Homemade Veggie Broth and Bone Stock

Broth Vs. Stock

Broth is a catch-all for any flavored cooking liquid, including made from fish, vegetable (veggie scraps), or even legumes. Broth is usually seasoned and can be drunk or eaten on its own.

Stock involves bones simmered for a long period of time to extract their gelatin and flavor. The difference is Stock is a liquid that is usually left unseasoned for cooking with.

Store Bought Vs. Home-Made

Although you can buy store bought stock and broth unsalted in the stores, and could make life a little easier to throw it in the pot and be done with it. Plus you never know what your going to be paying in price, if lucky maybe get it on sale 2 for $4 dollars or $5 dollars, depending on where you live. However, with home-made your in complete control of the flavor, seasoning, and sodium (salt). And it sounds so yummy for my tummy (lol). Now, I've never made home-made stock or broth before tonight. Well, veggie broth from "freezer scraps" and "other veggies and seasonings". My broth has been stewing now for about four in a half hours now in my slower cooker on "low", and yes I'm intending for it to cook all night and into early afternoon tomorrow to go with my Cheesy Potato and Ham Stew (Oh course revised from my Loaded Baked Potato Soup).

Vegetable "Veggie" Broth from Scraps

Broth is catch-all for any flavored liquid, including herbs, seasons, and sodium (salt). I usually keep my vegetable scraps from meal preps, salads, etc... I usually store mine in a gallon-size freezer bag in the oh course, freezer. And this is how I store them until I'm ready to make broth or stock, because of course you can do the same with chicken bones or other bones from meals.(I would store chicken and beef separately) I keep my peels from carrots and potatoes, green onions and onion peels and tops, as well as, other root vegetables. Now there are many other vegetables, herbs, seasons, and etc... but they is a red flag of some vegetable not to be used.

Veggies To Save

Onions, carrots, and celery form the backbone of veggie stock, but don't stop there! Lots of other veggies add sweetness and flavor: leeks, scallions, garlic, onions, fennel, chard, lettuce, potatoes, parsnips, green beans, pea pods, zucchini and other squash, bell peppers, eggplant, mushrooms, asparagus, corn cobs (think sweet!), winter squash skins, beet greens, and herbs like dill, thyme, parsley, cilantro and basil. You can use anything that is beginning to lose its luster but steer clear of anything that has actually gone bad, of course.

Veggies to Skip

These vegetables tend to overpower the broth flavor-wise (and some of them turn a bit bitter) so you may want to dump them directly on the compost heap, instead: cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, rutabagas, artichokes. And skip anything rotten or moldy.

Veggies You May Want to Skip

You can use beet root scraps and onion skins but just be aware that they will make your broth either a deep red or a deep brown so you may want to skip them. However, I do like the darker flavors, if your not a fan, I would skip them all together, or give it a try. You may like it.

Making Veggie Broth in the Slow Cooker

Ingredients

About 6 to 7 Cups of Water
Veggie Scraps
4 to 6 Small Potatoes
2 to 3 Carrots
1/2 Onion
Peppercorn or Black Pepper to Flavor
Salt to Flavor
2 Bay Leaf
Parsley
Rosemary
Garlic Cloves or Seasoning
Leeks
Thyme
Bell Peppers
Basil
And any other veggies or seasoning you may like

Directions

Cook in Slow Cooker for 18 to 24 hours on low. Stove Top 24 to 48 hours. Pressure Cooker for about 6 to 12 hours.
Strain through a strainer into a Large bowl, pushing all the juices out of the cooked veggies, let cool.
Transfer into containers for storage in the refrigerator (3 weeks to a month) or freezer (3 months to 6 months).

Bone Stock from Scraps

Now I have not tried making a bone stock yet, but have watched many Videos on YouTube on the best way to make Bone Stock (You should use Organic Grass-Feed Bones for Stock).

Organic Grass-Feed Bone Stock

Bone Broth Ingredients

2 pounds (or more) of bones from a healthy source.
2 chicken feet for extra gelatin (optional)
1 onion.
2 carrots.
2 stalks of celery.
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
Optional: 1 bunch of parsley, 1 tablespoon or more of sea salt, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, additional herbs or spices to taste.

Oh course you can also add veggie scraps into your bone stock too, just remember what you add can effect your flavor profile. Now at this point I have not made bone stock, but am ready to give it try (as my veggie broth turned out yummy for my tummy in my stew and was a huge hit with the kids).

Cooking a Whole Organic Chicken for Stock

My friend Tony, is a professional Chef and he says, "The best way to Make Chicken Stock is to cook it over the stove all day long." Now, although this sounds yummy for my tummy and I have had his stock before, I really just do not have time to sit in front of the stove 4 to 8 hours simmering a chicken and monitoring, and adding water. Now you can cook the chicken in a prior meal and use the bones in a slow cooker on a later date. Yes, just stick all the bones and left over meat in the freezer bag and store it until your ready to use it. However, if you would like to stew a whole chicken on the stove for stock.

Ingredients

1 (4 - 5 pound) organic whole chicken or equal amounts of bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
1 clove garlic, quartered
2 celery ribs, cut into large pieces
2 carrots, cut into large pieces
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh thyme
fresh water
Chicken feet for gel

Instructions

Slow Cooker (4 hrs on High setting or 8 hrs on Low setting)

Place chicken in 6-quart slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, thyme and cover with water, about 4 - 5 quarts. Cover and cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low settings. Remove chicken from stock and use for other recipes. Strain vegetables from stock and discard.

Stove (4 hrs)

Place chicken in large stockpot. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, thyme and cover with water, about 4 - 5 quarts Cook on low simmer, covered for 4 hours. Add more water if needed to keep chicken covered with water while cooking. Remove chicken from stock and refrigerate for future recipes. Strain vegetables from stock and discard.

Instant Pot (25 minutes + natural release)

Place chicken in Instant Pot. Omit adding vegetables and herbs. Add fresh, cold water to the 10-cup line on the inside of the interior pot of the Instant Pot. Cook 25 minutes at high pressure. Let pressure release naturally. Remove chicken from stock and refrigerate for future recipes.
Allow stock to cool, and store in freezer-safe, airtight containers. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. Stock will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week and in the freezer up to 1 year.

Notes

You can also use leftover chicken bones for your stock. Use in place of the whole chicken in this recipe.