It’s New Year, and I’m ready to dig my organic beef bones from the back of the freezer to make a rich, gelatinous beef bone broth to keep me warm and nourished over the coming weeks. There’s nothing like a slow-simmered, tomato-roasted beef stock to fill the kitchen with comforting aromas while giving you a deeply nutritious, collagen-packed broth that’s perfect for soups, stews, risottos, or just sipping on its own. And for those days when I have friends over, it makes a fantastic base for hearty soups and sauces that always impress.

By roasting the bones with a thin layer of tomato purée, you develop a deep, umami-rich flavour that elevates any dish. If you want to make life easier in the weeks ahead, you can also reduce the broth into a stock concentrate and freeze it in small cubes, ready to add a burst of flavour to any meal.

For more tips on perfecting your stock, including how to build rich flavour and the best techniques for straining and storing, check out my detailed guide: Mastering the Art of Making Perfect Stock.

Ingredients

1 kg organic beef bones (marrow, joints, or a mix)

1–2 tablespoons tomato purée

1–2 tablespoons olive oil (optional, helps caramelisation)

2 L cold water

1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 carrots, roughly chopped

2 celery sticks, roughly chopped

2–3 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)

2 bay leaves

5–10 whole black peppercorns

Optional: fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, parsley

How to Make Beef Bone Broth

1. Roast the Bones

Preheat oven to 200 °C.

Pat bones dry, then rub a thin layer of tomato purée over each one. Drizzle lightly with olive oil if using.

Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning halfway, until the bones are golden brown and caramelised. This step gives the stock a deep, rich flavour.

2. Prepare the Broth

Transfer the roasted bones to a large pot or slow cooker.

Add chopped vegetables, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic, and herbs.

Pour in cold water to cover the bones.

Add apple cider vinegar and let sit 20–30 minutes before heating. This helps extract collagen and minerals, giving the broth a nutrient-rich, gelatinous texture.

3. Simmer

Stovetop: Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to the lowest simmer. Skim off any foam or impurities. Simmer 8–12 hours, longer if you want a richer, more gelatinous broth.

Slow cooker: Set to low for 12–24 hours.

4. Strain and Store

Remove bones and vegetables.

Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth.

Let cool, then refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. The fat that rises to the top can be skimmed off or kept for cooking.

5. Stock Concentrate / Freeze Cubes

For convenience, pour strained broth into a smaller pot and simmer gently until reduced by half (or more) — this concentrates the flavour.

Cool slightly, then pour into ice cube trays (≈50 ml per cube) or small freezer containers.

Freeze, then transfer cubes to a labelled bag.

Each cube is perfect for adding a burst of beefy flavour to soups, sauces, stews, or risottos.

Tips & Variations

Add a splash of red wine after roasting for extra depth.

Include marrow or knuckle bones for a more gelatinous, collagen-rich broth.

Add fresh parsley or thyme in the last hour of simmering to preserve flavour.

Sip warm with a pinch of sea salt, or use as a base for hearty soups and sauces.

This recipe is part of my Soup Recipes collection. It joins a growing collection of soups — from chilled gazpacho to hearty broths and Asian-inspired bowls — in my complete Soup Recipes hub.

Wonky photos, proper soup, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef