DIY : Homemade Stock
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Homemade stock is a great way to utilise leftover foodstuff. Another great idea found in the Simplicious cookbook from Sarah Wilson, offering meat, fish and veg options.
You’ll need:
1 large stockpot or slow cooker
strainer/sieve
1 onion, coarsely chopped
approx 300g veggie scraps (whatever you have, although avoid large quantities of cabbage, turnips and bitter greens as they’ll make it bitter and include peels)
1 bay leaf or several sprigs of thyme
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
For beef: 1-2kg beef bones (marrow, knuckle, ribs, neck) and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
For chicken: 1-2 leftover (cooked or uncooked) carcasses and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
For fish: 1kg carcasses (don’t use oily fish) and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
For veg: extra 300g of veg scraps if available (or simply make less)
The above qtys will make around 3 litres of stock.
Method:
Place the bones in a large stockpot with the vinegar and cover with cold water (for beef soak the bones for 30mins before cooking). Add enough water to cover the bones but make sure you have atleast 2.5cm space between water and rim of pot.
Bring to the boil. Then reduce heat and add the onion, veggie scraps, herbs and peppercorns and simmer.
Beef: 12-72hrs
Chicken: 4-24hrs
Fish: 1-3hrs
Veg: 30mins-1hr
If making in slow cooker, follow same procedure, once boiling turn down to low and cook for 4-24hrs.
Once cool, remove bones and strain liquid into a large bowl and refrigerate. If you have used bones in your stock once cooled you can remove the layer of congealed fat on top. Then divide and store - can freeze up to 3 months (fish 1 month).
Zero Waste Tips
If using beef bones you can get a second batch of stock out of the bones by using them again with fresh veggies etc.
If using bones you can also ask your butcher/fishmonger for a bag of bones.
Place strained leftover scraps in compost