You’ll get a much tastier stock if you roast the beef bones first. Because you won’t want to make this every day, it’s worthwhile spending a bit of time when you do in order to get the best-quality stock. It is time-consuming at first, but once it is simmering, it only requires a quick check every 30 minutes or so to see that it isn’t boiling dry. This recipe makes plenty of stock – approximately 1½–2 litres – so have lots of containers ready to hold it. It is worthwhile getting marrowbones from a butcher and asking him to chop them into manageable pieces. Another useful tip is to keep any offcuts of beef you would normally throw away and freeze them for use when making stock (defrost before using). Don’t worry if they are fatty; this will add to the flavour and will be skimmed off. This stock is very concentrated, so you not need to use much of it to flavour your dishes.
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Approximately 2kg marrowbones
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2 onions, quartered
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2 celery stalks, with leaves, sliced into 5–6 pieces, with chopped leaves
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2 large carrots, chopped into 4–5 large chunks
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2.5–3 litres of cold water: sufficient to cover the bones well
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1 level teaspoon tomato purée
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2 garlic cloves, peeled, optional
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½ teaspoon dried mustard powder, optional
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1 teaspoon dried parsley
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½ teaspoon dried thyme
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1 level teaspoon salt
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Black pepper to taste
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Step 1:
In a large roasting tin, arrange the bones and any other scraps of meat you have saved. Add 1 of the onions, the celery and 1 carrot. Add about 300ml water and roast at 200°C/gas mark 6 for about 40–50 minutes, or until brown, not blackened, as this will cause the stock to have a bitter taste.
Step 2:
Have a large saucepan ready to take the bones and roasted vegetables. Put the contents of the roasting tin, including all the juices and bits on the bottom of the pan, into the saucepan and cover with water. Add the other vegetables, tomato purée, garlic and mustard powder, if using, and sprinkle in the herbs and salt and pepper. Give a stir and put on the heat; bring slowly to the boil. Once the stock is boiling, turn down the heat, partially cover the pan and simmer for 5 hours. Check the water levels off and on, topping up if it looks too low, but if it is simmering gently this shouldn’t be necessary.
Step 3:
After the 5 hours of simmering time, bring to the boil and keep boiling for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully drain the stock through a sieve into a large bowl or pan. Take care: the bones and liquid are
Step 4:
Return the liquid to the original pan and boil for 10 minutes, or until reduced to your taste. If you’re satisfied with the taste after draining, don’t bother with this stage.
Step 5:
Allow to cool, skim any settled fat off the top, then pour into prepared containers for storing
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