Mary's Bouillon

Real beef bouillon made from scratch takes time, but the result is a clean, intensely beefy broth that no cube or powder can touch. Four pounds of beef shank and two pounds of crushed soup bones simmer low and slow for five hours before the vegetables even go in.

Starting with cold water and heating slowly is the key to a clear broth. Dumping bones into boiling water shocks the proteins and turns everything cloudy. Gentle heat draws the flavor out gradually and keeps the liquid clean.

Celery, carrots, turnip, onion, and whole cloves simmer for the last hour, adding sweetness and depth. Then everything gets strained and reduced down to six concentrated cups. After cooling, any fat that solidifies on the surface lifts right off.

Kitchen Tips

• Crush the bones before simmering. Broken bones release more marrow and collagen, which gives the bouillon body and richness.
• Keep the simmer gentle, just a few lazy bubbles. A rolling boil emulsifies the fat into the broth and makes it greasy and murky.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth for the clearest result.
• Cool the broth uncovered in the fridge. The fat cap that forms on top seals the broth and can be peeled off in one piece.

Variations

• Add a halved onion charred in a dry skillet before simmering for deeper, roasted flavor.
• Toss in a few black peppercorns and a bay leaf with the cloves for a more aromatic broth.
• Freeze in ice cube trays for portioned flavor bombs you can drop into sauces, gravies, or rice.