Beef Stock
basics (stock)
Beef Stock
yield 3L / 5 pints
1Kg / 2lb shin or leg of beef
2Kg / ox tail, shank, or chuck
5L / 9 pints water
1 Bouquet garni, bound to 1 small leek and 1 celery stick
1 Head of garlic
2 medium onions whole, each stuck with 1 clove
4 carrots, chopped roughly
salt
Place a round metal pastry cutter or trivet in the bottom of a large stockpot
to prevent the ingredients from sticking.
Fit all the meat and bones into the pot and add water to cover by about 5cm / 2 inches. Bring slowly to the boil and scim off the scum that rises. Keep skimming, occasionnallyadding a glass of cold water, until no more scum rises - this should take about 10-15 minutes.
Add the bouquet garni, the unpeeled garlic, onions, carrots and
salt, and skim once more as the liquid returns to the boil.
Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pot with the lid ajar, and simmer
for 6 hours.
Ladle the stock into a colander lined with dampened muslin placed over a large bowl. Leave the strained stock to cool completely, then remove the last traces of fat from the surface. If the stock is refridgerated, the solidified fat may be lifted off.