Beef Stock
Beef stock is a rich, savory liquid made by simmering beef bones, meat trimmings, and aromatics for hours, forming the backbone of hearty soups, braises, and pan sauces.
How to buy
Boxed or canned beef stock varies widely in richness and sodium -- look for one with a short, recognizable ingredient list and a deep, roasted flavor rather than a thin, salty one. Beef bone broth is a richer, more gelatinous alternative if you want more body.
How to store
Unopened boxed or canned stock keeps in the pantry for a year or more. Once opened, refrigerate in a sealed container for 3-4 days, or freeze in portions for several months.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Deep, savory, and meaty, with a roasted depth that's far more pronounced than chicken or vegetable stock. Quality varies enormously, from thin and salty to rich and almost gelatinous.
- Texture
- Thin and liquid on its own, but good beef stock often turns slightly jelly-like when chilled, thanks to collagen released from the bones, and thickens naturally as it reduces.
- Aroma
- A rich, roasted, meaty smell, often with a faint sweetness from caramelized bones and vegetables used in making it.
How to prepare
- Reduced into sauce — Simmered down to concentrate flavor for a glossy, savory pan sauce or jus.
- Used as a braising liquid — Poured over meat and vegetables for long, slow braising.
- Simmered into soup — Used as the base liquid for hearty soups and stews.
- Used to deglaze — Poured into a hot pan after searing meat to lift browned bits for a quick sauce.
Classic dishes
American
- French dip au jus — A roast beef sandwich served with a cup of warm beef stock for dipping.
- Beef barley soup — A hearty soup of beef stock simmered with barley, carrots, and chunks of beef.
- Pot roast with beef gravy — Beef braised low and slow in stock until tender, with the braising liquid reduced into gravy.
Japanese
- Sukiyaki hot pot broth — A sweet-savory Japanese hot pot broth built partly on beef stock, simmered with thinly sliced beef and vegetables.
French
- French onion soup — Caramelized onions simmered in rich beef stock and topped with toasted bread and melted cheese.
- Beef bourguignon — A slow-braised beef stew built on beef stock, red wine, and aromatic vegetables.
- Beef consommé — A clarified, crystal-clear beef stock served as a refined starter soup.
Thai
- Kuay teow neua — A Thai beef noodle soup built on a deeply spiced, long-simmered beef stock.
Korean
- Seolleongtang — A milky-white Korean ox bone soup, simmered for hours into a rich beef broth.
- Galbitang — A clear Korean short rib soup built on a long-simmered beef stock.
Vietnamese
- Pho bo — A fragrant Vietnamese noodle soup built on a long-simmered beef stock infused with star anise and ginger.
German
- Rindfleischsuppe — A traditional German beef soup simmered with root vegetables and herbs.
Caribbean
- Jamaican oxtail soup — A hearty Caribbean soup built on a rich beef stock simmered with oxtail and butter beans.
British & Irish
- British steak and ale pie gravy — A rich, dark gravy built on beef stock, used to fill a classic savory pie.
- Sunday roast beef gravy — Pan drippings deglazed with beef stock into a rich gravy for a traditional roast dinner.