[dropcap1]Q. [/dropcap1] I'm curious as to what kinds of bones are used for making beef and veal stocks, and where you go to buy them. I've seen recommendations for knuckle bones, for example, but I've never seen them for sale. Is this something that butchers give away for free? [dropcap1]A. [/dropcap1]Not many freebies in today's meat market. Now that many restaurant chefs and home cooks make their own stocks, the demand for big, gristly bones is such that the price is heading upwards. Different bones are used for different results. For most beef stocks, almost any kind of beef bones will do. You can also make a great soup stock from boneless meats--notably brisket. But "soup bones"--from the shanks and other big bones, cut crosswise--are best because they have a lot of marrow and collagen. That gives a good gelatin content to the stock. That "knuckle bone" (leg bone joint) you mention is also excellent, because all the cartilage in the joint releases even more gelatin. For soup--especially onion soup--my own favorite is oxtails, which give tremendous gelatin and have enough muscle to not only flavor the soup but also provide some shreds of tasty meat. For making demi-glace, the standard is big leg bones of veal, roasted until very dark brown. But those have to be ordered from a butcher. Used to be that you could get them for free, but now the demand is great enough that restaurants actually buy bones. All of these is very much worth doing, adding layers of flavor to whatever dish you're making. And it doesn't necessarily have to be a beef dish, either. It's a lot better than canned stock or bouillon cubes.
