I tried to make beef stock again recently. I don't do it very often because Wifey hates the smell. The Nourishing Traditions recipe is very complicated and I never seem to have all the different kinds of bones they call for.

So last time I put in a couple of very large shanks, but one of them was actually a joint end. I also added a bunch of onions, some carrot and a good deal of parsnip. The parsnip made it smell and taste very sweet, but the sweetness actually kind of overpowered the flavor.

I have to say, I've never made a beef stock whose flavor I really liked. I like my steak and pork chops with sauce made from chicken stock better. This last stock smelled really good at the beginning, and the meat and marrow were very tasty when I took them out after 36 hours or so, but I just didn't like the sauces I made with it.

Does anyone have suggestions for better beef stock? I just heard that it has lots of magnesium - I could definitely use that!