Basic Beef Stock

Ingredients

900g beef bones*

1 tbsp oil

1 large onion, quartered

2 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped in half

1-2 leeks, halved

1 tsp black peppercorns

Few thyme sprigs

Bayleaf

Method

Put the bones in a roasting tin with the oil or some dripping and cook at 220°C/425°F/mark 7 for 30-40 minutes.

Put the roasted bones in a large pan, and add the onion, carrots, leeks, black peppercorns, a few sprigs of thyme and a bayleaf. Cover with cold water, bring up to the boil, remove the scum from the surface with a large spoon, then turn down the heat. Simmer for about 4 hours to extract all the flavour from the bones.  Top up with hot water if the level of liquid should fall below the other ingredients.

Cool a little, then strain the stock into a large bowl. Discard the bones and vegetables. Leave to settle for a few minutes, then remove the fat from the surface by placing a piece of absorbent kitchen paper over the surface.  The stock can be chilled if using within a day or two, or frozen in batches for later use.

* Save up leftover bones from roast beef and freeze until you have enough to make a decent batch of stock.

Source: Caroline Marson, Love Food Hate Waste

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