Vegetable stock

[Fritz_Monroe]

For the past week or 2 we've been saving our veggie scraps. The skins and clippings from fresh veggies that we use for meals and the final tablespoon or so of frozen veggies from the bag. We've been making more recipes that call for veggie stock, so figured we'd make it from scratch. I know I need to make additions, for instance, I don't have enough carrots, just the skins. But about how much should I start with? I have just shy of 2 pounds of scraps.

 

Any suggestions on the amount needed? I know I could do it now, but would rather make a decent sized batch.

[PoGo]

You didn't specify canning it, but maybe this recipe will give you an idea of what you need.

 

From the Ball Blue Book:

 

Vegetable Stock

Yield 8 pints or 4 quarts

 

1 pound of carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

6 stalks of celery, cut into 1 inch pieces

3 medium onions, quartered

2 sweet red peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 medium turnips, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon crushed thyme

8 peppercorns

7 quarts of water

 

Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover, simmer two hours. Uncover and continue cooking two hours. Strain stock through several layers of cheesecloth. Discard vegetables and seasonings. Ladle hot stock into hot jars, leaving one inch head space. Adjust two piece caps. Process pints thirty minutes, quarts thirty five minutes, at ten pounds pressure in a steam pressure canner.

 

[Fritz_Monroe]

I'll add to the bag of scraps as I feel I need to, but I'm just think about when it would be best to start a batch. Maybe I'll just go ahead and make it up to see how much I'll end up with for 2 pounds of scraps.

 

I'm fairly sure that I've seen a weight out there somewhere, but haven't been able to find it.

[PoGo]

I'm curious how much you'll end with, Fritz_Monroe. Please let us know!

 

Leah, that's interesting. I was taught that yellow or brown onion skin adds a real nice golden color and that things like celery leaves and broccoli will add bitterness.

[Fritz_Monroe]

I'll make sure I keep track of what all I put in. It will probably be next weekend. I want to gather some additional scraps.

 

I've also heard that onion skins give it the nice color.

[HSmom]

I used fresh and dried celery leaves all the time and haven't noticed any bitterness.

 

[PoGo]

LOL, I used the celery leaves in my last batch of chicken stock. Didn't taste bitter to me!

[ArmyOfFive4God]

I use onion skins AND celery pieces (all of it, dried & fresh) in any of my stocks. I also do as Leah- I have a bag in the freezer & I just add to it & add to it & add to it, be it veggie pieces, bones, shrimp shells, etc.