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Homemade Stock in the Left Over Ranch Cookbook
Bob Johnson

Homemade Stock

Inspired by watching Andreas Viestad make his duck stock, this simple homemade stock saves money, reduces waste, and tastes far better than anything from a can. Make it vegetable only or add leftover protein bits for endless variations — chicken, duck, shellfish and more.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Basics
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vegetables
  • 1 large carrot or 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 large stalks celery, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/2 small leek, chopped (optional)
Stock Base
  • 8 cups water, minimum
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp ground Himalayan or Icelandic salt
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Optional Protein
  • chicken wing tips, necks or giblets
  • duck necks or giblets
  • shellfish shells
  • other leftover protein bits

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven
  • slotted spoon
  • fine mesh strainer
  • quart measuring cup
  • Mason jar for storage

Method
 

  1. Sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring often, until they become fragrant. Add the water, bay leaves, and protein if using, stirring to combine.
  2. Boil and reduce. Turn the heat up to bring to a good boil, then reduce back to medium. Add the salt and pepper and allow to reduce by about 50%, approximately 45-60 minutes. Add more water if needed depending on your planned usage.
  3. Strain. Remove the large pieces with a slotted spoon then strain the stock into a quart measuring cup. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Use immediately in risotto and other dishes while warm.
  4. Store. Pour into a clean mason jar, seal the lid, and refrigerate for up to two weeks. Alternatively portion into airtight containers and freeze for later use.

Notes

This recipe is the essence of the Left Over Ranch philosophy, save money, waste nothing, and make something better than store bought in the process. The protein variations are what make this truly versatile, chicken wing tips and necks make a rich poultry stock, shellfish shells create a beautiful seafood base, and duck giblets produce a deeply flavored stock worthy of a fine restaurant. Inspired by Norwegian chef Andreas Viestad and his approach to duck stock. This recipe appears in the Basics chapter of the Left Over Ranch Cookbook by Bob Johnson.