A family member was recently in the hospital and I brought her a trio of soups – leek and potato, cream of asparagus and spicy sweet potato peanut. The morning of my scheduled visit, I filled my stock pot with chicken bones. I added to this bits and ends of vegetables I had saved for such an occasion, as well as garlic, onion, peppercorns and bay leaf and covered it all with water.

series of soups

A lot of magic can come from a big pot and a bag of bones (usually chicken); if you like soups, stews and gravy, water or instant broth will do in a pinch but you need stock to make them taste like you put your foot in it. While you can buy soup bones in grocery stores you may be better off asking your local butcher, who is more likely to have bones from healthier animals, for superior results. Most should have a surplus either fresh or frozen for about $2/lb because of the wide popularity of more expensive and less flavourful boneless meats. Once the stock is made, I freeze portions in varying sizes – ice cubes and single serving seal-able containers for gravies, reductions or moistening a roast, and large portions for a big stew or curry.

All you need to know to make stock is this:

1) Fill your biggest pot 2/3 – 3/4 of the way with raw, frozen or roasted chicken bones (they are most versatile in flavour, but pork is good too) and veg such as (halved, chopped or whole) onion, garlic, carrot, celery, stems and ends or peelings and cores of things you might normally throw away or compost. Proportions of ingredients will vary depending on what’s in your kitchen that day and how big your biggest pot is. I will usually use 2 smallish bird carcasses but more or less is fine too.

2) Cover it all plus an inch or two with cold water and add a little salt, peppercorns and a bay leaf. This keeps the flavour relatively neutral since I will add herbs and spices or more strong tasting ingredients later, (like mushrooms, chillies or lemon) when I use the stock as an ingredient for something.

3) Bring to a boil then turn to low, with the lid half on, simmering for as little as 1 and no more than 3 hours. Less will have a mild or no taste but any longer may taste gamey. Some sludge will collect on the top as it reduces. You may skim this off with a spoon or not – I find little difference in taste when I do this.

4) When you are satisfied with the results, drain through a fine sieve or use a slotted spoon to dig up the solids and pour into portioned containers for fridge (to use in the next week or so) and freezer (stores indefinitely).

Good to use in place of water when cooking rice or other grains for a savoury flavour, or as a base for any liquid or saucy dish you desire.