Homemade Soup Stock

Contributed by Angela Matthews

Bag of "Ends & Bits"

If you have never made soup with a homemade stock then you are missing an entire realm of rich flavor and texture that only home cooking can provide. In fact, once you've tried it, I guarantee that you will find yourself skipping the canned broth aisle altogether.

Have I mentioned that I cook like a peasant? This does not mean I use cheap ingredients or boxed substitutes. This does mean that I use quality ingredients in a way that makes them stretch the furthest and still provide clean tasting, rich and soul-satisfying food. One of the ways I do this is to make my own soup stock every week. I do this by keep a “stock bag” in the refrigerator where I place “ends and bits” until stock day and I also keep a separate bag of soup bones from meat served throughout the week in the freezer.

For example:

·         Root vegetable peels (carrots, potatoes, turnips, beets, etc.)

·         Onion and garlic skins, tops and roots (the onion skins give vegetable and chicken stock that buttery yellow color that we all expect)

·         Wilted leaves from greens (wilted or rusty but not brown and slimy)

·         Stems cut from greens, tops from celery, etc.

·         Squash, cucumber, cabbage, apples, mushrooms, peppers … you’re getting the picture.

Preparing the vegetables above

creates an entire bowl of useable

"ends and bits".

Stock pot with "Ends & Bits"

Place all these ends and bits in a large stock pot along with an onion (cut in half) and a full garlic clove, cover with water and bring to a rapid boil. Sometimes I also add leftover stock from the week before. Lower heat to a simmer and leave alone. I mean this – do not stir. Every hour or two you can remove any bubbly residue from the sides of the pan if you like but do not stir! Check the pot once in a while. Remove from the heat after the liquid has been reduced by half. This may take six to eight hours.

See the color of the stock becoming a
rich golden color.

After the stock has cooled strain into another soup pot. Some people use a fine sieve for this but I prefer a food grade straining bag. Let the liquid drain then squeeze the juice from the vegetables. You can then discard the remaining vegetable bits. Do not compost them if you do not have a super hot composter. I throw them out for the critters. If your stock is vegetarian, then you can put the cooled mash 
out for the birds. They absolutely love it.

Food grade bag for straining.

I normally pour the stock into quart freezer containers then place them in my refrigerator overnight. This allows any grease to solidify on the top so it is easily scooped off. I use the stock throughout the week as a soup and gravy base and to flavor rice dishes. I freeze any stock I don’t think I will use. It comes in handy, especially when unexpected guests pop in.

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