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.Slow Cooker Beef Stock

Source of Recipe

From "Cook With Me" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"People ask me all the time what the difference is between a stock and a broth. The general rule is that a stock is made from bones and a broth is made from meat (usually meat scraps); bone broth is a hybrid of the two. Bottom line, if you are cooking with bones for flavor, there is always meat on those bones, so the lines blur between the two types of fortified, meaty liquid. The ultimate goal is the same: making a stock or broth that tastes delicious! I use beef stock when I want the flavor of beef in my soup, like for French onion soup or beef-barley soup—that's where I love it most. A pot roast or brisket that has been loved by a good beef stock is delicious, too. That said, if I have beef scraps, I put them in my stock. What I *don't* add is lots of beef fat or fatty scraps, and I don't put lots of herbs in the base. The only flavor I like besides the meat itself comes from roasting the vegetables. By roasting them, you draw out their water before you even start building the stock. This means you begin with vegetables that already taste delicious in their own right. If you have an Instant Pot, you can begin by browning the vegetables directly in the pot and then layer the other ingredients on top. We want a good, round beef flavor, and this recipe gets you there."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 large leeks, green tops removed, white stalks halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into ½-inch-wide pieces (about 3 cups), then washed well
â—¦ 5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds (about 2 heaping cups)
â—¦ 4 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed
â—¦ 1 tablespoon canola oil
â—¦ 2 dried bay leaves
â—¦ 16 to 20 whole black peppercorns
â—¦ 10 to 12 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
â—¦ 5 pounds (2-inch-thick) beef bones (preferably shank bones)
â—¦ 6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
â—¦ Kosher salt


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

In a large bowl, toss the leeks, carrots, and garlic with the oil, bay leaves, peppercorns, and parsley. Arrange the vegetables and seasonings in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan and place in the oven. Roast until the vegetables are slightly tender and lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes.

Place all of the beef bones and the roasted vegetables in the slow cooker and fill it with 8 to 10 cups of water.
Cover, set the cooker on high, and cook for 3 hours.

After 3 hours, skim any impurities from the surface of the stock and add the thyme sprigs and a pinch of salt. (It's not enough salt to season the stock but just enough to elevate the meat flavors as they develop.) Then set the cooker on low, cover, and cook for 5 hours more.

Strain the finished stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing down on the bones and vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. I often make a batch of stock because I need it right away to make soups or braises. If you're thinking ahead and making stock for another time, cool it and then freeze it in whatever increments suit you. It can be stored in small plastic freezer bags or in a large sealed container.

Makes 2 to 2 ½ quarts
(8 to 10 cups)