Start a freezer bag or container to keep leftover/overripe/extra veggies in your freezer. When the container gets full, fill a soup pot full of water, add the veggies, some fresh herbs and seasoning. Boil for about 1.5 hours, strain and you have homemade vegetable stock. Freeze or use within a week in your favorite soups and winter stews.
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don’t forget to save apple cores, and vegetable peelings, especially onion skins, too. the greens from fennel, celery, carrots go in if you are lucky enough to have them. and as “seasoning” I use a head of garlic and another whole (unpeeled) onion. and now that I have started juicing, I am a little overstocked on stock!
Freezer veg stock is one of my favorite tricks too! There’s always a big stockpile of frozen scraps just waiting for my next soup need. I usually boil for way less time–maybe 20 minutes or a half hour–and my broth turns out beautifully every time.
Charlotte, you want to avoid brassicas–cabbage, broccoli, etc., which will make your stock taste like, well, boiled cabbage–and dill stems, which will make it taste like pickle brine. And beets will turn your stock bright pink! But other than that, I use just about everything.
Great idea! I’m always overenthusiastic when buying vegetables, and every now and then they don’t all get eaten on time. This is perfect! Any veggies that would NOT taste so good in a stock? Stuff to avoid?
don’t forget to save apple cores, and vegetable peelings, especially onion skins, too. the greens from fennel, celery, carrots go in if you are lucky enough to have them. and as “seasoning” I use a head of garlic and another whole (unpeeled) onion. and now that I have started juicing, I am a little overstocked on stock!
What a great tip! Never thought that making my own stock could be so simple… Thank you!
Freezer veg stock is one of my favorite tricks too! There’s always a big stockpile of frozen scraps just waiting for my next soup need. I usually boil for way less time–maybe 20 minutes or a half hour–and my broth turns out beautifully every time.
Charlotte, you want to avoid brassicas–cabbage, broccoli, etc., which will make your stock taste like, well, boiled cabbage–and dill stems, which will make it taste like pickle brine. And beets will turn your stock bright pink! But other than that, I use just about everything.
Great thanks! I’m curious too about celery leaves. I love celery but find the leaves a bit too strong sometimes…will they make stock go bitter?
Hah, I just wrote a post about using leftover vegetables to make vegetable stock. Great idea to freeze them until you’ve collected enough!
Good idea in the right context if using good quality veg.
If you use poor quality, stale or rotten veg you’ll end up with rotten stale stock!
Great idea! I’m always overenthusiastic when buying vegetables, and every now and then they don’t all get eaten on time. This is perfect! Any veggies that would NOT taste so good in a stock? Stuff to avoid?
GREAT tip! I never would have thought to do this and instead cringe as I throw away rotten produce.
LOVE THIS!!
Awwwwwesome tip!!! Thanks!