Beef Bone Stock

I've been on a stock kick for the last week or so. I love starting the day with a mug of no-salt stock (it's a log easier and quicker than making eggs), and I'm going to start experimenting with onion-less stocks for the food allergies out there.

Stocks can be stored in the fridge for a week, after 5 days or so re-boil it. You're effectively creating the world's  best petri dish. If you store it in the fridge let the fat rise to the top and create a barrier to the air. If you're going to freeze it, skim the fat off. I've heard ice-cube trays work well, and then you can pull out what you need and dump it into soups and sauces for flavor.

Basic Stock:
2 lbs  beef stew bones
5 onions
6 carrots
8 cloves of garlic
Black peppercorns (15 or so?)
Parsley

Quarter the onions, chop the carrots into 1" pieces, place them with the garlic and beef bones in a roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes at 400, turning the meat over at 25 minutes. Put everything into a stock pot and cover with cold water. Simmer for 6 hours. Strain through a colander and cheesecloth.




More complicated stock:
(Original recipe here: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beef_bouillon_soup_from_oxtails/)

2 lb beef marrow bones
1 lb beef shank w/ bone
2.5 lb oxtail (one oxtail)
4 onions
3 carrots
1 heart of celery
Lemon zest from a lemon
The rest of the lemon
1 cup red wine (probably more, actually, no idea really. Enough to de-glaze the roasting pans and a dash more)
 14 oz mushrooms (plain white stuffing ones? No idea what they're called)
4 Bay leaves
Thyme
Black pepper


 - Quarter the onions and chop the carrots and celery into 1" pieces
 - Place the meat, onions, carrots, and lemon zest into roasting pans, cover liberally with ground pepper
 - Roast at 450 for 30 minutes until browning (not blackening). Turn the meat over at around 15-20 minutes
 - Set off the smoke alarm accidentally (don't do this, please. Your neighbors will thank you)
 - Place the roasted meat and vegetables into the stock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients
 - Deglaze the roasting pan with the wine, pour into the stock pot.
 - Add enough cold water to the stockpot to cover everything
 - Cover and simmer at least 6 hours. (I simmered it for 14).
 - Strain through a colander and cheesecloth
 - Refrigerate