Beef bone broth is so easy to make and requires hardly any time or effort as it just simmers away while you go about the day with your chores.

We posted a recipe for chicken broth recently but there are many varieties of broth including vegetable and fish broth. But it is chicken broth and beef broth that I use the most frequently. If I don’t have homemade on hand or there isn’t enough time to make a batch then I reach for the canned variety.

The ingredients of any flavor of a good broth are pretty basic as it is just bones, beef, water and some aromatics such as carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peppercorns, fresh herbs and some bay leaves.

Depending on the type of broth you make will determine how long it takes to cook. For instance fish bone broth will only take half an hour and the vegetables should be cut into small pieces.

Beef bone broth will require a much longer time to intensify the rich, deep beefy flavors. The vegetables need to be cut into large chunks or even left whole.

What is the best beef bones to use for Beef Broth?

Most butchers and well-stocked meat sections of the grocery stores will have a supply of beef bones for a modest price. In preparing beef bone broth it will make a richer more flavorful broth if you can find some really meaty bones. Toss in a small bone-in chuck roast or some brisket, the more beef, the deeper richer the flavor.

In this recipe, I used some oxtail bones and very meaty chuck short ribs. It will also enhance the beefy flavors and make a nice brown broth by roasting the bones in a hot oven.

Prepare the bones/meat:

Once the bones and meaty chuck ribs are roasted add them to a large stockpot along with the aromatics. Just wash and scrub the carrots and celery and cut them into large chunks.

Peel the onions, but leave them whole, slice the garlic head in half and toss into the pot unpeeled. They should be nice large pieces as they will all be simmering away for a long time. If cut too small they will go to mush and cloud up your broth.

Add the fresh herbs, bay leaves and plenty of peppercorns. Adding kosher salt is optional.

Add enough cold water to cover and bring it to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer. This is a key tip for a clear beef broth: Do not allow the broth to continue boiling as boiling will produce a cloudy, bitter broth.

Beef bone broth will need to simmer for as much as eight hours to extract the full flavors.

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Beef Bone Broth

This beef bone broth is a rich flavorful broth made from simmering beef bones, vegetables and herbs for several hours to extract all the nutrients and flavor.

4.93 from 13 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 8 20

Servings: quarts

Calories: 20kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

2 pounds oxtails
2-1/2 pounds meaty chuck short ribs see notes
1 large beef soup bone
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 carrots 8-inches each, trimmed and scrubbed, cut into 3-inch pieces
4 stalks of celery 6-8-inches long cut into 3-inch pieces
2 medium yellow onions peeled
1 large head of garlic cut in half
1 small bunch fresh curly parsley
1 small bunch fresh thyme
1 small bunch fresh rosemary
2-3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons peppercorns
Kosher salt to taste (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F
Brush the bones and chuck ribs with olive oil, place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until they have a dark crust.
Transfer the bones and ribs to a large stock pot, adding the drippings remaining in the baking sheet, scraping in any remaining brown bits.
Add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Use kitchen string to tie the bunches of parsley, thyme and rosemary together in one bundle and toss into the pot. Add enough water to cover the bones, chuck ribs and vegetables by 2 or 3 inches, bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat to it’s lowest point, cover and simmer for 6-8 hours. Taste the broth frequently until it has a dark brown color and rich, flavorful taste.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it. When it is cold the fat will rise to the top and harden and can be removed. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard the vegetables and herbs and bones. Transfer the strained beef bone broth to containers with lids and either refrigerate or freeze.

Notes

Beef chuck roast or brisket can be substituted for the short ribs. The more beef the more flavor.
To get all the crisp, brown bits from the baking sheet, add a little water to the baking sheet and set across two burners over medium-high heat. Scrape loose as much bits as possible and add to the soup pot.
For a clear, non-cloudy beef broth, do not keep the broth boiling. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the broth has a rich, flavorful taste.