Broths are the most nutrient dense, simple, flexible food you can prepare. If you have a good roasting pan like this, you can skip the second step of this recipe and prepare the whole thing in your roasting pan. This pan is used so much. Stainless steel (non-toxic), sturdy and a great size. I use it with the rack to roast a large turkey, prime rib or 2 chickens at a time. You can make a baked pasta dish, roasted veggies… You will love this roasting pan. If you are looking for a good bridal shower gift, house warming gift, Christmas gift, this will get you a dinner invite soon for certain!
Back to the recipe. If you don’t have leeks, throw in extra onions. If you have/like more or less carrot, celery, onion… go for it. If you have some parsnip, throw it in. You can slice a jalapeño or serrano down the middle and throw it in for some spice. Throw in a knob of ginger or turmeric if you have it, mushrooms stems… See- flexible!
This is the best beef bone broth ever. It in no way compares to boxed bone broth. If you make this, you will never be able to go back to the store-bought kind again. You have been warned.

Waking up to this in the morning… nothing like it.

Beef Bone Broth Recipe
will make about 12 cups
Takes 12-24h, mostly hands off

Ingredients:
3-5lb assorted beef bones*
4 medium carrots, cut in large pieces
2 leek middles/tops** seperated
1 medium onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic smacked (just to remove the skin)
2-4 stalks celery, cut in large pieces
2 bay leaves
1-2T black peppercorns
1T apple cider vinegar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450*. Place the bones, carrots, leek middles, onion and garlic in the roasting pan. Cook for 25 minutes, toss/turn the bones so both sides get caramelized and toast for another 25 minutes or until GBD (golden brown/delicious). Pour off the fat and save for future cooking!
2. In a large stock pot add celery, leek tops, bay leaves, peppercorns and vinegar. Put everything from the roasting pan in. Pour 4 cups of water into the roasting pan, using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the caramelization from the bottom of the pan (this is flavor that cannot be replaced), then pour into the pot. Do this 2 more times or until the bones are covered. If you have a stainless steel roasting pan that can be placed right on the stovetop like this, just add water to it and scrape up the caramelization at the bottom of the pan.
3. Bring to a boil, then a low simmer for 12-24 hours. Add more water as it evaporates to keep the bones covered. You want to get every last bit out of these nutrient dense bones! If you need to put it away overnight, simply cool it down, put it in the refrigerator overnight and put it back to a low simmer the next day. I recruit everyone in the house to keep an eye on it and add to it when needed.
4. When you are done simmering, strain out the bones and veggies, you can use the broth right away or cool it right away. Strain it into a stainless steel pan and place the pan in ice water to cool it quickly. The fat will harden in the fridge over night. Skim it off before you reheat it. Save the fat for future cooking!

Use the broth within a few days of preparing it. The collagen that is broken down over the long simmer period makes this gelatinous broth incredibly nutritious, great for joints and skin! Beyond the skin and joints, bone broth is great for gut health and your immune system and has high quality protein. 

Great equipment to have, with links:
Roasting Pan
Chinois
Tongs
The Best Wooden Tools 
Stock Pot

I wish I had a video of how this beautiful broth jiggles when you take it out of the refrigerator. I regret not taking more pictures of the process, but this is real life homeschooling a teenager, pre-teen and taking care of a one year old while pregnant. Sometimes the pictures get overlooked! -I have added the jiggle video from my most recent batch to my instagram if you have some time on your hands 🙂

I can’t wait to hear how you enjoy this, whether sipping or in this incredible French Onion Soup!

However you do it, do it in good health!

Notes
* I never buy beef bones. When we enjoy our Good Ranchers steaks or we have beef ribs… I simply save up the bones in the freezer until I have at least 3lbs. Then it’s time to make the world’s best French Onion Soup :). More recently I purchase a 1/2 cow from a local farm and am sure to let them know I want all the bones. My freezer is always stocked!
** I also save leeks in the freezer. When you use leek whites, save the remainder in the freezer. Cut them in half, roast the middles and throw the green tops into the broth.
***Save the bones and veggies at the end of the cooking if you have time the next two days you can pour fresh cold water over and make what is called a second stock to really get the most out of your bones!

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