Beef Broth

Ingredients

• 4 pounds meaty beef soupbones (shank crosscuts, short ribs, or arm bones)
• 3 carrots, cut up
• 2 medium onions, cut up
• 2 stalks celery with leaves, cut up
• 8 sprigs parsley
• 10 whole black peppers
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried basil or thyme, crushed
• 2 cloves garlic, halved

Instructions

1. Place soupbones in a large shallow roasting pan. Bake in a 450° oven about 30 minutes or till well browned, turning once.
2. Place soupbones in a large Dutch oven. Pour 1/2 cup water into the roasting pan, scraping up crusty browned bits. Add water mixture to Dutch oven. Add carrots, onions, celery, parsley, peppers, bay leaves, basil, garlic, 10 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 3 1/2 hours. Remove soupbones.
3. Pour broth through a large sieve or colander lined with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Discard vegetables and seasonings. If desired, clarify broth (see tip, below). If using the broth while hot, skim fat. (Or chill broth, then lift off fat.) If desired, when bones are cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and reserve meat for another use. Discard bones. Store broth and reserved meat, if any, in separate covered containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 6 months.