How to Make Beef Bone Broth on the Stovetop (Simple From-Scratch Method)
This stovetop beef bone broth is simmered low and slow for up to 15 hours to create a rich, collagen packed broth. Perfect for soups, sauces, or enjoying on its own.
Equipment
- Large stockpot minimum 8 quart
- Sheet pan or 9x13 Pyrex dish for roasting the bones
- Parchment paper optional, but helps cleanup
- Tongs
- Ladle
- Fine Mesh Strainer
- Large bowl
Ingredients
Beef bones
- 4-5 Pounds Knuckle, marrow, or oxtail
Vegetables
- 2-3 Large Carrots roughly chopped
- 2-3 Celery stalks roughly chopped
- 1 Large Onion quartered
Herbs & Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon mineral salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Liquid
- ¼ Cup Apple cider vinegar
- Filtered water 18 cups +
Instructions
Roast the bones
- Preheat oven to 400°F.Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and arrange the beef bones in a single layer. Roast the bones for about 45 minutes-1 hour until browned and caramelized (not burnt). Roasting gives a rich flavor in the broth.
Prep the Vegetables
- While the bones are roasting: • Roughly cut carrots and celery into pieces• Quarter the onion (leave skins on for a deeper color if desired)
Fill the stockpot
- Transfer roasted bones to the stockpot.Add the chopped vegetables on top. Pour in the apple cider vinegar. Sprinkle in thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt and black pepper.Add filtered water until everything is fully covered and the stockpot is full.
Bring to a Boil and Simmer
- Place the lid on the stockpot and set the temperature on high until the broth reaches a gentle boil, this takes about 15-20 minutes. Then reduce heat to low and simmer. Simmer for 12-15 hours. Check liquid amount throughout the day as some will evaporate. Add additional water as needed.
Strain the Broth
- After the cook time is over, using a ladle, carefully pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Discard the bones and vegetables or compost.Strain thoroughly so only clear broth remains. This is especially important if you plan to pressure can your broth, as processing times for canned broth do not allow for vegetable pieces and the processing time would need to be altered.
Cool and Skim
- Allow the broth to cool slightly at room temperature (about 30-60 minutes), then transfer to the refrigerator.Chill overnight. Once fully chilled, use the skimmer or a spoon and skim and remove the solidified fat from the top.
Store or Preserve
- Your bone broth is now ready to:• Use immediately• Freeze for later• Pressure can for self-stable storage
Notes
The simple schedule I use for 15-hour beef bone broth—with no over-night cooking.
Prep the night before: Roast the bones, chop the vegetables, and measure spices. Place the bones and veggies in the fridge overnight.
Cooking day: Start cooking around 5:30 AM. Place bones, vegetables, spices, vinegar, and water in the stockpot. Simmer until 8:30 PM. Strain broth, cool slightly and place in the refrigerator. In the morning, skim the fat and the broth is ready to use or preserve.
An easy way to collect some bones and veggie scraps is to keep a labeled gallon Ziplock freezer bag in the freezer just for making broth. Every time you cook a beef roast that has a bone, throw the bone in the bag and do the same thing with any veggie scraps you collect while cooking.
Storage tips: Bone broth will keep in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. For longer storage, bone broth can be frozen or pressure canned.
Freeze broth in ice cube trays for a convenient way to quickly warm up a mug of bone broth to sip, or to add to a recipe.
