Making your own homemade stock is fairly simple to do and it adds great flavor to soups, stews, gumbos, or any recipe that calls for stock or broth.
You can make a stock using leftover bones and carcasses from any cooked chicken, turkey, or roast. I like to make turkey stock using the leftover turkey carcass from our Thanksgiving Fried Turkey. I also like to make a beef stock using the leftover bones from our Christmas Prime Rib Roast.
Turkey Stock 
Beef Stock
Vegetable stock is easy to make as well so be sure to save all of your scraps after chopping vegetables. Check out Jennifer’s Kitchen blog where she provides a list of what vegetables to use in order to make a delicious vegetable stock.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to making your own homemade stock.
What is the difference between stock and broth?
The main difference is that broth is generally made from more of the meaty parts and stock is made from the bones.
How do you make stock?
Here are a list of items and simple step-by-step instructions on how to make a delicious stock.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 large stock pot with lid
- leftover bones/carcasses
- water
- long pair of tongs
- slotted spoon
- 4-cup liquid measuring cup
- 3-inch mini strainer
- food storage containers
Here are my simple step-by-step instructions on how to make a delicious stock:
1. Place the leftover bones into a large stock pot. Don’t worry if there is any meat or fat still left on the bones. This will only add more flavor to the stock.
2. Pour enough water into the pot to cover all of your bones by an inch or two.
3. Cover the pot with the lid and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
4. Once the water has reached a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 3-4 hours.
Depending on how late I start cooking my stock, I will sometimes let the stock naturally cool to room temperature overnight. A very hot pot of stock this big can take hours to cool down. The cooled stock is also a lot easier to work with when discarding the bones and pouring into the food storage containers.
5. After the stock is done simmering, go ahead and discard the bones with a long pair of tongs.
6. Use a slotted spoon to discard any remaining pieces.
7. With a large liquid measuring cup, scoop out some of the stock so that you can pour into your stock containers with ease.
8. Cover the container with the mini strainer. This will help strain any of the tiny fragments that were not able to be discarded from the slotted spoon.
9. Pour the stock into the container while the mini strainer strains the stock through.
10. Let the stock cool down to room temperature before topping the containers with the lids.
Once the stock has cooled down, feel free to skim off some of the fat for a healthier fat free stock.
11. Refrigerate the stock for up to 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 12 months.
A Dash of Mel
Homemade Stock
Homemade stock using leftover bones adds great flavor to soups, stews, gumbos, or any recipe that calls for stock or broth.
- leftover bones/carcasses
- water
Place the leftover bones/carcasses into a large stock pot. Don’t worry if there is any meat or fat still left on the bones. This will only add more flavor to the stock.
Pour enough water into the pot to cover all of the bones by an inch or two.
Cover the pot with the lid and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Once the water has reached a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 3-4 hours.
After the stock is done simmering, go ahead and discard the bones with a long pair of tongs.
With a large liquid measuring cup, scoop out some of the stock so that you can pour into the stock containers with ease.
Cover the container with your mini strainer. This will help strain any of the tiny fragments that were not able to be discarded from the slotted spoon.
Pour the stock into the container while the mini strainer strains the stock through.
Let the stock cool down to room temperature before topping the containers with the lids.
Refrigerate the stock for up to 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 12 months.
