Brown Beef Stock
Deeply roasted bones and vegetables, slowly extracted for brown sauces and rich soups.
Deeply roasted bones and vegetables, slowly extracted for brown sauces and rich soups.
3 L unsalted stock
Ingredients
- Beef bones, joint and marrow bones3 kg
- Onion300 g
- Carrot250 g
- Celery150 g
- Tomato paste60 g
- Thyme10 g
- Bay leaves2
- Cold water6 L
Method
Roast bones at 220°C conventional heat for 45 to 60 minutes, turning, until deeply browned without black edges.
Add roughly chopped vegetables for the final 20 minutes and tomato paste for the final 5 minutes.
Transfer everything to a stockpot. Deglaze the roasting tray with some measured water, scraping up brown deposits; leave burnt deposits behind.
Add remaining water and herbs. Bring to a bare simmer, skim, and cook for 6 to 8 hours. Top up to keep bones submerged.
Strain without pressing, remove fat, and reduce or dilute to the stated yield for your chosen batch size.
Chef’s notes
- A clear, deep roast is the foundation of espagnole. Blackened bones make a bitter stock.
- When scaling, adjust pan or tin size and work in batches where needed; cooking and proving times follow texture and temperature, not the portion multiplier.
Keeping
Cool rapidly in shallow containers or over ice, then refrigerate at 4°C or below for up to 3 days. Freeze measured portions for up to 3 months.
Allergens and diet
Celery.
Used in
Also in the Recipe Book
Last refined · October 2026