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.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/homemade-stock/