Vegetable Stock (Made with Veggie Scraps!)
When soup season comes around, you want to be prepared! By saving veggie scraps in the freezer for just a few weeks, you could have enough to make your own stock. It tastes so much better than store-bought stock, and it's completely free! Ingredients with an asterisk (*) are available seasonally right here in North Iowa! Click on select ingredients to find them nearby or stop by your local farmer's market.
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1 gallon vegetable scraps* carrot tops, potato skins, onion ends, garlic ends, celery ends, squash peels, beet ends, kale stems, corn cobs, etc.
- 4½ quarts water
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Save vegetable scraps in a gallon ziplock bag or gallon container in the freezer. When the bag is full, add them to a large pot or slow cooker and add 4½ quarts of water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes.
- Remove from heat. After it's cooled down, pour through a strainer or colander into pint or quart sized containers. I recommend saving old yogurt or cottage cheese containers, as they are close to quart sized. Let them cool completely on the counter, then store in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for up to 6 months. Set in the fridge a few days before using, or soak in hot water to thaw.
- For slow cooker, add all veggie scraps, salt and pepper. Add water to slow cooker leaving about 1/2 inch room from top. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 94kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 353mgPotassium: 1514mgFiber: 13gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 79049IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 172mgIron: 1mg
