Homemade stock

3 Homemade Stocks-Video Recipes At The Bottom

Making your own stock may seem pretty pointless to some people as you can readily buy stock cubes and stock pots in most shops but I gotta say to those people... Shhhh! Ah no I can understand that, however, if you have the ingredients and the knowhow then why not. Lets face it, it ts coming into that time of year again where we all love some comfort food, looking out at the driving rain. Stews, soups and risottos all call for some good stock and homemade stock is the perfect base to these wonderful comfort foods! I freeze my portions in Zip-Lock Bags as to not waste space in my freezer.

Ok, first up is my 'Emergency vegetable stock'... by emergency I mean thay you have a dinner in mind, just about to start cooking and realise you have no stock. This recipe will pull you out of a hole and in under 15 minutes!

Emergency Veg Stock 

Makes 1 litre of stock:

1 carrot

1 onion

2 stalks of celery

1 fat clove of garlic

1 bay leaf

Method

• Grate the carrot, onion and celery. Mince the garlic and tear or finely shred the bay leaf.
• Pour some oil into a medium saucepan and add all the ingredients and gently sweat off for 3-4 minutes over a medium heat.
• Pour a litre of water into the sucepan and turn the heat up full to bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.
• Strain in a sieve and voila you have an instant stock to add to your recipe.

Next up is a handy chicken stock which has a delicate flavour, it wont over power your dish just give it depth of flavour.

Chicken Stock

Makes 4-6 litres of stock:

1 large cooked chicken carcass and leg bones

1 large carrot

1 large onion

2 celery stalk

1 leek

2 bay leaves

1 sprig of thyme

10-12 whole black peppercorns

Method

• Roughly chop the carrot, onion, celery and leek. Place them into a large stock pot along with the chicken carcass and bones. Gently tear the bay leaves and add them along with the thyme and pepper corns.
• Pour in cold water until it covers the pots contents by 2 inches. Place onto a hot hob and bring to the boil then turn down to a gentle simmer for 2-2 1/2 hours.
• Check occasionally and skim any froth off the top.
• Allow to cool to room temperature and pour through a sieve to strain it. Then devide into required portions (I use 500ml portions) and freeze in Zip lock bags.

Beef Stock

Makes 4-6 litres of stock:

1-1.5kg of beef bones

2 large carrots

2 large onions

2 celery stalk

1 leek

2 bay leaves

A splash of white wine

10-12 whole black peppercorns

Method

• Place the bones into an oven dish and drizzle with a little oil and roast in a hot oven for 45 mins, then add one chopped carrot and one chopped onion and roast for a further 10 mins.
• With a slotted spoon add the contents of the dish to a stock pot, pour the oils into a bowl and discard.
• De-glaze the oven dish with a splash of white wine and pour all the crusty bits into the stock pot, add in a litre of water and place on a hot hob and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer for 10 mins then add in the rest of the chopped veg along with the bay leaves and the peppercorns.
• Pour in cold water until it covers the pots contents by 2 inches. Place onto a hot hob and bring to the boil then turn down to a gentle simmer for 3 1/2-4 hours.
• Check occasionally and skim off any froth off the top.
• When simmered, strain into another large pot and let cool to room temperature, place into the fridge over night.
• The remaining fat will rise to the top and form a crust at the top. Remove this and either freeze in portions or place back onto a hot hob and boil for 20 mins to rerduce and strengthed the flavour.