How to Make a Stock
Everyone probably has a few pre-made bouillon cubes hiding out in the back of our cupboard, but homemade stocks, especially meat stocks, take some love to perfect. The leftovers of a beef roast make a great starting point for your stock. Also, starting a stock from raw bones, trimmings or the innards will have a bigger flavor profile.
Basic Ingredients
For a versatile stock, the basics ingredients are water, bones from your favorite meat, trimmings from your favorite meat, celery, onions, carrots and a few herbs such as parsley stalks, a bay leaf or thyme sprigs (or ideally all three tied in a bundle), plus some peppercorns.
Maven Tip: DO NOT salt your stock to avoid over-seasoning your finished dish.
Meat stocks can take a few hours, so big batches are most economical. Saving your bones and trimmings in the freezer until you are ready to make a stock, or buying them cheaply from the butcher are the best options!
Tips for Success
I don’t have an exact recipe for a stock, only ensuring that you add enough water to cover the main ingredients and following these four key steps:
- Boil then skim: All stock is boiled once to begin with, bringing froth to the surface of meat and fish stocks. Sweep a large spoon across the pan to remove as much as you can. This will help the stock not get too greasy as well as keep the flavor profile in tact.
- Getting the flavor takes time: A good, clear stock is simmered slowly and gently. Once it boils, reduce the heat until bubbles rise lazily to the surface, then cover the pan. It won’t need much attention, except a quick stir now and again. A slow cooker or crock pot is perfect for this, and can be left all day to simmer, if you can wait that long.
- Strain it: Lift the vegetables and bones from the stock, then pass it through a sieve and cool completely. Scoop away any fat.
- Reduce and store: To boost flavor and to save space, boil strained stock down by half (you can always add water back again). Chill and use within 3 days, or freeze to save for another day.
