Vegetable stock: my secret lover (2011)
Home cooks trade techniques for turning vegetable scraps, meat bones, and even bean or fish leftovers into flavorful stocks that elevate everyday soups and sauces. Many argue that homemade stock, whether slow-simmered, pressure-cooked, or juicer-assisted, outperforms commercial cubes and concentrates in depth of flavor and, for meat stocks, gelatin-rich texture. Others emphasize practicality: freezing stock in small portions, knowing which trimmings work, and accepting that store-bought bases or low-salt cubes are often “good enough” when time or space is limited.
Homemade vs. Commercial Stock
- Many find commercial concentrates and bouillon “good enough” and convenient; some note specific brands as reliable.
- Others argue homemade stock, especially meat-based, tastes better and can have natural gelatin that store-bought usually lacks.
- One comment notes a famous chef publicly saying he doesn’t make stock at home, but this is tied to a brand sponsorship, so seen as biased.
Using Scraps and Reducing Waste
- Strong theme: keep a freezer bag of vegetable trimmings (onion ends/skins, carrot peels/tops, celery leaves/bottoms, leek greens, herb stems, cheese rinds) and turn them into stock instead of trash.
- Several people emphasize not using “prime” vegetable parts just for stock; let stock be a destination for scraps and wilting produce.
- Lists of “bad” scraps for stock include nightshades (tomato, pepper, eggplant), cruciferous veg, beet skins, some roots and dark greens, which can make stock bitter or overpowering.
- Composting spent solids is common; most agree long-simmered veg are mushy and flavorless afterward.
Techniques: Cooking, Straining, and Storage
- Methods range from slow stovetop simmering to pressure cookers and Instant Pots; one commenter warns high pressure can mute aromatics.
- Some “perpetual stew” and long-reduction approaches are described, including demi-glace-like reductions for easier storage.
- Straining approaches: colander only, fine-mesh sieves, chinois, optional cheesecloth; some lightly press veg, others avoid squeezing.
- Clarification methods using egg whites/rafts are mentioned but often judged not worth the effort at home.
- Freezing stock in ice cube trays or flat bags is popular; many say flavor keeps very well in the freezer.
Gelatin, Texture, and Mouthfeel
- Meat stocks can gel solid when cooled; this gelatin is praised for richer, clingier sauces and soups.
- One suggestion: add unflavored gelatin to thin commercial stock when making pan sauces.
- Vegetarians question pre-thickened stock; replies distinguish gelatinous mouthfeel from outright thickening and suggest plant-based thickeners (flour, starches, agar) added at cooking time.
Alternative Bases and Specific Variants
- Vegetable stock variations: leek-top stock, star anise for an “Asian tilt,” ajwain for strong aromatic notes.
- Meat-based offshoots: rotisserie chicken carcass stock, pork slow-cooker stock, fish and shrimp-shell stocks (with ginger, kombu, light cooking times).
- Other “stocks”: bean cooking liquid as a flavorful base, and Japanese-style dashi (often from powder) as a fast, high-impact broth.
Time, Convenience, and Stock Cubes
- Several commenters say the article underestimates the deterrent of 70+ minutes of prep/simmering; many home cooks simply don’t enjoy that work.
- Some happily rely on stock cubes or low/zero-salt commercial bases, citing time, energy cost, and storage as decisive.
- Others split the difference: make large batches infrequently, freeze in small units, and use cubes only in true emergencies.
Ingredient Choices and Flavoring
- Discussion on what to add: classic onion–carrot–celery plus garlic, bay (especially fresh), herbs, peppercorns.
- Debate on paprika/bell peppers leads into language differences and the fact that not all paprika comes from bell peppers.
- Some warn very assertive aromatics (e.g., star anise) in the base stock can limit versatility and prefer to add such flavors later.