Making Proper Vegetable Stock
Vegetable stock is built on the foundation of scraps saved throughout the week and a slow, steady simmer. By keeping your heat low and avoiding bitter vegetables like broccoli or kale, you create a clear, golden liquid that serves as a base for soups, grains, and braises.
Mind your ingredients
Your stock will only be as good as the scraps you put in it; skip anything that is moldy, dirty, or from the cruciferous family, as these turn the water muddy and sour.
- large stockpot
- fine-mesh strainer
- large bowl
What goes in.
- 2 lbsassorted vegetable scraps (onion skins, carrot peels, celery ends, mushroom stems)
- 1 headgarlic, halved horizontally
- 3bay leaves
- 1 tspblack peppercorns
- 3 quartscold water
- 1 small bunchfresh parsley
Keep it below a boil
If the water boils, the vegetables will disintegrate and cloud the liquid. Keep the surface at a gentle, rolling simmer to pull out flavor without breaking down the cell walls into silt.
The method.
Prepare the aromatics
Place your cleaned vegetable scraps, garlic, and herbs into the stockpot.
Add water
Pour cold water over the vegetables until they are just submerged; do not overfill or the flavor will be thin.
Bring to heat
Set the burner to medium-high until the water just begins to bubble, then immediately drop the heat to low.
Simmer
Cover partially and let it work for 60 minutes. Watch for the onions to turn translucent and the liquid to take on a deep, amber hue.
Strain
Place your strainer over a large bowl and pour the contents through. Press gently on the solids to release the last of the liquid, then discard the spent vegetables.
Other turns to take.
Roasted Stock
Toss your vegetables in a little oil and roast them at 400°F until dark brown before adding to the pot for a deeper, earthier profile.
Mushroom-Heavy
Add an extra cup of dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms to give the stock a rich, heavy body and intensity.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Keep a gallon-sized freezer bag in your freezer and add clean vegetable scraps to it daily until it is full.
Do not salt your stock while it is simmering; wait until you are using it in a final dish so you can control the seasoning.
Cool the stock quickly by placing the container in an ice bath before moving it to the refrigerator.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use potato peels?
Potato peels make the stock starchy and cloudy. It is better to leave them out of the pot.
How long will this last?
It keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.
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