Name: Classic Beef Bone Broth
Yield: About 3 quarts
Ingredients: 3-4 lbs beef bones (a mix of marrow bones, knuckle bones, and/or oxtail); 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 carrots, roughly chopped; 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped; 1 large onion, quartered (skin on); 6 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns; 2 bay leaves; A few sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried); 12-14 cups filtered water; Sea salt to taste

The gold standard. Rich, deeply savory, and deeply nourishing. This gels beautifully and serves as a base for everything from sipping broths to French onion soup.

Ingredients

3-4 lbs beef bones (a mix of marrow bones, knuckle bones, and/or oxtail)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 large onion, quartered (skin on)
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
A few sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
12-14 cups filtered water
Sea salt to taste

Method

**Roast the bones**: Spread the bones on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast at 204°C (400°F) for 30-40 minutes, turning once, until deeply browned. This step is optional but adds tremendous depth of flavor and color.
**Into the pot**: Transfer the roasted bones to a large stockpot or slow cooker. Add the vinegar and water. Let sit for 30 minutes before turning on the heat.
**Bring to a simmer**: Heat slowly. As it approaches a simmer, gray foam will rise to the surface. Skim this off with a spoon — it's impurities from the bones and it affects flavor and clarity.
**Add aromatics**: After skimming, add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme.
**Simmer low and slow**: Maintain the gentlest simmer you can — you want lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Cover partially.
**Stovetop**: 18-24 hours. Check every few hours and add water if needed to keep bones submerged.
**Slow cooker**: 24 hours on low.
**Pressure cooker**: 2-3 hours on high pressure, natural release.
**Strain**: Remove from heat. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into large jars or containers. Press on the solids gently.
**Season**: Add sea salt to taste while the broth is warm.
**Cool and store**: Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. A layer of fat will solidify on top — this is liquid gold. Leave it on (it seals the broth and extends freshness) and remove before reheating, or stir it back in for richer broth.

Notes

A good beef bone broth will gel firmly in the fridge. If it doesn't, it's still nutritious — it just means the gelatin content is lower. Next time: more joint bones, less water, longer cooking.
The fat cap that forms on refrigerated broth is excellent cooking fat. Use it for roasting vegetables or searing meat.