Seeing as it was extremely cold (read : cold AF) this weekend, I figured it was only fitting to do a post on how to make this staple ingredient that every pantry should have.

I try to have at least a quart of stock on hand (preferably homemade) at any given time. Store bought is fine, suck it Ina Garten. But I’m not gunna lie here, #homemadeisbetter.

Here’s what you’ll need

Grocery List
Carrots (a small bag should do)
Celery ^
Onions (1-2)
Leek (optional)
Beef bones (1-2 packs) these are found in your butcher/meat section, if you don’t see any, don’t be afraid to ask your butcher! sometimes they keep them in the back

From The Pantry
Garlic cloves (2-3)
Peppercorns (small handful/to taste)
Bay leaf (optional)
Thyme ^

Now that you’ve got all your stuff you’re ready to go. Since I happened to have some turkey legs on hand, I figured I would add them in too. Get creative, you can use any type of bone you want, fish, chicken (what I typically use), beef, etc. or feel free to keep it strictly vegetable too.

Take your stock pot - I would recommend at least an 8 quart pot, any smaller and you might be tight on space - and crank the heat to medium. Add in all of your bones, and try to put them fat side down. Let these cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes.

While your fat is rendering, this is when you prep the veggies. Give everything a rough chop - I like to take this time to practice my knife skills, personally.

Once everything is chopped, you can go ahead and remove the bones, and add the aromatics. Put the lid on to sweat everything (remove the moisture), this should take 5-10 minutes.

Now that your vegetable medley has shrunk a bit - onions are always a good gauge, you’re ready to re-add your bones. 

Now fill the pot up to the top with cold water - because, science. Add your spices, and make sure everything comes to slow boil. Once it has, top it off with some more cold water, and reduct the heat to a simmer. You’ll want to skim any fat off at this stage.

Take this time to catch up on any household tasks, because you won’t want to leave this completely unattended for too long. I usually let mine go for at least 2 hours, but depending on how much time you have and how big your pot is you can adjust the heat to fit.

Once it’s been about enough time/you’re sick of waiting and have stuff to do, shut off the heat, and let everything cool down. 

Strain the broth, and store in containers. This stuff is great to freeze so that you can always have some on hand, or use what’s in the fridge within the week.

hope this helps!

keep it warm.