Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 425°F. When possible, a convection oven is preferred.

2. Arrange the bones in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking tray. Maintain space between the bones so that they brown uniformly. Depending on the size of your pan, it may be best to divide the bones between two pans or roast in two batches.

3. Roast the bones until they develop a rich, mahogany-brown color – approximately 45 minutes.

4. Disperse the onions and carrots over the bones and continue roasting another 15 minutes or until they are deeply caramelized (a light blackening on the edges is OK).

5. Disperse the leeks over the roasted bones and vegetables and continue roasting until caramelized – approximately an additional 10 minutes.

6. While the ingredients are roasting, add about a third of the water to the Insignia 12qt Stock Pot.

7. Whisk the tomato paste into this water until it is dissolved.

8. After roasting, transfer the bones and vegetables to the stock pot. Add the garlic, herbs and peppercorns.

9. Add cold water to come up to about ½ inch of the top of the pot.

10. Add about a cup of hot water to the roasting pan and deglaze it over a medium flame using a wooden spoon to dislodge and dissolve the caramelized residue on the pan.

11. Add this liquid to the stock pot.

12. Slowly bring the stock pot to a very gentle simmer.

13. As the stock simmers, you will notice fat and impurities accumulating at the surface. Use a small ladle to skim these off of the stock. Repeat the skimming periodically as necessary. It is beneficial to store your ladle in a small crock filled with water. The water will wash away the impurities on the ladle and prevent their re-introduction the next time you skim.

14. Partially cover the stock pot with the Universal Lid, leaving about 1 inch open. This is to control the rate of evaporation in the cooking process. Be sure to adjust the stock to a bare simmer after covering.

15. Cook for 10 – 12 hours or until the stock reduces by about two-thirds.

16. Strain the stock through a coarse strainer and allow as much liquid to drain from the bones as possible.

17. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer.

18. Chill completely in the refrigerator. After chilling, any residual fat will congeal and will be easy to remove.

19. Use the stock within 5 days or freeze.