4 Basic Homemade Stocks You Need to Make
Homemade stocks are easy to prepare and add rich and complex flavors to dishes. They are much healthier, help you save money, and are rich in vitamins.
The recipes for the stocks are essential and will allow you to add other flavorings. Stocks don’t necessarily contain garlic or hot sauce. You can add these ingredients for more flavors. Adding leftover bones or the carcass of a chicken will also add more flavor. Lastly, slow cooking is the best method to achieve rich and flavorful stock.
Many recipes call for stocks or broth. Stock and broth are different. Stocks (poultry, meat, and seafood) are made with bones and vegetables. Broths are made with pieces of meats and vegetables.
How to use homemade stocks
There are four basics homemade stocks that are necessary to learn. These stocks are used in soup, stews, and cooking healthy grains. They are chicken stock, beef stock, fish stock, and vegetable stock.
Kitchen tools and gadgets needed to make homemade stocks.
Chicken stock recipe
Chicken stocks are used to make soup, stews, and even cook pasta and grains. For example, I like cooking quinoa in chicken stock because of its flavor.
Basic Homemade Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken carcass or turkey carcass or 2 chicken carcasses
- 1 medium onion peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 large carrot peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalk trimmed and chopped
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 4 whole cloves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Remove any large pieces of meat from the chicken carcass and reserve to use as required.
- Break the carcass into small pieces and place in a large saucepan.
- Add the vegetables, bouquet garni and spices with 1 1/4 quarts water and bring to a boil.
- Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 hours. If the liquid is evaporating too quickly, reduce the heat under the pan.
- Cool, strain using a cheesecloth and allow to cool fully before storing, covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Store up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze if desired in small, lidded, freezer and BPA approved tubs up to 4 months
- Before using, bring to a boil ans simmer for 5 minutes.
Optional step:
If you want the chichen bones to have a little bit of color, drizzle with oolive oil, and season with salt and pepper and roast for 25-30 minutes. Add to a pot with vegetables and herbs and bring to boil. Follow instrutions above.Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Beef Stock recipe
Beef stock is perfect for stews, braises, and soups.
Beef Stock
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound beef bones if possible, with some meat on and narrow
- 9 oz beef shin stew or beef scraps, fat discard, cut into small chunks
- 1 medium onion peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 celery stalk trimmed and chopped
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the bones and beef in a roasting pan and cook in an oven preheated to 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until sealed and browned.
- Remove the beef, place in a large saucepan with the remaining ingredients and 1 1/4 quarts water and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 4 hours.
- Strain and add salt to taste. Cool, then skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, boiling for 5 minutes before using.
Notes
- Store up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze if desired in small, lidded, freezer and BPA approved tubs for up to 4 months
- Before using, bring to a boil ans simmer for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Fish Stock recipe
Fish stock is excellent for bouillabaisse and fish stew.
Fish Stock
Ingredients
- 1 cod's head and fish bones (at least 1 cup fish bones)
- 1 medium onion peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 celery stalk trimmed and chopped
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1 tsp peppercorn
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the cod’s head and/or fish bones and place in a large saucepan with the vegetables for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add 4 cups water, lemon juice and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer 30 – 45 minutes.
- Strain and add seasoning to taste.
Notes
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days
- Bring to boil and simmer steadily for 5 minutes before using
- Freeze if desired in small, lidded, freezer and BPA approved tubs for up to 4 months
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Vegetable stock recipe
Vegetable stock is versatile. It is excellent in vegetarian recipes.
Vegetable Stock
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Grapeseed Oil Olive Oil or Sunflower Oil
- 1 medium onion peeles and cut into wedges
- 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks trimmed and chopped
- 1 small turnip peeled and chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 3 whole cloves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the vegetables for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the bay leaves with the spices and 1 1/4 quarts water and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes.
- Strain the stock and add salt to taste.
Notes
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
- Bring to boil and simmer steadily for 5 minutes before using
- Freeze if desired in small, lidded, freezer and BPA approved tubs for up to 4 months
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Optional flavoring
- Apple
- Ginger
- Leek
- Lemon
- Hot Sauce
- Bay Leaves
- Garlic
- Rosemary Leaves
- Parsley
- Lemongrass
- Scallion
Sources
Recipes from: Flame Tree Book Publishing: How to cook by Gina Steer
