Soup Essentials: Broth and Stocks

By Sylvie Ryan, our Culinary Educator
I love soups, so I decided over the past holiday to start reusing as many food leftovers (such as leftover turkey) as possible to create homemade broth and stock. I quickly discovered that all those scraps of meats and vegetable skins and trims were just perfect for easy and delicious soup bases!

I keep a couple of large, heavy-duty bags in my freezer, one for meat scraps and the other for veggies, and in them I store all my leftovers, saving until I have enough to make a large amount of broth.

The best vegetables trims and skins to use for this purpose are onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery, squash, mushrooms and leeks (just to name a few). I do not use cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus because they tend to overpower the broth. I also rarely use tomatoes, unless I know I am making Minestrone soup. As for meats, when using poultry I make sure to de-bone the turkey or chicken, but save the bones because they will add a lot of depth to the bouillon.

I’m often asked what the difference is between stock and broth. They are very similar, both made with simmered water with meat and/or bones, and usually some vegetables and aromatic herbs, then strained. They are both utilized as a base for soups, sauces, and gravies. Stock is predominantly made of bones and some trim, while broth is made with pieces of actual meat, making it richer and more akin to a finished product that can be served on its own. However, both these rich liquids can be used interchangeably in most recipes.

A great way to store broth and stocks is to freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer the cubes to a plastic freezer bag. This helps you have measured, smaller amounts for cooking sauces. I also like to keep a larger container for my soup base. I noticed this winter in particular, I have been making soup weekly, as broth making is easy and very inexpensive.

Here are two recipes I frequently use, both of which can be adapted to your own taste. A good rule of thumb is to have about half solid ingredients to half water.

Vegetable Stock
This is a versatile stock for all vegetarian soups. Makes about 3 quarts

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 gallon-size bag Trims and Skins of various vegetables (saved in the freezer)
3 Tbsp Tamari Sauce (I use the low sodium version)
2 Bay Leaves
2 tsp Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
4 quarts Water

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, and sauté the chopped onion until soft and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the vegetable scraps, the tamari sauce, bay leaves, salt and freshly ground pepper.. Stir well and add the water. Lower the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour at. Keep in mind that the longer you simmer the stock the richer it will become. Leave to cool, then strain and discard the vegetables and bay leafe. The stock is ready to use. Alternatively, chill or freeze the stock.


Chicken Stock
A good homemade poultry stock is very tasty and can be used in sauces and soups. Once made, it can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or frozen for up to 6 months. Makes about 3 quarts

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Onions, chopped
1 Gallon-size Chicken leftover meats and bones
4 quarts Water
A few sprigs Fresh Thyme or 1 tsp Dried Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
5 Black Peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 tsp Salt

Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot, heat over medium heat and sauté the until soft and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken leftovers, the water, thyme, bay leaves, crushed peppercorns and salt. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and slowly cook for 2-3 hours (a slow cooker works great). Strain the stock through a strainer into a large bowl and leave to cool. Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. When cold, carefully remove the layer of fat that will have set on the surface. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.