Day by day, it’s getting colder and colder, and becoming more and more apparent that summer is long gone. With that shift in seasons, we spend a little less time cooking outside on the grill, and a little more time indoors baking, braising and stewing, etc.
One of the indicators that typically signals the arrival of fall for me is my willingness to spend time making homemade stock. Such a steamy, sweaty endeavour would be out of the question during the dog days of summer, but in the fall when days are brisker and nights hold a chill, warming the air with rich, meaty scents sounds like a wonderful, reflective idea. It also happens to appeal to my waste-not-want-not mentality. Each time I make stock, I continually marvel at the amount of flavour you can extract from little more than kitchen scraps. And with such a small amount of effort, you can improve just about every dish you add it to. Bored of rice? Simmer it in stock. Making mashed potatoes? Boil those in stock first, too. Deglazing pan juices? Stock can do that. In just about any cooking application where you would use water or wine, stock makes a flavourful stand-in.
But, before we get to the meat of the matter, a few “suggestions” about making stock that will make life a little easier.
1) Be organic – I try to buy as much organic food as possible, mostly because I think it tastes better, but also because it’s better for me and the environment. I usually try not to preach to others about why they should too, because I understand that some things about food are very personal matters. In this case I’m breaking my rule, though. If at all possible, try to use organic food to make your stock. With something as simple and elemental as boiled bones and veg, imperfections easily come through, so starting with the best product possible will automatically put you ahead.
2) Save, save, save – If you roasted a chicken, save that cleaned carcass in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Once you’ve amassed a few, you’ll be well on your way to a flavourful stock. And don’t hesitate to add vegetable trimmings to the bag either, as long as they’re cleaned first. Carrot peels, onion skins and celery leaves all make great additions to a stock base.
