Homemade Vegetable Stock
It’s soup season. That means it’s time to make stock. Over the last couple of weeks, I decided to save my veggie trim in a gallon sized freezer bag to show you how easy it is to make a vegan veggie stock. You ask what is veggie trim? Any ends of onions/celery/carrots/shallots/zucchini/tomatoes/peppers, carrot peelings, the center rib of collard greens, the core of a head of cabbage; anything that you would normally through away gets saved. It is the best way to utilize the whole vegetable, much like how I do with animals. It’s about respect for the earth and the farmers that have provided us with options for food.There are a few things that you will want to avoid using in your veggie stock: potato peelings(I want to avoid the starch in my stock); hot pepper trim(unless you are wanting a spicy stock); herbs(this can be added when making the actual soup). I personally don’t use any salt in my stocks. All I’m looking for is the raw, cooked down stock without any additional flavorings other than garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. I like to add salt towards the end of whatever I’m cooking. If you haven’t saved any veggie trim, you can definitely use whole vegetables. Carrots, celery, onion, and garlic is a great base to start with.
Equipment
- 2 stock pots
- colander
Ingredients
- 6 quarts water
- vegetable trim
- 1 head garlic unpeeled
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
Instructions
- Combine the water, vegetable trim, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns together in a large stock pot over high heat.
- Once it starts boiling, reducd the heat to medium and simmer for 2-2 1/2 hours. You will want to reduce the stock by 1/3.
- Strain the stock into another stock pot. Press down on the veggie trim to get out all of the juices.
- Let your stock cool before refrigerating or freezing.
