How to Make a Simple Stock Using Kitchen Scraps
If you’re someone who enjoys cooking at home, you’ve likely purchased cartons of stock for various recipes. But did you know you can easily make your own using kitchen scraps you might otherwise throw away? Not only is this approach cost-effective, but it also reduces food waste and results in a stock that’s fresher and potentially healthier than what you can buy. Let’s break down the simple process of making your own stock.
What You’ll Need:
First, let’s talk about what kind of scraps you can use. Virtually any vegetable scraps will work, but some of the best include:
- Carrots and carrot peels
- Celery ends and leaves
- Onion ends, peels, and scraps
- Garlic skins and ends
- Mushroom stems
- Potato peels (make sure they’re clean)
- Herb stems (parsley, thyme, rosemary)
Non-vegetable items that are also great:
– Chicken bones (if you’re a meat-eater)
– Beef bones (same as above)
Avoid using vegetables that can overpower in taste such as cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, or anything that might bitter the stock such as citrus peels.
Equipment Needed:
– A large pot
– A strainer
– Storage containers or bags
Step 1: Collecting Scraps
The first step is as easy as cooking your regular meals. Whenever you find yourself peeling carrots or chopping celery, instead of tossing those ends and peels into the trash, throw them into a freezer-safe bag or container. Keep this container in the freezer and continue to add to it until you’re ready to make your stock.
Step 2: Preparing Your Pot
Once you have enough scraps saved up (a full freezer bag is a good start), it’s time to start cooking. Grab a large pot and dump all of your frozen scraps into it. If you’re adding bones, now is the time. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the scraps by a couple of inches—don’t worry about adding too much water, as it will reduce down.
Step 3: Simmering Away
Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. You can add a couple of whole peppercorns, bay leaves, or any additional herbs for extra flavor, but it’s not necessary. The key here is to let it simmer for a long time—usually around 2 to 4 hours for vegetable stock and a bit longer for bone stock. This slow cooking allows for all the flavors to meld together and for the nutrients from the bones (if using) to leach out into the liquid.
Step 4: Straining and Storing
After your stock has simmered and reduced a bit, it’s time to separate the liquid gold from the scraps. Place your strainer over another large pot or a bowl big enough to catch the liquid, and carefully pour the contents of the cooking pot into the strainer. Discard the spent scraps.
Allow the stock to cool somewhat and then transfer it into storage containers or bags. You can refrigerate it if you’ll be using it within a week, or freeze it for longer storage. Remember to leave some room in the containers if you’re freezing it, as it will expand.
Tips and Tricks
- Label your containers: Remember to write down what kind of stock it is and when you made it. Homemade stock can last up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Reduce: If freezer space is an issue, you can simmer the stock longer, reducing it down so it takes up less space. Just remember to add water to reconstitute it when you’re ready to use.
- Experiment with flavors: Once you’re comfortable with making a basic stock, experiment by adding different herbs or combining vegetable and meat scraps.
Making your own stock with kitchen scraps is a rewarding process that’s both environmentally friendly and beneficial for your cooking. It takes something that would usually be thrown away and turns it into a flavorful base for soups, sauces, and a variety of other dishes. Plus, it’s a task that’s easily adaptable to whatever scraps you happen to have on hand. Give it a try and you might find yourself preferring your homemade version over store-bought any day.
By turning our kitchen scraps into stock, we not only save money and minimize waste, but we also add a layer of homemade goodness to our meals that can’t be beaten. Start saving those scraps and enjoy the tasty, sustainable results.
