How to make vegetable broth

Making vegetable (or chicken) broth (also called stock) is easy and very economical. I keep a large 5 qt. tub (it once held sherbet) in the freezer. Whenever I am prepping vegetables, anything in good condition (not moldy or too dirty) goes into the tub. This includes: garlic and onion peelings, leek tops and bottoms, corn cobs, bell pepper cores, carrot tops, potato peelings, beet tops and skins, mushroom pieces, etc. Go easy on anything with a strong flavor, like celery, fennel, etc. as it can make the stock bitter. Note that pepper and tomatoes will make a cloudy stock, and beets will give you a strong color. If you peel potatoes, make sure the peels are not green, as they contain compounds that are somewhat toxic. You will need a large stock pot.

Suitable for:
vegan, gluten-free, low-sodium, migraine, reduced-sugar diets (if made with migraine-friendly vegetables and fruit)

How to make vegetable broth

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 15 cups

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8-10 cups vegetable and fruit scraps
• 15 cups water (filtered or spring)
• 3 bay leaves

Instructions

 

• Fruit and veggie scraps are saved in a tub in the freezer.
  
• When the container is full, I make the stock, adding 3 bay leaves.
  
• Add water to just about full and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer 1 hour.
• Let cool, then strain into containers, label, and freeze or use.
  
• You can take everything from this pot and put it straight into your compost. No waste! This makes about 15 or so cups of stock. I keep one container in the fridge and freeze the rest. Taste before storing, just to make sure the flavor is good. If you get a batch that's bitter, water your outdoor garden with it.

Notes

Technically, stock is the term for unseasoned liquid. Once it is seasoned it is properly called broth. Since most terms are used interchangeably, I wanted to be clear.

Use the same process for chicken stock, with a few additional steps. If you are making a whole chicken, throw all the innards (neck, skin, etc.) into the freezer tub. Throw any parts you are not using (the back, the wing tips) in there. Throw in all the bones after cooking. If you buy rotisserie chicken, throw in all the bones and skin as you eat up the chicken. The cooking process is the same. Strain into the containers, let cool, then place in the fridge overnight. Remove all the fat with a spoon after it hardens, throwing it in the trash (NOT down the drain). Then label and store as above. You should not compost this afterwards, unless you remove all the animal pieces and have a hot/active compost pile. Animal products and oils should not go into compost piles.