Prep Time: 5-10 mins      Cook Time: 3-4 hours      Makes: 2.5L (approx.)

Ingredients

1.5kg beef bones

500g gravy beef or chuck steak, cubed

2 small onions, halved

8 cloves garlic, peel on and smashed

2 large carrots, washed, sliced

2 sticks celery, peeled

4 large mushrooms, peeled, halved

1/2 cup red or white wine

3 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs parsley

1 tsp peppercorns

1-2 tablespoons salt

Water, enough to cover solids (around 5 litres)

Method

Preheat oven to 230C (or 210C fan forced). Place bones  and all vegetables except the mushrooms into a roasting pan. Season and roast in oven, turning occasionally, for 90 mins until browned.

Heat a stockpot over a medium-high heat. Cook the gravy beef (or chuck steak) in batches until browned all over. When browned, add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms start to colour. Add wine and reduce slightly, scraping the bottom to add extra flavour.

Add roasted bone mixture and enough water to cover solids, also adding the herbs, peppercorns, salt. Gently simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 hours, skimming the surface every 30 mins. After that, strain the mixture in a colander over a large bowl, discard solids, and leave to cool for 2 hours.

Notes

When reducing the wine, use the wooden spoon to scrape the stuck bits off the bottom as that part is full of flavour. Do the same thing with the roasting pan, except swap the wine with 1 cup boiling water and swap the wooden spoon with a metal spatula.

The stock needs to simmer for at least 3 hours; the longer, the better. Make sure to skim the surface every 30 mins while simmering.

This will last for up to 3-4 days in the fridge or up to 4 months in the freezer. When stock is cold, refrigerate overnight and the next day, use a spoon to remove any remaining fat, if there is any, from the surface.