Stock is the base ingrediant for many delicous dishes and sauces. Why not make your own? Learn how to save your kitchen scraps and turn them into stock.
It’s basically free!
What Vegetables can I use?
Vegetables that are good for stock:
- Carrots
- Onions (any type)
- Celery
- Sweet Peppers
- Garlic
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini/summer squash
Vegetables that are not good for stock:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Radishes
What do I mean by vegetable scraps?
I mean the parts of vegetables you would normally compost or throw away. Carrot peels, insides and seeds from peppers, ends and outside layers of onions, ugly mushrooms. Make sure you wash everything before you cut it, then save the scraps and collect them in a gallon bag that you keep in the freezer. Add to the bag any time you have scraps. When it is full, it is time to make your stock.
- Note if you look at how I cut this pepper, you can see I have cut off the green stem part, but saved the rest of the top of the pepper to be used in the stock.
How to Make Vegetable Stock
- Directions:
- Get a large stock pot.
- Dump in your frozen vegetable scraps.
- Fill the pot with water.
- Add herbs and spices of your choice. I collect whatever I have growing in the yard/garden and also use some dried spices.
- Bring to a boil.
- Turn to low and simmer for about 2 -3 hours. Stirring occasionally. You can cook it longer but since it is vegetable stock it cooks faster than a stock made with bones.
- You can add salt when it it finished if you like. I typically put in a small amount such as a teaspoon and then add salt to the final dish.
- Allow to cool and use for whatever delicous creations you like.
Look at this beautiful color!
This stock is filled with delicious flavor that will provide a richness to any dish you use it in. Additionally it is filled with vitamins and minerals that will add a variety of nutrients to your cooking. 
Storage:
How Long Will it last?
It will last about 2 weeks or so in the glass quart jars in the fridge or you can freeze it and it will last 6 months. I have attempted to freeze it in glass jars and it works sometimes. However, you need to make sure you leave head room for expansion and I have had so many jars break that I have stopped attempting it.