Vegetable broth is a workhorse in the kitchen. You can cook your grains in it to add some extra depth. You can use it as a soup base, or in sauces. Many and most times, you can use it in place of chicken or beef stock to a create a lighter dish, or a vegetarian/vegan friendly one. Today I am going to show you how to NEVER RUN OUT OF VEGETABLE BROTH AGAIN, and your brothers, sisters, cousins, children and children’s children will thank you for it.

Stock or Broth?

The difference between stock and broth can be summed up (primarily) in one word: bones. If the liquid in the pot ever contained bones, it’s a stock. If it is bone-free, nicely-flavored hot water, it’s broth. Get it? BONES ≠ BROTH. Seasoning also plays a role: broth is more likely to be salted and spiced, while stock is meant to be a blank canvas to season as the recipe dictates

These definitions are not hard and fast, especially not nowadays. In most cases, do not sweat the difference. If the ingredient list calls for broth but all you have is stock, the most drastic accommodation should be adding a little more salt. You can use them interchangeably in the sanctity of your own kitchen.

Here, we are talking about vegetables, none of which should, have bones. So technically, you won’t be making veggie stock because such a thing does not exist. Like I said, you can call this liquid goodness whatever you want. But it’s broth, ok?

Freezer Trash

Now, I hate food waste. Hate hate hate. When it comes to veggies and herbs, I take comfort in the fact I can just throw it in the bag that sits in my freezer labeled… well who am I kidding, it looks like a bag of frozen food trash.

But that trash is my treasure! It gets simmered into liquid gold every couple of months. Each batch turns out differently. You can keep the clippings of onions and garlic, the skins and tops and bottoms, the tops of carrots, the wilted celery leaves. You can also freeze herbs, or any delicate leaves that are a little past their prime.

Procedure

The three things every batch of homemade veggie broth must contain are: onions (if you don’t have many scraps, cut a whole one in half and add it), carrots (the equivalent of 2 stalks), and celery (same amount as carrots). The only vegetables verboten in broth add are spicy peppers.

A dose of herbs in your stock is strongly suggested. Make an herb bouquet by bunching the sprigs and leaves together. Then securely bind it together with one end of a length of string, thread, or kitchen twine. Tie the other end to the handle of the pot, for easy removal.

You’ll want to have enough veggies and scrapings to fill at least ¾ of a 3 quart pot. More isn’t a problem, just make sure to use a larger pot. Cover the ingredients in the pot with water, making sure to leave an inch of water above the contents. Chuck a few peppercorns and maybe a bay leaf, cause why the hell not. Not that you should use all of these, but other dried herbs or spices to add include fennel seeds, coriander, ginger, oregano, or marjoram. I have read recipes where adding a dash of white wine or the rind of some great parmesan or similarly hard cheese is recommended; do as you wish, it can only enhance the flavor. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat, add a lid, and simmer for an hour.

Next comes straining. Cheese cloth is good for this, but a fine strainer will do the trick too. The key is to get all the solids out, and any other particles to the best of your ability. It seems that most times, I find some residue at the bottom of the container I store the stock in. Store the broth in two large containers; some goes into the freezer for later use, and some into the fridge, but that should be used within a week or two.

Ok, What About Stock?

Making meat stock is a whole ‘nother beast. Either chicken or beef stock can be made with a mix of bones and the meat itself; for instance,  the leftover bones of a whole chicken. There are a lot of components to a chicken stock such as thickness, brightness, and ingredients other than the meat which are highly subjective. It seems even more adaptable than vegetable broth! A good run down of making your own chicken stock can be found at Serious Eats. Good beef stock exists on a similarly complex spectrum, but both require the use of gelatin for best results.

Seafood stock seems to be somewhere between beef and chicken stock. It is another great tool against food waste, as you can boil leftover shrimp peels and tails or fish skeletons to great effect. I recommend Ina Garten’s recipe.

So there you have it! This turned into a post just as much about not wasting food as it was about making it. A good lesson for the day, wouldn’t you agree?