Beef Broth: Rich, Golden and Clear From Cold Water, Careful Skimming and a Gentle Simmer

Instructions

The broth base

1. Rinse the bone-in beef thoroughly under cold running water. Put it in a large pot (at least 4–5 quarts / 4–5 liters).

2. Add the washed onion with its skin (it gives the broth a nice color), the peeled whole or lightly smashed garlic cloves, the bay leaves, the whole allspice and black peppercorns and about 1 teaspoon of salt.

3. Cover with cold water so the meat and bones are fully submerged (about 6 1/2 to 8 1/2 cups / 1.5–2 liters). Starting with cold water matters, because it lets flavor and proteins release into the broth gradually.

Slow simmering

1. Set the pot on the stove and slowly bring it to just below a boil over medium heat. It must not boil hard!

2. As it heats, a grayish foam (coagulated proteins) will form on the surface. Skim it thoroughly and continuously with a spoon or fine strainer. This step is key to a clear broth. Keep skimming until no new foam appears.

3. Once the foam is gone and the broth only barely bubbles (the surface hardly moves), reduce the heat to the absolute minimum. Partly cover the pot with the lid (leave a small gap so steam can escape and the broth does not turn cloudy).

4. Let the broth simmer very gently for at least 2 to 3 hours. The longer it simmers, the stronger and tastier it gets. The meat should be completely tender at the end.

Adding the vegetables

1. About 30 to 60 minutes before the end of cooking, prepare the root vegetables. Peel the carrot, parsley root and celery root. You can add them whole or cut into large pieces.

2. Add the vegetables to the pot with the meat. If needed, top up with a little hot water so they are submerged.

3. Keep simmering very gently for another 30 to 60 minutes, or until the meat and vegetables are as tender as you like. The vegetables should not fall apart completely.

Finishing and serving

1. When the meat and vegetables are tender, carefully lift the meat, bones and vegetables out of the pot. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer (you can line it with clean cheesecloth for a perfectly clear result) into another clean pot. Discard the onion and whole spices.

2. Pick the meat off the bones and cut it into small cubes or shred it. Cut the cooked vegetables (carrot, parsley root, celery root) into small cubes or other shapes too.

3. Taste the strained broth and add salt as needed. You can reheat it briefly.

4. Serving: Ladle the hot, clear broth into bowls. Serve it plain, or add cooked soup noodles, dumplings and/or the sliced meat and vegetables from the broth. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley or chives.