You can use this recipe to make beef, veal, bison, pork, or lamb stock. Simply use any meaty bones available to you, making sure they’re in 3- to 4-inch pieces. “Meaty” means there is meat attached to the bones; don’t use naked bones.
Makes about 6 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 4 pounds beef, veal, bison, pork, or lamb shanks, necks, and/or other meaty bones, cut into 3-to 4-inch pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1 large onion, not peeled, quartered
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 475°F.
- Put the bones in a large roasting pan and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown, about 45 minutes, turning the bones once or twice so that they brown evenly.
- Transfer the bones to a large pot and cover with water by about 2 inches. Remove and discard the fat from the roasting pan. Add the 1 cup water to the roasting pan and bring to a boil over medium heat, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour this deglazing liquid into the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Skim and discard the fat and scum accumulated on the surface. Add the onion, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and thyme and simmer, uncovered, skimming often, for 2 hours, adding water as necessary to keep the bones covered.
- Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a storage container; discard the solids. Set aside to cool completely. (The stock can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze it in smaller containers so you always have some at the ready.)
