Homemade Stock

We leave the salt out of this basic stock so you have more flavor control when adding it to other recipes.

Homemade Stock
 
Yields: 2 quarts
Ingredients
  • 4 pounds chicken bones or wings, beef bones, or vegetable scraps (see Kitchen Tip)
  • 3 quarts cold water
  • 2 medium yellow onions (about 3 cups), chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 5 sprigs fresh parsley with stems
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 whole peppercorns
Instructions
  1. In a large Dutch oven, bring all ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 1 to 1½ hours for vegetable stock, 3 to 4 hours for chicken stock, or 6 to 8 hours for beef stock, skimming occasionally. For stocks with longer simmering times, add water as necessary to keep solids submerged, if needed.
  2. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl; strain stock. Shred, and reserve any meat for another use; discard remaining solids. Portion stock into freezer-safe containers, leaving 2 inches of head space. Let cool completely.
  3. Cover, and label with flavor, volume, and date. Freeze for up to 3 months.
  4. To use stock, let thaw in refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. To defrost in a pinch, soak frozen container in warm water until edges of stock thaw. Place stock in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until thawed. Use immediately.
Notes
KITCHEN TIP

Our test kitchen likes to store vegetable trimmings in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag in the freezer. Once the bag is three-fourths to completely full, it’s time to make vegetable stock. Have fun with produce pairings, but avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.

 

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