Basic Vegetable Stock
Vegetable stock is a slow extraction of flavor from aromatic roots and skins. You simmer onions, carrots, celery, and herbs in water until the liquid turns a clear, golden hue, then strain it clean. It is the fundamental base for soups, risottos, and braises, built entirely on how you treat the scraps you usually throw away.
Gather your scraps as you go.
Keep a bag in your freezer for clean vegetable trimmings like onion skins, carrot peels, and mushroom stems. You can use this mix for a deeper, more complex base than fresh vegetables alone.
- large stockpot
- fine-mesh sieve
- large bowl for straining
What goes in.
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 2large yellow onions, roughly chopped
- 3large carrots, scrubbed and chopped
- 3celery stalks, chopped
- 4garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bunchfresh parsley stems
- 2dried bay leaves
- 1 tspwhole black peppercorns
- 3 qtcold water
Build the base before the boil
Cooking the aromatics in oil until they soften and start to brown creates a deeper foundation. If you just boil raw vegetables, you get thin, grassy water; if you sweat them first, you get depth.
The method.
Sweat the aromatics
Heat the oil in the stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent and the edges of the carrots soften, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add aromatics and water
Add the smashed garlic, parsley stems, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Stir for one minute until fragrant, then pour in the cold water.
Simmer
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Keep the pot at a bare simmer—just an occasional bubble breaking the surface. Cook uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes.
Strain
Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Carefully pour the contents of the pot through the sieve. Discard the spent vegetables and store the liquid in sealed containers.
Other turns to take.
Dark Stock
Roast the chopped carrots, onions, and celery on a sheet pan at 400°F (200°C) until deeply browned before adding them to the pot.
Mushroom-Forward
Add 4 ounces of dried shiitake or fresh cremini mushrooms to the pot for a punch of umami.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts; they turn bitter and sulfurous when boiled for a long time.
Do not add salt during the simmering process. You want to control the seasoning in the final dish where the stock is used.
Chill the stock completely in an ice bath before moving it to the refrigerator to ensure it cools quickly and stays fresh longer.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long does it last?
Kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will stay fresh for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Can I use beet skins?
Beets will turn your entire batch a bright pink or red. It won't hurt the flavor, but it will change the appearance of any dish you use it in.
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