Home Chicken, Beef and Vegetable Stock

Stocks are a very important part of cooking and they are used in many dishes besides just soup. It is good to always have some on hand because homemade stock is 100 times better then anything you buy at the store. So I have great recipes for stocks and how to freeze them so you always have them on hand. Now with that said. If you have to use store bought my recommendations would be:


Swanson's Chicken Cooking Stock
Swanson's Beef Cooking Stock
Kitchen Basics Natural Chicken Stock
Kitchen Basics Natural Beef Stock
Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
Better then Bouillon Beef Base

Why Stock instead of Broth? Stock has more depth, flavor and texture then a broth.  There is not much difference in the two.. Broths are made by boiling meat vegetables herbs and salt. As where stocks are made by boiling predominately with bones, vegetables, herbs  but no salt. Stock has a different texture then broth because collagen is extracted from the bones.  Salt is not normally added to a stock since it will be added to a dish. 


Now when freezing your stock so you always have it on hand there are different ways to do it. In jars, plastic containers, plastic bags. Now I have a little trick... Take a non stick muffin tin (medium to large) ladle the stock into the muffin tins and freeze. Once frozen take the tins out twist and pop the frozen stock out and place it in freezer Ziploc bags. Then you have 8 oz individual portions to just grab when ever you need them=). Nice and easy.


Chicken Stock 
equipment- Large stock pot, a prep bowl, large fine mesh strainer, a skimmer, Utility Knife w cutting board.  cheese cloth, a heat proof container, enough Ice to fill the sink. 


1 whole chicken quartered ( quartering  the chicken exposes the bones adding depth)
4 celery ribs halved
4 carrots halved (not peeled)
1 large white onion quartered
10 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
15 black peppercorns
2 gallons of cold water


Fill the stock pot with the water and place on the stove. 
Lay out two large pieces of cheese cloth. In each place half the chicken , the vegetables, herbs and peppercorns. Make sure you wrap it around 3 or 4 times and tie it well so nothing comes out.


( I use cheese cloth in my stocks because it helps create a much cleaner clear broth. you don't have to try and skim everything out like you would if you just throw everything in the pot. You can find cheesecloth and any grocery store and it is very cheap)


Place both pouches in to the stock pot and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer. Place prep bowl next to stove top and use skimmer to remove the fat and froth. You should skim every 5-10 minutes for the first hour and 3-4 times an hour for the last 2 hours. 


After three hours, pull pouches out. Keep the chicken and use it! Throw the rest of the pouches away. Fill the sink with ice. Place the heat safe container in the ice packing it around the container.  Strain the stock with a fine mesh strainer into the heat safe container. The Stock should be very clear.  


Let stock sit in ice bath until completely cooled.  Place in refrigerator for 24 hours. Take out and skim off all the fat that has come to the surface.


Use with in 4 days or freeze. (see note above about freezing)


Beef Stock
Equipment- Large Roasting Pan, Large Stock Pot, 2 Kitchen Towels, Fine Mesh Strainer, Metal Spatula, large cheese cloth, Utility knife and cutting board, Tongs, heat safe container for storing, Enough ice to fill the sink.


6-8 lbs of beef shanks
1/2 lb to 1 lb of stew meat
1 cup of white wine (you can get alcohol removed wine at the store or cooking white wine)
1 large white onion quartered 
3 carrots halved
3 celery ribs halved
3 oz of tomato paste
20 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Olive Oil
1 1/2 gallons Cold Water


Preheat oven to 400 degrees


Lightly glaze the bottom of the roasting pan with olive oil. Place the bones and stew meat in the pan and Roast for half an hour. Use tongs and turn the bones and meat over. Place the vegetables on top of the bones and meat. Roast for another half hour.


Lay the kitchen towels out on the counter and cover with the large cheese cloth. When roasting is done, pull the pan out. With the tongs place half of everything on each cheese cloth. Add 10 peppercorns and 1 bay leave to each. Roll 3 or 4 times and tie the ends very tightly. 


Place roasting pan on top of the stove over the burners. Turn the burners on low and pour the wine into the roasting pan. It will deglaze the bottom of the pan. Use metal spatula to gently crap the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour the wine liquid into the stock pot. A long with 1 1/2 gallons of cold water.


Place the pouches into the water, add the tomato paste and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes and then reduce heat and let simmer for 4 hours. 


When it has been 4 hours. Fill the sink with ice and place the heat safe container into the ice. Remove pot from heat and skim the fat off the top. Strain the stock through the fine mesh strainer into the heat safe container. Let cool down. 





Vegetable Stock

*spice bags can be found at most grocery stores in a pack of 3 for like 4 bucks they are reusable and are very handy.


The following vegetables are to be in large dice:
3 cups yellow onions
2 cups leeks green and white parts (well cleaned)
2 cups  carrots
2 cups celery
1 cup parsnips
1 cup  turnips
1 cup yellow squash
1 cup zucchini
8 tomatoes quartered 
2 cups of mushrooms (trimmed and wiped)
1/2 cup garlic cloves
2 tb of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh crack black pepper
1 gallon of water
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
8 sprigs of parsley
4 basil leaves
2 cups white wine (or alcohol removed white wine)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees


Spread all of the vegetables out in the roasting pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper. Stir to coat.


Roast for 45 minutes stirring the vegetables often. Mean while place thyme, parsley, basil, and bay leaves in the spice bag and tight it. (or wrap it in cheese cloth). 


Place stock pot on stove and pour the roasted vegetables into it. Add the water and spice bag. Bring to a boil . Let simmer for 20 minutes skimming often. Add wine. Simmer for 30 minutes more.


Place ice in the sink place the heat safe container in the sink. Strain the stock through a fine mesh wire strainer until clear. 
Can last in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or 8 months frozen. See above on how to freeze.