Beef Broth
Beef broth is a savory liquid simmered from beef bones, meat trim, and aromatic vegetables, used as a flavorful base for soups, stews, braises, and sauces.
How to buy
Look for a short ingredient list with real beef or beef bones listed first, not just flavorings and salt. "Stock" made from bones tends to be richer and more gelatinous than "broth" made mostly from meat trim, though many brands use the terms loosely. Choose low-sodium versions when you want control over seasoning, and consider concentrated bouillon paste or cubes as a pantry-friendly alternative to cartons or cans.
How to store
Unopened cartons and cans keep until their printed date in the pantry. Once opened, refrigerate in a sealed container and use within four to five days, or freeze in portions -- ice cube trays work well for small amounts -- for up to three months.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Deeply savory and meaty with a mild natural sweetness; reducing it over heat concentrates both the beefiness and the saltiness, so taste before adding more seasoning. Homemade versions with real bones taste richer and rounder than most boxed broths.
- Texture
- Thin and liquid at room or serving temperature. Homemade broth rich in collagen will set into a soft gel when chilled, while most commercial cartons stay liquid even cold since they contain less natural gelatin.
- Aroma
- Rich, roasted, meaty aroma that deepens noticeably if the bones or trim were browned before simmering.
How to prepare
- Simmered base — Used as the primary cooking liquid for soups, stews, and grain dishes.
- Reduced — Cooked down uncovered to concentrate flavor into a glossy sauce or jus.
- Deglazing liquid — Poured into a hot pan to lift browned fond into a quick pan sauce.
- Frozen portions — Frozen in small cubes or containers for quick flavor boosts in future cooking.
Classic dishes
American
- Beef stew — Chunks of beef and vegetables slowly braised in beef broth until tender.
- French dip sandwich — Sliced roast beef on a roll served with a cup of warm beef broth (au jus) for dipping.
- Pot roast — A large beef cut braised low and slow in beef broth with vegetables until fall-apart tender.
Italian
- Bollito misto — An Italian boiled-meats platter whose cooking liquid, the brodo, is beef-based and often served alongside.
Mexican
- Birria — Stewed beef or goat served with a chile-spiked beef broth (consomé) for dipping and sipping.
Chinese
- Niu rou mian — A Taiwanese-Chinese noodle soup of braised beef in a spiced, deeply savory beef broth.
Japanese
- Gyudon sauce base — Thin-sliced beef simmered in a sweet-savory sauce built on dashi and beef broth, served over rice.
French
- French onion soup — Caramelized onions simmered in beef broth and topped with bread and melted cheese.
Korean
- Seolleongtang — A milky-white Korean soup from beef bones simmered for hours, served plain and seasoned at the table.
Vietnamese
- Pho bo — A fragrant noodle soup built on a long-simmered beef broth perfumed with star anise and charred onion.
Spanish
- Cocido madrileño — A Madrid stew whose beef broth is often served first as a separate soup course.
German
- Sauerbraten — Marinated, pot-roasted beef whose braising liquid, often enriched with beef broth, becomes a tangy gravy.
Caribbean
- Jamaican beef soup — A hearty Caribbean soup of beef, root vegetables, and dumplings simmered in a seasoned beef broth.
Filipino
- Bulalo — A Filipino beef shank and bone marrow soup simmered until the broth turns rich and collagen-thick.
British & Irish
- Steak and kidney pie — A savory pie filled with beef and gravy built from a rich beef broth reduction.
- Beef and barley soup — A hearty soup of barley and beef chunks simmered together in beef broth.
Substitutions
- Water — In a pinch, water plus a spoonful of soy sauce or bouillon paste can approximate beef broth's seasoning, though it lacks the body and depth of a real simmered broth.