Servings: 8 Prep: 10 min Cook: 1 hr Total: 1 hour 10 min
Vegetable stock is important. It adds depth and character to what would likely be … water. It’s like chicken stock, but … for vegetarians! In just about any soup or sauce recipe where chicken stock is used, vegetable stock is likely to be a great substitution.
Vegetable stock is all too often just peels and skins and rubbish left over from the odds and ends of various vegetables. It’s then left to gurgle away on the stove until someone takes the initiative to take it and strain it. This tends to create an old and muddy tasting vegetable stock. In truth, the same basic formula behind a chicken stock should be employed, which will give a nice and balanced flavor. Allowing it to simmer for about an hour will also give it some vibrancy, without it taking on the murky and sad flavors from vegetables left to decay in simmering water for far too long.
Garlic and mushrooms are added to the basic ratio simply to give a little extra sweet and a touch of meatiness.
Note: Disregard the individual ingredient lines’ nutrition on this recipe. I faked the numbers. Because it’s all strained out, I don’t know how to calculate it. So, the end result is more in tune with what I generally see listed as “vegetable stock”. You can trust the final numbers, but … not the math.
Vegetable Stock
Print RateIngredients
- 2 1/2 qts cold water
- 1 cp onion diced
- 1/2 cp carrot diced
- 1/2 cp celery diced
- 1 cp cremini mushrooms sliced
- 12 each garlic cloves peeled and whole
- 5 each whole black peppercorns
- 4 each parsley stems
- 1 each bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
Instructions
- Add the vegetables to the cold water in a stock pot and place on the stove, over medium heat.
- Watch the stock pot, as it slowly rises to a simmer. As it rises in temperature, grayish foam and funk may rise to the surface. Skim this off and discard.
- Do not let the stock come to a boil. Once it begins to slowly simmer, turn the heat down to maintain a very slow, mellow, gurgling simmer.
- Continue skimming off any impurities or funk that may accumulate at the top of the pot.
- After 1 hour of simmering, perform a final skim.
- Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve, into a metal container.
- To cool, place the metal container in a sink or other large container filled with ice water. Stir the stock, occasionally, to allow it to chill more rapidly.
- Store, covered, in the fridge for roughly 4 or 5 days, or freeze.
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* Learn More: More about this recipe and nutrition …