Basic Grassfed Beef Bone Broth - Trail's End Beef (2024)

There is nothing more nourishing and necessary in a ranch kitchen, or any kitchen, than Beef Bone Broth. Steaming away in pots for centuries, it is the starter for soups, the liquid for pot roasts, the flavour for vegetables, and the base for sauces. Bone Broth contains the life giving nutrients that our bodies need from pasture-raised meats. And it is the ultimate way to make the most out of every possible bit of beef from our beautiful animals. Find a source of grassfed beef Soup Bones from a local producer near you and start simmering!

The ritual of making Bone Broth might be part of it’s healing nature. It is a mindful practice, requiring a little bit of attention and patience. However, the effort is so rewarding. Once you get the basic method down pat you will never be without Beef Bone Broth on hand.

In our kitchen, simplicity is key. There are hundreds of variations of broth/stock recipes. You can debate endlessly on the merits of just how many hours to cook it, the best seasonings, and whatbeneficialherbs and medicinal mushrooms to add to the blend. Or you can be like me and just simmer some bones in a pot. I don’t add any herbs, vegetables, or salt. I keep it plain and simple and then spice it up when I add it to a recipe. My method is about as easy as it gets.

Roast the Bonesuncovered in an oven at 375 degrees until browned.This is a pretty elaborate stepfor me, but I do admit that it gives the broth a bit more flavor. Often I skip this step and simply use frozen bones, dumped into the pot.

Place the Bones in a Large Stock Pot and cover with Spring Water. Any water will do, but like your beef, the cleaner the better. We haul ours down from our sweet mineral spring in the hills. Note, I have not measured anything. How concentrated you make your broth is up to you. Just be sure to keep plenty of water in the pot at all times. Keep adding water if it evaporates and the levels drop below the bones.

Add a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar. This helps to leach the minerals out of the bones and increases the nutrient content of your broth.

On Stove Top turn up the Heat until the water just bubbles. Keep covered with a lid through the entire simmering process.

Turn Down the Heat to a gentle, rolling simmer. DO NOT boil, but be sure to keep it hot enough that it keeps cooking.

Wait.I usually leave mine on the stove for about 12 hours. Anywhere in the range of 12-24 hours produces a nice rich broth. I typically make it overnight or on a day when I am around the house. Check the pot occasionally to make sure the water level stays up. Add water if necessary.

Remove Bones with Tongs.Strain through a Wire Mesh Sieve.Straining helps to catchall the little pieces of bone and meat. I never skim the Broth so this is how I make it nice and clear.

Reserve Meat for adding to soup or for a lucky pet. Ourdog and cat always get treats from the stock pot. Then I toss the bones to the Hens. This makes them VERY happy.Did I mention, nothing gets wasted around here!

Cool.After desired cooking time, take off the lid and let it cool off before putting in the fridge. This step is very easy in the winter, I simply stick the whole pot out on the back porch. It does seem like the winter and fall months are designed for making broth.

Remove fat from surface. When the Bone Broth is thoroughly chilled, there will be a thick layer of solid fat on the surface. This makes it very easy to remove the fat with a large spoon and your hands. Again, our lucky geriatric cat gets to munch on some of this. The rest I turn under into the compost. Don’t worry about getting all the fat. The more fat left in your stock the richer it will be.

Store and Enjoy!Put the Bone Broth into freezer friendly containers or start cooking. A good Beef Bone Broth will be more solid than liquid when it is cool. It is gelatinous from all of the nourishment in those bones. I don’t pour it into containers to freeze, I scoop it! The last batch I made filled 2 large containers for the freezer and made a huge vat of soup.

Soup is so simplewith Bone Broth at the ready. A trip to the garden for seasonal vegetables–Peppers, Swiss Chard, Zuchinni, Onions, Corn, Herbs)– a can of Black Eyed Peas, lime juice, and some Mexican inspired seasoning made this a zesty soup for a cool night. We garnished the soup with Feta Cheese. Hot, crumbly corn bread right out of the oven and a glass of Red Wine made the meal complete. The comforting satisfaction of a warm meal is what home-cooking is all about.