Live Rich and Eat for Cheap Part 2-How to Make Stock

Back in the day when we darned our socks and made aprons out of flour sacks we also made soup stocks. At a certain point, it didn’t make sense to make stock. Food was inexpensive enough and electricity was costly enough that the stockpot got set aside and everything in it got thrown away.

Now, in the day of recycling and using smaller trashcans, it is time to return to homemade stock. Besides, commercial broth is expensive, contains too much salt and is inferior to what you can make at home.

There are two ways that stock gets made in this household, but there is one result. The end product should be (for meat stock) a thick, deeply colored liquid that, when it is refrigerated, congeals into the consistency of JELL-O.

First, grab yourself a one-gallon zip lock bag, mark it to say STOCK PARTS and stick it in the freezer. When you chop any vegetable (except bitter greens) put the ends into the stock bag. Tops of carrots, celery, lettuce leaves, the exterior peels on onions, tomato ends and herb bits are all excellent.

Save the bones and trimmings of your chicken, beef, fish, whatnot. Pork stock should be avoided as it begins to taste sour an hour into the cooking process.

When you have two pounds of bones make your stock.

Option One: How the CIA trained chef does it:
Place trimmings into a stockpot.
Add just enough water to NEARLY cover the contents of the pot.
Add a palm of salt.
Let boil
Taste broth 3 hours later and if it is good, strain, cool and refrigerate.

Option Two: The lusty way
Place trimmings in the stockpot.
Add salt– a handful
Add twice as much water as the contents. You want the stuff to float and rub and move around.
Start heat on high and after it boils, turn down to low or low medium. Cover pot and the pot will continue to boil. This saves energy.
Let boil for six to eight hours.
Taste and if it is good, strain, cool and refrigerate.


Stock can be stored in zip lock bags or Pyrex.