Food Rookie: Stock and Broth

Sunday, April 13, 2008

A great way to save both time and money when making meals is to use home made stock or broth. They are easy to make and a great way to keep from waisting. I keep a scrap bag to make my broth and stocks. Below I will list the four kinds I make and what I store in my scrap bags to make them with.

A scrap bag is simply a zip lock bag I store food bits in as I cook. If you cook often, you can store it in the refrigerator. If you don't get the time to cook as often as you like, I suggest keeping it all frozen so it doesn't spoil before you can make your supply of broth or stock.

For all Broths and Stocks, you can follow these very simple beginner steps to making them.

• When your bag is ready empty it all in a large pot, fill with water and boil.
• The pot should be half way full of scraps and all the way full of water, only leaving room to not spill when it reaches a hard boil.
• When it has boiled down about half way, it should be done.
• The ingredients in the pot should be mushy and falling apart, strain them out of the liquid and discard them.
• Place the liquid in to jars or freezing containers but do NOT place them in to the freezer until it has come to room temperature.
• After the stocks and broths are frozen you can easily remove the fat by scraping it off the top.
• With broth want more meat then vegetables saved in the scrap bag.

Here is what I save for each stock and broth I make.

Chicken Broth

• Carrots, save skins from peeling and the ends.
• Onions, save the layers you peel before slicing and the ends.
• Celery, save the leaves and the fat ends.
• Chicken bones, skin, and fat trimmings.

Beef Broth

• Carrots, save skins from peeling and the ends.
• Onions, save the layers you peel before slicing and the ends.
• Celery, save the leaves and the fat ends.
• Garlic ends
• Beef Bones, fat, and trimmed off meat scraps.
• Leek greens and ends

Fish Broth

• Shrimp Shells
• Raw fish bones
• Carrots, save skins from peeling and the ends.
• Onions, save the layers you peel before slicing and the ends.
• Leek greens and ends
• Garlic ends

Vegetable Stock

• Carrots, save skins from peeling and the ends.
• Onions, save the layers you peel before slicing and the ends.
• Celery, save the leaves and the fat ends.
• Garlic ends
• Beef Bones, fat, and trimmed off meat scraps.
• Leek greens and ends
• Broccoli and Cauliflower ends and leaves
• Cabbage stems and outer leaves
• Tomato ends

Any non-starchy vegetable scrap I will add to this stock, using the ends, leaves, and stems. I do not use roots that stick off the ends, seeds, or anything I know that has a bitter taste when boiled.

Be sure to wash well all Vegetable parts you use, and if your not buying organic, discard the very outer layer.