Homemade Vegetable Stock (From Vegetable Scraps)
Saving those vegetable scraps? Here's how to make a delicious homemade vegetable stock to use in soups, casseroles, and many other recipes!
Equipment
- 1 chopping knife
- 2 Large pots (one pot should have a lid)
- 1 fine-mesh sieve or colander
- 1 Cheesecloth
- 1 Airtight storage containers (use ice cube trays if freezing)
- 1 tea infuser (if including herbs to flavor your stock)
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped vegetable scraps
- 4 cups water
- herbs and spices (optional) to taste
- salt (optional) to taste
Instructions
- Collect a variety of vegetable scraps such as onion peels, carrot ends, celery leaves, and other suitable vegetable trimmings. Make sure to use clean scraps that are fresh or were refrigerated or frozen, avoiding any that have started to spoil.
- Give the vegetable scraps a quick rinse under cold water to remove any dirt or debris. If your scraps are frozen, this also thaws them up a bit.
- Chop the vegetable scraps into smaller pieces. This can help release more flavor during the cooking process.
- Transfer the vegetable scraps to a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Pour enough water into the pot to fully submerge the vegetable scraps. The amount of water needed will depend on the quantity of scraps you have, but a general guideline is to use about 4 cups of water for every 2 cups of vegetable scraps.
- For added flavor, you can include herbs and spices such as bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, or parsley stems. Tie them together in a cheesecloth or use a tea infuser for easy removal later.
- Place the pot on the stove over high heat and bring the water to a boil.
- Once the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let the vegetable scraps simmer gently. Cover the pot partially with a lid, allowing some steam to escape.
- Allow the vegetable scraps to simmer for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. This will extract the flavors from the scraps and infuse them into the stock.
- Taste the stock and add salt if desired. Be mindful not to oversalt, as you can adjust the seasoning later when using the stock in recipes.
- Set a fine-mesh sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth over a large bowl or another pot.
- Carefully pour the stock through the sieve, straining out the vegetable scraps and herbs. Press down on the scraps to extract any remaining liquid.
- Once you've strained the stock, discard the used vegetable scraps and herbs. They have served their purpose in flavoring the stock.
- Allow the vegetable stock to cool completely before storing it. Transfer the stock to airtight containers or ice cube trays for freezing. In the refrigerator, it can be stored in sealed containers for 3 to 4 days.