What Is Beef stock and How Can I Use It?

Here's everything worth knowing about beef stock and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 992 recipes to cook tonight.

What is beef stock?

Beef stock, bouillon, or beef broth is a flavoured water preparation made by simmering various ingredients in water, including some or all of the following. Beef, leftover cooked meat, is often used along with beef bones.

Fresh meat makes a superior stock and cuts rich in connective tissue such as shin or shoulder of beef or veal are commonly recommended, either alone or added in lower proportions to the remains of cooked poultry to provide a richer and fresher-tasting stock. Quantities recommended are invariably in the ratio of 1 part fresh meat to 2 parts water.

Bones

Veal and beef bones are most commonly used. The flavour of the stock comes from the cartilage and connective tissue in the bones. Connective tissue has collagen in it, which gets converted into gelatin that thickens the liquid.

Stock made from bones needs to be simmered for longer than stock made from meat. Pressure cooking methods shorten the time necessary to extract the flavour from the bones.

Mirepoix

A combination of onions, carrots, celery, and sometimes other vegetables. Often the less desirable parts of the vegetables (such as carrot skins and celery ends) are used since they will not be eaten.

Herbs & Spices

The herbs and spices used when making beef stock depend on availability and local traditions. In classical cuisine, the use of a bouquet garni (or bundle of herbs) consisting of parsley, bay leaves, a sprig or two of thyme, and possibly other herbs, is common.

This is often placed in a sachet or tied together to make it easier to remove once the stock is cooked.

Today, ready-made stock and stock cubes consisting of dried, compressed stock ingredients are readily available. These are commonly known as bouillon cubes in the US or oxo cubes, after a common brand of stock cube sold in Britain or cooking base.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cup (240g)

Amount per Serving

Calories 31Calories from Fat 1

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 0.2g 0%

Saturated Fat 0.1g 0%

Trans Fat ~

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 475mg 20%

Total Carbohydrate 2.9g 1%

Dietary Fiber 0g 0%

Sugars 1.3

Protein 4.7g

Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 2% • Iron 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

recipeland.com/nutrition

Where found

Beef stock is usually found in the soups section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group

Beef stock is a member of the Soups, Sauces, and Gravies US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

How much does beef stock weigh?

Amount	Weight
1 cup	240 grams

Soups, Sauces, and Gravies

Soup, cream of celery 97 Soup, cream of chicken 234 Soup, cream of mushroom 483 Soup, french onion 32 Beef bouillon cubes 116 Beef bouillon granules 53 Chicken bouillon, powdered 82 Chicken bouillon cubes 127 Vegetable stock cubes 55 Soup mix 6

In Chinese:	牛股票
British (UK) term:
en français:	bouillon de boeuf
en español:	caldo de carne

Recipes using beef stock

There are 992 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Beef Rib Marinade

Take your beef ribs to the next level with this web marinade that imparts incredible flavor deep into meaty beef ribs. Whether you're grilling, smoking, or using an Instant Pot for tender fall-off-the-bone beef ribs, marinate to start things off right.

Secret Ingredient French Onion Soup

A French onion soup that boasts an abundance of caramelized onions and a deep, rich color achieved with a secret ingredient. This addition enhances the depth of color and adds a subtle backdrop to the soup, perfectly complementing the sweetness of the caramelized onions.

Tomato Gazpacho

Chilled Spanish tomato gazpacho blended from ripe tomatoes, garlic, onion, green pepper, and olive oil, sharpened with vinegar and a hit of paprika. No-cook summer soup served with crunchy garnishes.

Beef & Vegetable Soup No. 2 (Instant Pot or not)

A beef vegetable soup made with homemade stock made one day ahead, featuring tender shredded beef, diced vegetables, and fresh herbs. A comforting and flavorful meal loaded with beefy goodness.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Wild Mushroom & Bourbon Sauce

Tender lemon-rosemary chicken meets an earthy wild mushroom sauce spiked with bourbon, creating layers of savory depth perfect for elegant dinners.

Basic Swedish Meatballs

Classic Swedish meatballs with grated onion, nutmeg and ginger, broiled then simmered in a sherry-laced beef gravy. The smorgasbord original behind the IKEA snack bar version.

Lamb Loin with English Spinach Semi Dried Tomatoes & Bush Tomato Chutney

BBQ'd Lamb Loin stuffed with semi dried tomatoes and asparagus spears and served with bush tomato chutney and sauteed English spinach.

Mom's Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of broccoli soup with butter-sauteed onion and celery, simmered broccoli, and a finishing pour of half-and-half. Smooth pureed soup ready in 40 minutes.

Guilt-Free Low-Fat Crockpot Onion Soup

A healthified low-fat version of onion soup for your slow cooker.

Cabbage Beef Casserole

Cabbage Beef Casserole, a dish that is not only satisfyingly subtly sweet but also a testament to frugality and the art of stretching one's dollar! Easy to make with simple ingredients and feeds a hungry family.

Hearty Bean Soup

Hearty bean soup combines kidney beans, sweet corn and tomatoes in a chili-cumin spiced broth, topped with shredded cheddar. A 35-minute pantry meal that feels like it simmered all day.

Pork Chops & Sugar Snap Peas with Mint Julep Glaze

Delicious pork chops are seared in a hot skillet, sugar snap peas are cooked in a flavorful broth, which makes this one-skillet meal that's quick, easy to prepare and perfect for a week day dinner.

Saffron Risotto

Creamy, delicious Italian rice. Simply flavoured labour of love.

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

Classic beef and broccoli stir fry with soy-ginger marinated round steak in a glossy cornstarch-thickened sauce. Takeout favorite, made cleaner at home.

Pork Chops in Onion Sauce

German-style pork chops braised in beer and beef broth with sliced onions, thickened into a rich gravy. Served with Brussels sprouts and boiled potatoes.

Yummy Meatballs with Milk Gravy

Beef meatballs in a creamy milk gravy with sherry, thyme, and Worcestershire. A lighter take on Swedish-style meatballs using yogurt as binder. Serve over egg noodles or pasta.

Moorish Albondigas

The spices used in this recipe give these little meatballs a Moorish influence. A variation of a popular item at tapas bars, these albondigas can be served in a broth or with a sauce for dipping.

Spicy Sesame Beef Stir-Fry

Spicy sesame beef stir-fry with crisp-tender broccoli and sweet peppers in a gingery soy-garlic sauce. The beef is coated in sesame seeds and seared fast for a quick weeknight wok dinner, gluten-free with tamari.

Burt Reynold's Stew

Burt Reynolds' red wine beef stew from a 1984 celebrity Christmas book, with round steak browned in bacon fat, simmered in wine and tomato sauce, then finished with potatoes, carrots, celery, and mushrooms.

Chunky Black-Bean Chili

Thick ground beef and black bean chili simmered with cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Ready in an hour with a rich, smoky broth that begs for a dollop of sour cream and crusty bread.

Amy's Mexican Chili Crockpot Soup

A tex-mex style beefy chili chock-full of beef, beans and mushrooms.

Bert Greene's Peppered Chili

Bert Greene's peppered chili layers ground beef and beef shoulder strips with three different chiles (mild ground, caribe, fresh serrano). Slow-baked three hours with red wine, fresh tomatoes, and herbs. Kidney beans go in last. A serious cook's chili.