Homemade Veggie Stock

I cook with stock almost daily. It is so much nicer than just adding water to your food! Good Vegetable (or chicken/beef) broth is sort of expensive, especially when you use it as much as I do. I container of stock cost about $ 4.00. You can make a whole pot full for about $5.00 to $ 6.00. It is very simple (and your house will smell AMAZING!!!) Just wash your veggies good.... you do not need to peel anything.... not even the onion!


HOMEMADE VEGETABLE STOCK (OR CHICKEN/BEEF)

1 8 Quart Stock Pot, filled with water about 3/4 of the way.
1 whole large onion, rough chopped
8 cloves of garlic cut in half
8 carrots
3 parsnips
4-5 stalks of celery
2 Bay leaves
8 whole peppercorns (or about 2 Teaspoons Cracked Pepper)
1 Tablespoon Herbs de Provence*** (if you don't have some.... get some, a must in the kitchen)
2 Tablespoons of Salt
1/4 cup of Liquid Aminos (Optional, but I love what it does to the stock!)

 

Bring everything to a boil and then reduce heat to med and simmer covered for about 2 hours... I let mine sit for 3 sometimes... the longer it cooks the richer and more intense the flavor of the stock will be.... you decide what you like. Once it is done, you cool it, and strain.  Place in freezer safe containers... Smart and Final sells deli containers with lids that work great for this purpose. You can also pour pre-measured amounts into freezer bags... you can freeze them flat then stack as needed once they are frozen. I usually freeze 3 cup containers and 1 cup.... that is usually the increments I cook with. This recipe made me 14.5 cups!!! This would have cost $ 19.29 cents if purchased!!!!

To make this a Chicken Stock you would do everything the same... except you would reduce the water by a bit and add a whole, rinsed Chicken.

To make this Beef Stock you would do everything the same.... except reduce the water by a bit and add a 2-3 pound piece of chuck, with bone works the best.

To make this a Chicken Stock you would do everything the same... except you would reduce the water by a bit and add a whole, rinsed Chicken.

To make this Beef Stock you would do everything the same.... except reduce the water by a bit and add a 2-3 pound piece of chuck, with bone works the best.

*** HERBS DE PROVENCE- (my favorite) is a dry herb combination used in French Cooking, hence… "de Provence"... it has Winter Savory, Thyme, Rosemary, Basil, Tarragon, and Lavender Flowers.

A must when you are roasting chicken or potatoes in the oven.... Try it! Henry's carries it for very cheap... if you really want to go all out Williams Sonoma carries one that comes in a super cute ceramic container... I have been asking Santa for years for the big one.... but I guess I have been bad :(