Homemade stock is full of nutrition. Most bought stocks are watery and have flavouring added to it. A great stock is important for your bone and teeth health and your liver.
Stocks can be made two ways.
Option 1 - Start by roasting vegetables in the oven until slightly coloured and roast bones in the oven for colour as well - this gives your stock a dark and rich flavour.
Option 2 - Place the bones and the vegetables straight into a large pot. The stock will be lighter but still fill of nutrition. If you don't have a lot of time this works well. Go to Method #4
- often after I strain the stock I then cover the cooked vegetables and bones again with water and simmer for a few more hours. This gives me another supply of stock.
The less water you have the more jelly like, your stock you will be.
Beef and Chicken Stock Recipe
Beef bones x 6 or chicken carcass x 2
Water
Onions x 2, carrots x 4, leek x 1, celery x 4 stalks, chopped into chunks - this is for flavour.
Fresh thyme, bay leaves and few pepper corns
Large pot with lid
Strainer
Roasting dish x 2
Method - oven 200 c
1 - Place beef or chicken bones in a roasting dish and roast until brown.
2 - In another roasting dish place chopped vegetables with a little oil and into the oven for colour only.
3 - Place all the beef or chicken bones in a large pot and cover with water adding your herbs (for flavour)
4 - Simmer with lid on for 6 - 8 hrs. Skim off any cloudy scum that comes to the top. ( this will give you a clear stock) Beef bones are normally simmered for longer. The longer you simmer the more favour you will get and the more your stock will become gelatinous.
5 - Cool and then strain the stock and place in the fridge or freezer.
Lay on a tray in the freezer until frozen. This way it takes less room.
Vegetable Stock Recipe
2 onions chopped
4 celery sticks chopped
4 carrots chopped
4 peppercorns
bay leaf
bunch fresh thyme
Option - mushrooms, pumpkin, garlic, leeks including the green parts
Method
1 - Place all in a large pot and cover with water. The more water you add the lighter the colour, but some of the water will evaporate while simmering.
2 - With the lid on simmer for 1 hour, cool and strain.