Everything Veggie Stock

Save & Freeze Your Scraps

Throughout the week, as you peel carrots or chop onions, save those scraps in a bag and pop them in the freezer, and once you have enough stored up, make a delicious homemade veggie stock. Not only can you use up all your veg trimmings, but stock is best homemade with fresh ingredients and without preservatives. It's also more cost-effective, and you can tailor your ingredients to the recipe you want to use your stock with. For example, if you're making a noodle soup, use ginger and citrus peels in the stock. To experiment with different flavour combinations, consider separating the vegetable trimmings into various containers before freezing.

Step By Step

Once you've gathered a sufficient amount of scraps and chosen your flavour profiles, it's time to start cooking.

1. Preparation: Roughly chop any additional vegetables you'd like to include. Take a peek at the back of your fridge for forgotten gems. In a large deep pot, combine all the vegetables, including the saved trimmings. Add whole peppercorns and bay leaves, and season generously with salt.
2. Boiling: Cover the pot with a lid, bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat. Allow the concoction to simmer for about an hour, letting the flavours meld and develop.
3. Straining: Once the simmering is done, remove the pot from the heat. Using a perforated spoon or strainer, extract the larger pieces of vegetables from the liquid. Don't worry if you can't catch them all.
4. Fine Sieving: Set up a fine sieve over a spacious bowl and strain the liquid through it. This will remove the smaller bits of vegetables, leaving you with a smooth and flavourful stock.
5. Storage: Your freshly made vegetable stock can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
6. Freezing Option: If you suspect you won't use the stock within 5 days, freezing is a fantastic alternative. Transfer it to jars or containers, but remember to leave some space at the top to accommodate expansion in the freezer.