🥕 Make Your Own Chicken or Vegetable Stock: A Farmhouse Kitchen Essential 🥣

There’s something deeply satisfying about making your own stock from scratch. It’s more than just a cooking task—it’s a wholesome, grounding ritual that brings warmth and intention into your kitchen. Homemade stock is one of those simple but powerful culinary foundations that transforms everyday meals into something extraordinary. It’s a way to use every bit of your ingredients, reduce waste, and fill your home with the comforting aroma of something truly nourishing bubbling on the stove.

Whether you’re preparing a cozy chicken noodle soup, a rich risotto, or a hearty stew, a good homemade stock adds unbeatable depth, flavor, and unmistakable “made with love” quality. Plus, it’s cost-effective, customizable, and surprisingly easy to make using scraps and staples you probably already have on hand.

Let’s walk through how to make both classic chicken stock and flavorful vegetable stock—your future meals will thank you!

🐔 Homemade Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken carcass (or leftover bones)

• 1 onion, quartered (no need to peel)

• 2–3 carrots, roughly chopped

• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

• 3–4 garlic cloves, smashed

• A handful of fresh parsley or thyme (or both)

• 1–2 bay leaves

• 1 tsp peppercorns

• Salt (to taste)

• 10–12 cups cold water

Instructions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a large stockpot.

2. Cover with cold water and bring to a gentle boil.

3. Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the top.

4. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 4–6 hours.

5. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, discarding solids.

6. Let cool, then refrigerate. Skim off any solidified fat before using.

💡 Tip: Save bones from roasted chickens or rotisserie chickens in the freezer until you're ready to make a batch!

🥦 Homemade Vegetable Stock

Ingredients:

• 1–2 onions (you can include skins for color)

• 2 carrots

• 2 celery stalks

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1 small bunch parsley

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp peppercorns

• Salt (to taste)

• Optional: mushrooms, tomato scraps, leeks, turnips, or herb stems

• 10 cups cold water

Instructions:

1. Roughly chop vegetables and place in a stockpot.

2. Add herbs, peppercorns, and water.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 1–2 hours.

4. Strain, cool, and store in the fridge or freezer.

🌱 No waste tip: Keep a freezer bag of veggie scraps like carrot tops, onion skins, celery ends, etc., and once the bag is full, make stock!

🧊 How to Store Your Homemade Stock

• Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

• Freeze in glass jars, freezer bags, or silicone trays for up to 6 months.

• Label containers with the date and type of stock for easy use later.

Why Make Stock From Scratch?

✔ Flavor Boost: Nothing beats the deep flavor of homemade stock.

✔ Zero Waste: Use up bones, veggie peels, and scraps that would otherwise be tossed.

✔ Cost Effective: Stretch your grocery budget by using what you already have.

✔ Nutrient Rich: Especially with chicken stock, which contains collagen and minerals.

There’s a reason grandmothers have been simmering stockpots for generations—it's the foundation of comforting, nourishing meals. Once you start making your own, you’ll never want to go back to the box again!

Want a printable version of the recipe or to pair this with a soup idea next? Let me know—happy cooking! 🍲