When I came to the States, I could never understand why people bought those packets of stock for what I think it just a ridiculous price. There's no need to buy it! You can EASILY make it yourself at home while getting more bang for your buck on the food you're already using!
When I de-bone meat, I normally just save the bones in a bag and pop it in the freezer for later use. You can do this with bones, shrimp shells and vegetable scraps (freeze them seperately of course).
Even leftover bones from a cooked meal works. But of course, the flavor imparted to the stock will take on the flavor of the ingredients you used in that meal. That may or may not be a good thing for your stock, depending on what you plan to use it for.
If you already buy organic meat with bones, you get organic stock. Why pay $4-$5+ for a pack when you already have the ingredients on hand?
The same goes for vegetable scraps. Just freeze all the ends and tips that you cut off in a bag. However, it's best to leave sweet bell pepper scraps out because they will impart a bitter flavor to the stock.
Ingredients
- Chicken/Pork/Beef Bones/Shrimp shells/Vegetable scraps
- Water
Method
In a stock pot, bring water to a boil. Have enough water to at least cover your ingredients. Wash vegetable scraps of debris (if applicable). Add bones/vegetables to the water. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for at least a half hour. The longer you simmer the stock, the thicker it will be. You might need to add more water.
You can cool and freeze the stock in freezer bags. Just fill a bag with cooled stock, seal and lay flat in the freezer. Once frozen, you can stand them up for better storage if you need to do so. I personally prefer to just freeze the bones then make stock when I need it that day or the night before to save on freezer space.
When I de-bone meat, I normally just save the bones in a bag and pop it in the freezer for later use. You can do this with bones, shrimp shells and vegetable scraps (freeze them seperately of course).
Even leftover bones from a cooked meal works. But of course, the flavor imparted to the stock will take on the flavor of the ingredients you used in that meal. That may or may not be a good thing for your stock, depending on what you plan to use it for.
If you already buy organic meat with bones, you get organic stock. Why pay $4-$5+ for a pack when you already have the ingredients on hand?
The same goes for vegetable scraps. Just freeze all the ends and tips that you cut off in a bag. However, it's best to leave sweet bell pepper scraps out because they will impart a bitter flavor to the stock.
Ingredients
- Chicken/Pork/Beef Bones/Shrimp shells/Vegetable scraps
- Water
Method
In a stock pot, bring water to a boil. Have enough water to at least cover your ingredients. Wash vegetable scraps of debris (if applicable). Add bones/vegetables to the water. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for at least a half hour. The longer you simmer the stock, the thicker it will be. You might need to add more water.
You can cool and freeze the stock in freezer bags. Just fill a bag with cooled stock, seal and lay flat in the freezer. Once frozen, you can stand them up for better storage if you need to do so. I personally prefer to just freeze the bones then make stock when I need it that day or the night before to save on freezer space.
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