I call this recipe easy for two reasons. First, it doesn’t require owning a stockpot. This stock just fits in an 8-quart pasta pot. Second, I have skipped roasting the bones at high heat, the usual first step to beef stock that can fill a kitchen with greasy splatter. I found that adding mushrooms, garlic, and leeks to the stock made up for any flavor missed by not caramelizing the bones.

Steps

1. Place beef shank and bones in a stockpot and cover with cold water by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off foam and turn down to low, so that the stock just barely simmers. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 6 hours, occasionally pushing down any vegetables sitting on top.
2. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and allow stock to cool to room temperature in a shallow container before refrigerating. If you must refrigerate stock before it has cooled, leave it uncovered. Covering warm liquids slows cooling, and creates conditions for bacterial growth.
3. Store stock in the refrigerator for up to one week. At that point, stock can be boiled for 3 minutes, chilled, and stored for another 3 days. Skim hardened fat off the surface before using the stock.