
How to make beef broth out of beef bouillon?
Steps to Make Beef Broth with Bouillon CubesBoil eight oz. of water in a pot. Dissolve one bouillon cube in the pot. For a richer flavor, include the vegetables and seasonings of your choice. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Does broth need bones?
Because broths typically spend less time on the stove than most stocks do, they will be significantly lighter than most stocks because they are cooked using bones that still have some meat on them.
How to make beef broth without beef broth?
Bouillon cubes are a great substitute for beef broth. Simply dissolve one cube in a cup of water. Remember that bouillon cubes contain a lot of salt, so you may want to reduce the amount of salt you use in your recipe.