How to Make Stock/Broth From Kitchen Scraps

[Andriel_Isilien]

I used to do this by saving my kitchen scraps in the freezer (Ziploc baggies) until I accumulated enough to make a big stockpot's worth of veggie broth. BUUUUUUUUTTTT.... since I got guinea pigs those scraps are going to a greater cause. 😁 Although, there are still some vegetables that I can't give to my pets that are perfect for this recipe. Saving kitchen scraps is a thrifty way to reuse what you already paid good money for. Let's get started!

🥕🥬🥔🧅🌽🧄🍄🍆

Reference Make Homemade Vegetable Stock From Kitchen Scraps | The Garden of Eating

Homemade Vegetable Stock From Kitchen Scraps

Makes roughly 3 quarts

 

Veggies To Save

Onions, carrots, and celery form the backbone of veggie stock, but don't stop there! Lots of other veggies add sweetness and flavor: leeks, scallions, garlic, onions (see my note below), fennel, chard, lettuce, potatoes, parsnips, green beans, pea pods, zucchini and other squash, bell peppers, eggplant, mushrooms, asparagus, corn cobs (think sweet!), winter squash skins, beet greens, and herbs like dill, thyme, parsley, cilantro and basil. You can use anything that is beginning to lose its luster but steer clear of anything that has actually gone bad, of course.

 

Veggies to Skip

These vegetables tend to overpower the stock flavor-wise (and some of them turn a bit bitter) so you may want to dump them directly on the compost heap, instead: cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, rutabagas, artichokes. And skip anything rotten or moldy.

 

Veggies You May Want to Skip

You can use beet root scraps and onion skins but just be aware that they will make your stock either a deep red or a deep brown so you may want to skip them. I plan to skip 'em in the future.

 

Storing the Scraps

You will want to collect roughly 4-6 cups of vegetables to make 2 quarts of stock. You can either save your scraps throughout the week in a large Ziploc or some other airtight container in the fridge, or if you're collecting scraps for longer than a week, just keep them in the freezer (this is what I do.)

 

Making the Stock

 

1. Place roughly 4-6 cups of scraps in a 5 quart stock pot. Add 1-2 bay leaves and a few black peppercorns

 

2. Cover it all with cold water then bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for about an hour. Any more than an hour and the flavor will begin to deteriorate.

 

3. Strain vegetables using a fine mesh strainer or a colander and giving them a press to make sure you get all the broth. Quick tip: I made mine in my steamer pot from Ikea which made the straining incredibly easy since all the veggies were in the steamer insert and I just lifted it out of the pot once it was done. Let cool then pour into glass jars, clean yogurt containers or freezer bags. Let cool completely in the fridge and then freeze or store for up to five days in the fridge.

PRO TIP: I have seen people freeze their broth/stock in ice cube trays. 🧊🧊 Then they pop them out to store in freezer bags. That way you can have more portion control on using the broth. Just want a single serving of yummy homemade broth for your ramen noodles? Then grab a couple of cubes. Want to cook up soup big enough to end world hunger? Then dump them all in! Another tip is to use a cheesecloth to strain your vegetables after simmering them. This is an efficient way to catch all the debris so that you don't have random bits floating around in your broth.

[Andriel_Isilien]

CHICKEN AND BEEF BROTH

The instructions and measurements are easy enough to transfer over with chicken bones. 🍗🍖 I don't have experience with cooking beef and pork products because I don't like to eat them. If you do have knowledge about how to pick out scraps from these meats and making hearty stock with them then please share below.

Whenever I get a mouthwatering rotisserie chicken or after feasting with family on a turkey, I will try to save the bones, skin, all of the uneaten grizzle bits. Doesn't matter that the bird has been already cooked. Then I can make my own chicken stock and bonus if the bird was seasoned! 😋 I would keep the amount of water the same for a whole chicken's worth of scraps. The time simmering in the pot would be the same too and all that. You don't need to combine the veggie scrap with chicken scraps. I can't say I have ever attempted that so I cannot guarantee the outcome.