Recipe

Brown Beef Stock

Ingredients

8 pounds beef bones and trimmings (have your butcher saw them into 4-inch pieces)
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces tomato paste, thinned with 2 tablespoons water
6 to 7 quarts cold water
8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in oil (oil drained off)
MIREPOIX:
8 ounces onions, coarsely chopped
4 ounces carrots, coarsely chopped
4 ounces celery, coarsely chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, halved
SPICE SACHET:
4 parsley stems, chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 whole clove
1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Place the sachet ingredients in a piece of cheesecloth and tie with string at the top.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a sheet pan and place in the oven to heat. Place the bones on the sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Paint the bones with a thin layer of the thinned tomato paste, and roast for an additional 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Place the bones in the stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Skim any scum that forms on the surface as needed.
Drain and reserve the fat from the pan; add a little warm water to the pan, mix around and scrape up the crusty bits, then pour everything into the stockpot. Continue to simmer the stock for 6 to 7 hours, skimming as needed. If necessary, you may add more hot water to keep the bones covered.
Toss the mirepoix with the reserved fat and brown in the oven. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, browned mirepoix and the sachet to the pot. Simmer for another 1 to 2 hours. Strain the stock through cheesecloth, and cool the stock in an ice-water bath. Transfer to a container and refrigerate overnight. The next day, skim off all the fat that's risen to the surface. All done! And oh, the tasty stock you have now!