Homemade Stock

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 gallons water

Spice ideas

• 1 large bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 2 teaspoons basil
• 2 teaspoons dill
• salt

Vegetable ideas

• 1/2 cup onion, skins (gives your stock a nice dark color)
• 1/2 cup carrot, peels, ends and pieces
• 1/2 cup broccoli stem, and pieces
• 1/2 cup spinach leaves
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 1 cup celery, ends, leaves and pieces
• 1/2 cup green beans, ends and pieces
• 1 tomato, pieces
• 1/2 cup mushroom, stems and pieces
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot
• 1 leek
• 1 turnip
• 1 cup chicken piece (optional)
• 1 cup beef, pieces (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Save a gallon freezer bag in your freezer.

2. 2

   Wash all stock ingredients well before peeling.

3. 3

   As you use your vegetables, chicken, or beef, save the peels, ends, leaves, skins, wing tips etc and place them in separate bags in your freezer. Keep a vegetable bag, a chicken bag and a beef bag. Your vegetable bag will fill the fastest and beef the slowest.

4. 4

   Once you have a full bag of mixed vegetables, place them all in a large stockpot or a crock pot.

5. 5

   Pour the water over your ingredients and add the bay leaf, peppercorns and any other herb or spice that you desire.

6. 6

   If you don't have much garlic or parsley in your freezer bag, then add more if desired. If you have too much, it is not necessary to use it all. Just use what you desire for the flavor you wish to achieve.

7. 7

   If making meat stock, add meat pieces and bones to the vegetables.

8. 8

   If using a stockpot, bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until vegetables are very soft.

9. 9

   If using a crock pot, cover and cook on low overnight or for 6 to 8 hours.

10. 10

    Strain stock through a colander to remove vegetables and herbs.

11. 11

    Strain stock again through doubled layers of cheesecloth to remove all other small particles if desired.

12. 12

    Stock can be reduced even further if desired or place in quart freezer bags, date and note the contents.

13. 13

    Stock can be kept up to 6 months in your freezer.

14. 14

    For Vegetarian and Vegan omit the beef and chcken.