Homemade Beef Stock

Instructions

1. Soak and Clean the Bones

Place beef bones in a large bowl and cover with water.

Let soak for a few hours to draw out blood and impurities.

Rinse the bones thoroughly, washing them several times until the water runs mostly clear.

2. Start the First Simmer

Place the cleaned bones in a large pot.

Add enough water to cover the bones, about 3–5 liters.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 3 hours.

3. Skim and Continue Cooking 

Let the broth cool slightly, then skim off the foam and impurities from the surface.

Return the pot to the stove and continue simmering for another 3 hours.

This two-stage cooking helps develop a deeper, cleaner flavor.

4. Strain the Broth

Remove and discard all bones and solids.

Strain the broth through a fine sieve for a clear result.

5. Rest Overnight

Let the broth cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. 

The next day:

·       The broth should become thick and jelly-like

·       Skim off the layer of fat from the top

Now your broth is ready to be seasoned and used for pho.

Notes

·       Soaking and rinsing helps create a cleaner, clearer broth

·       Long simmering extracts collagen and deep flavor

The jelly texture after chilling is a sign of a well-made stock

2. Clean the Broth

The next day, remove the layer of fat from the top.

This gives you a cleaner, more balanced broth.

Some traditional methods blanch the bones first to remove impurities:

·       Boil bones for 5–10 minutes

·       Drain and rinse

·       Then start the broth

This helps create a clearer broth faster.

I know the blanching method works well, but sometimes I don’t feel like transferring everything between pots. This way is simpler, and it still gives me the result I want.

My Way

I usually skip this step.

Instead, I soak and rinse the bones well, then simmer and skim during cooking. It takes a little more time, but it still gives me a clean, rich broth and saves me from using another pot.