Homemade soup stock: recipes and tips

What is soup stock?
Soup stock or broth (while some people like to differentiate the two, the terms are often used interchangeably) is a usually clear liquid, made by simmering ingredients in water in order to extract their flavours. Stock is used in most soup recipes, it can be used for cooking grains, and it can be added to stews and other recipes.

Why make homemade soup stock?
For one thing, says Jonath, it tastes better. "Commercial stocks generally have a lot of salt in them," she says. "I'm a salt fanatic, but I don't want my stock to be salty. I like to control my stock." Homemade soup stock is often also healthier, partly because of the lower salt content but also because you control the ingredients.

Homemade soup stock costs less than store-bought. "You just look at what's in the bottom of your fridge," says Jonath. Instead of spending money on stock, you can make it with scraps from other recipes, like carrot and leek tops, mushroom stems, beef or ham bones and even cheap cuts of meat. Store scraps in the freezer until you're ready to make stock out of them.

When you're looking for green options in your kitchen, homemade soup stock is the way to go: instead of buying packaged goods that have been shipped across the continent, you're using every bit of what you've got. And by making a large batch and freezing extras, you'll find it takes next to no time to keep up a supply, and you may even enjoy the process. "I like making stock on rainy days," says Jonath.

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1. Start with cold water to draw out the juices.

2. Disjoint or crack any bones and trim excess fat.

3. Look for cuts of meat that are high in gelatin content to give your stock body and a rich texture: this includes beef knucklebones, shoulder bones and oxtails, and poultry back, neck and wing bones.

4. Avoid using too many bones -- it can make your stock gluey.

5. For the most flavourful stock, use raw ingredients and only enough cold water to cover the bones.

6. Use a good stockpot that is tall and narrow, allowing the stock to simmer without excess evaporation. Avoid aluminum, which may react with the ingredients.

7. Don't simmer the stock past the recommended cooking time as it may end up unpleasantly bitter.

8. To see if it's time to strain your stock, taste the meat from one of the bones. If it no longer has any flavour, your stock is done.

For perfect vegetable-based soup stocks, try the following tips from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison:

1. While stock is a great way to use vegetable scraps and extras, old or spoiled vegetables aren't a great choice. Before adding scraps, Madison recommends asking, "Would I eat this?"

2. Coarsely chop vegetables, but don't make the pieces too large -- the more surface area, the more quickly the flavour will be extracted.

3. While meat stocks benefit from long cooking times, vegetable stocks will be ready in 30 minutes to an hour.

4. The more vegetables, the more flavour.

5. Only use strong-flavoured vegetables for dishes that incorporate them or in which you want the particular flavour; this includes asparagus, winter squash, fennel, corn cobs and pea pods.

6. Great vegetables for your stock include: mushrooms (and the soaking water from dried mushrooms), chard stems and leaves, potato parings, celery root skins, Jerusalem artichokes and eggplant.

7. Avoid the following ingredients: turnips and rutabagas; cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower; red beets (except when making a beet soup); onion skins; artichoke trimmings; excessive amounts of greens; and powdered herbs, including pepper, as they can make stock bitter.

Storing and using soup stock
Once stock is done simmering, strain it and throw out or compost any solids. Once the stock is cool, you can refrigerate it -- any grease in meat-based stocks will rise and you can skim and discard it before using. Stock keeps in the fridge for three to four days and can be frozen for up to six months.

Most important, remember to experiment. Try different combinations of ingredients and take notes on how your favourite soup recipes turn out with homemade stock versus store-bought powders or broths.

Recipes to try
Here are a few stock recipes to get you started on your soup-making adventures.

• Vegetable Stock
• Store-Bought Broth Made Better
• Light Beef and Chicken Stock
• Veal Stock
• How to Bone a Turkey and Prepare Homemade Stock
• Roasted Vegetable Stock
• Seafood Stock
• Chicken Stock

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