Hans - Food For Thought No. 13

Ingredients:

2.5 to 3.0 kg of beef bones cut in around 3 cm cubes

3.5 to 4 litres of water

1 kg short ribs

1 kg brisket

Large onion, unpeeled, cut in halves

Around 10 cloves

Flavour vegetables, generous amount, cut in small cubes or stripes, such as:

Celeriac

Leek

Onions

Garlic

Carrots

Parsley roots

Green parsley

Bay leaves

Coarsely ground black pepper

Salt (carefully used because broth will be reduced later which increases salt concentration)

Preparation:

Put bones in water and leave them for two hours

Meanwhile roast large onion halves on the cut side without fat until dark brown, than spike them with the cloves

Put bones in new clean water with onions and heat up for simmering at around 93 to 96 degrees C for two hours.

Regularly skim the surface from impurities.

After two hours add all vegetables, pepper and both meats.

Salt 'reluctantly'.

Carry on simmering another two hours by occasional skimming the surface.

After around 90 minutes check whether one or both of the meats are tender.

After two hours cut off the heat, cover the pot with a lid and let cool down for some 6 hours.

Remove meat and strain the broth through a  fine-mesh strainer.

Use the beef broth for soups, sauces and stocks.