While time consuming, just as with homemade chicken stock having a rich beef stock on hand can make all the difference in home cooking. You control all the ingredients, including the sodium. As an added bonus, you’ll have flavorful beef for meat fillings or soups. This is a recipe every cook should master!

1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 pounds marrow bones
3 pounds beef ribs
1 cup red wine
1 large onion, quartered
3 stalks celery, cut in 2 ” pieces
1 medium carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
16 cups water
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 tsp kosher salt
20 black peppercorns

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Season the beef ribs with 1/2 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper. Place the marrow bones in the bottom of a large Dutch oven and add the ribs on top.
3. Roast the marrow bones and ribs for 30 minutes.
4. Move the pan to the stove top and remove the bones and ribs to a plate. Over medium high heat, deglaze the pot with the red wine, stirring up any browned bits. Return all to the pot, along with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the ribs have poached, about 45 minutes more.
5. Remove the ribs to a plate and allow to cool until safe to handle while the stock continues to simmer. As the beef cools, separate the meat from the fat and bones. Reserve the meat for another use and return the bones to the simmering stock, discarding any separable fat. Continue to cook for another 3 to 6 hours.
6. At the end of the cooking time remove all the solids to the trash and strain the stock into a large pot or container. Cool the stock for one hour, then chill in the refrigerator for another 24 to 48 hours, or until the fat solidifies on the top. Skim the fat and discard. Divide the stock into freezer containers for storage.

Yield: About 16 cups of stock and 2 cups of meat