This classic Veal Stock Recipe is the secret weapon behind restaurant-level sauces and braises. I've made this stock more times than I can count in pro kitchens and finally perfected the version you'll want to stash in your freezer for every "fine dining" moment.
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In culinary school, I learned fast that everything begins with a proper stock, like my How To Make Chicken Stock. Whether it's a Turkey Stock, or my Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth.
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What Is Veal Stock?
Roasting veal bones (marrow and knuckle bones) and caramelizing a mirepoix (carrots, celery, and onion) builds the foundation of this brown veal stock. It simmers slowly for around ten hours with tomato paste and a bouquet garni, transforming into a gelatinous broth.
Veal stock is often reduced until it coats the back of a spoon for a restaurant-quality Demi-Glace Sauce. Spoon it over Braise Beef Short Ribs, drizzle it on Air Fryer Filet Mignon, or finish a Sous Vide Ribeye with this classic French sauce.
Yes, this is a brown veal stock because everything gets roasted, giving the stock its darker color and depth in flavor. A white veal stock skips the roasting and stays delicate and light in color.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Veal Bones - Look for a mix of veal bones, knuckles, and marrow bones at your local butcher shop. If you can't find veal, use beef bones, but the flavor won't be the same.
- Tomato Paste - Helps deepen the color and caramelization during roasting the vegetables.
- Vegetables - Large diced celery, carrots, and onions are the foundation of any good stock or soup. Feel free to add leeks, mushrooms, or celery root for more depth.
- Herbs - I used bay leaves, fresh thyme, and parsley stems that I have saved.
- Spices - Use whole black peppercorns; ground pepper will cloud your stock.
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Veal Stock (Step-By-Step Instructions)
Step 1. Thaw Veal Bones
The night before making stock, take your veal bone out to the freezer and transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw. Spread veal bones out on a roasting pan. Don't use parchment paper or foil, you'll want to leave the roasted bits behind to deglaze.
Step 2. Roast the Veal Bones
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Cook veal bones for 1 hour in the oven, turning the veal bones over with tongs halfway through the roasting process.
Step 3. Transfer Bones to a Stock Pot
Using your tongs, transfer the roasted veal bones to a large stainless-steel stock pot.
Step 4. Add Cold Water
Pour cold water (not hot) to cover the bones. In any stock, the bone-to-water ratio is 1:1 (1 pound of bones to 1 quart of water). In this recipe, we use 10 pounds of veal bones, so we need 1.5 gallons of water.
Step 5. Caramelizing Mirepoix
In the same roasting pan that you roasted the veal bones in, cook your celery, carrots, onions, and garlic over a medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add in the tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes to remove the acidity and to caramelize the vegetables, then transfer to the stock pot.
Step 6. Deglaze with water
Pour in the leftover ½ gallon of water into the roasting pan and use a metal spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan to remove all the flavor and transfer it to the stock pot.
Step 7. Simmer the Stock
Bring the stock up to a simmer and add in the thyme, parsley stems, bay leaves, and black peppercorns.
Cook veal stock over a gentle simmer for 10-12 hours.
Step 8. Strain
I like to use a spider (affiliate link) or tongs to remove the bones first. Then, I will pour the stock through a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl.
Step 9. Cool to Room Temperature
I like to pour my hot veal stock into these Cambro 4 Qt Square Containers (affiliate link) to cool down to room temperature.
Step 10. Chill
Transfer veal stock to the refrigerator and chill for 1-2 days. I like to wait until the fat cap sets on the top so I can peel it off.
Chef Tips
- Don't boil the stock: Properly made stock should only ever be simmered to avoid a cloudy stock.
- Only use cold water: Only use cold water because it brings the impurities to the top to skim off, and you don't want a cloudy stock.
- Don't stir the pot: Stirring recirculates the impurities back into your stock. For the best results, skim the top of your stock to remove the impurities.
- Be patient: A good stock takes hours to extract the gelatin from the bones. Low and slow wins every time.
- Get more out of your stock: Do a veal stock remouillage or a second run. Save the bones, roast more veggies with tomato paste, cover with cold water, and make veal stock again.
Storage and Freezing
Make-ahead: Veal stock is great to make a big batch because you can use it to make demi-glace sauce or in different braises.
Refrigerate: I like to store my veal stock in mason jars or plastic deli containers because they stack neatly. Let it cool completely, then refrigerate for up to five days.
Freeze: Portion the stock into ice cube trays for a quick pan sauce or freeze it in pint deli containers (affiliate link). It freezes beautifully and is good for 4-5 months.
Recipe FAQ's
The rich and savory flavor of veal stock comes from the combination of roasted veal bones, caramelized vegetables, and aromatics.
Veal stock is high in gelatin, which is a natural thickener, and the base for classical brown sauces like Demi-Glace, Espagnole sauce, Bordelaise, and Chasseur.
Veal stock tends to have a milder flavor than beef stock and contains more gelatin, which is great for making sauces.
More Stock Recipes
If you tried this Brown Veal Stock Recipe or any other bone broth recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Veal Stock Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 pounds veal bones mixture of veal, knuckle, and marrow bones
- 2 gallons cold water, divided reserve ½ gallon for deglazing
- 2 onions, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 large fresh thyme sprigs
- 15 stems of fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Spread bones on a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour, turning them halfway through.
- Using tongs, transfer the roasted veal bones to a large stock pot. Pour 1.5 gallons of cold water over the bones.
- In the same roasting pan, cook the vegetables over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for an additional 5 minutes to caramelize, then transfer to the stock pot.
- Pour the remaining 0.5 gallon of water into the roasting pan. Use a metal spatula to scrape up all the browned bits (the fond). Pour this liquid into the stock pot.
- Bring the stock to a gentle simmer. Add the thyme, parsley stems, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Cook over a gentle simmer for 10-12 hours.
- Remove the bones using a spider or tongs. Then, strain the remaining stock through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl.
- Pour the stock into containers to cool to room temperature. Then, transfer to the refrigerator for 1-2 days until a solid fat cap forms on top.
- Peel the hardened fat cap off the top of the stock.
Notes
- To avoid a cloudy stock, only use cold water, simmer the stock gently (don't boil), and never stir the stock (just skim the top to remove impurities).
- This recipe makes 1 gallon of veal stock, so portion it into pint pint-sized deli container and freeze.
- Contact your local butcher to see if they have veal bones. If they don't have any in stock, ask them if you can place an order.
Nutrition
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Mike Cleavenger says
I have made many veal stocks over the years, and this is the best recipe!