How to Make Stock in a Crock Pot

Stocks are the basis for soups, gravies, and sauces for savoury dishes. Why buy the canned when you can make it at home to your taste, with so little effort and cost? Crock pots generally cost only 2 cents per hour to operate, and since stock uses only leftovers that would otherwise go to waste, you can save a lot of money and hassle by always having some available.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Crockpot
• Leftovers such as poultry, pork or beef bones, or vegetable peelings and cut-off ends, or fish bones, skin and heads
• Water
• Wine
• Herbs
• Ice cube trays
• Strainer

1. Gather up bones and skin, or vegetable peelings and place in crock pot.

2. Add enough cold water to cover. You want to use cold water because the stock will be clearer at the end.

3. Set the crock pot on low, and wait 2 hours.

4. Add herbs and 1 cup of wine. Use delicately-flavoured herbs such as parsley, salad burnet, chervil or borage for lighter stocks, and more flavourful herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano for more robust stock. Use herbs sparingly because the finished product will have concentrated flavour.
   
   Use red wine for duck, beef or pork stock; white wine for chicken, turkey, fish, goose or vegetable stock.

5. Continue cooking at least 4 hours; overnight is fine.

6. Let the stock cool.

7. Strain the stock into a bowl, and if desired, let the fat congeal and skim. You may wish to reserve duck or goose fat for other recipes.

8. If you are making a meat stock, set aside the strained pieces and sort to pull out small bits of meat.

9. Once the stock has completely cooled, pour carefully into empty ice trays and freeze.

10. Label zipper bags with contents and date. Empty frozen stock cubes into zipper bags and store in the freezer.

Tips & Warnings

• Stock will keep for up to eighteen months in the freezer.
• You can compost vegetable ends and peels after you finish the stock.
• For absolutely crystal-clear stock, strain cooled stock through a paper towel, several layers of cheesecloth, or a coffee filter.