Vegetable stock: my secret lover (2011)

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.