Clear Vegetable Stock
A good stock requires nothing more than the discarded ends of your prep work and a few hours of low-intensity simmering. Keep a freezer bag for trimmings throughout the week, and you will always have the foundation for your next meal ready to go.
Keep your trimmings clean
Avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, or cabbage, as they become bitter when boiled for long periods. Focus on the aromatics that provide a neutral, clean backbone.
- large stockpot
- fine-mesh strainer
- large mixing bowl
- ladle
What goes in.
- 2 tbspneutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
- 2 largeyellow onions, skin on and quartered
- 3carrots, roughly chopped
- 3celery stalks, including leaves, chopped
- 1 headgarlic, sliced in half horizontally
- 1 bunchparsley stems
- 1 tspwhole black peppercorns
- 2dried bay leaves
- 3 qtcold water
Low and slow for clarity
Never let the pot reach a rolling boil. A gentle, lazy bubble ensures the vegetable starches stay out of the water, leaving you with a crystal-clear stock instead of a murky one.
The method.
Brown the aromatics
Heat the oil in the stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onions have deep brown edges, about 8 minutes.
Deglaze and add water
Pour in a splash of water to lift the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaves, and the rest of the water.
Simmer
Bring the pot to a bare simmer. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover partially, and let it go for 90 minutes. You should only see an occasional bubble rising to the surface.
Strain
Place the strainer over a large bowl and pour the contents of the pot through it. Press gently on the solids to extract every drop of liquid, but do not mash them, or the stock will turn cloudy.
Other turns to take.
Mushroom heavy
Add a handful of dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms for a darker, earthier depth.
Ginger-scallion
Swap the parsley for a 2-inch knob of smashed ginger and the white parts of a bunch of scallions.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Freeze vegetable scraps in a labeled bag throughout the week; onion skins add a deep golden color to the finished liquid.
Do not add salt during the simmering process. You want to control the seasoning when you actually use the stock in your final dish.
Chill the stock completely in the refrigerator before storing it; it will keep for up to five days or stay in the freezer for three months.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my stock cloudy?
You likely let the water boil too vigorously. If the pot boils, the vegetables break down into the water, clouding the liquid.
Can I use starchy vegetables like potatoes?
Avoid potatoes or parsnips. Their starches release into the liquid, creating a thick, muddy consistency rather than a light, clean base.