How to Make Stock (Chicken, Beef, and Vegetable)
Quick steps (5 h)
You need: large stockpot (8 L / 8 qt or bigger), ladle or skimmer, fine-mesh sieve, roasting pan (for brown stock), storage containers
Stock is a flavourful liquid made by gently simmering bones, vegetables, and aromatics in water for several hours, then straining. A good stock is rich in gelatin from the bones, which gives soups, sauces, and braises body and a silky texture you can't get from water.
Why stock works
Bones and connective tissue are full of collagen, a tough structural protein. Held in hot water for hours, collagen slowly breaks down into gelatin, which dissolves into the liquid. That's what makes a well-made stock set like jelly when chilled. See collagen and gelatin.
Meagre bits of meat on the bones, plus the vegetables and herbs, contribute flavour. Roasting the bones first adds deep, roasted Maillard reaction flavours and colour.
The two big rules come from simple physics:
- Start cold. As water heats slowly, soluble proteins dissolve, then coagulate into foam that rises and can be skimmed. Starting hot sets them in place, clouding the stock.
- Never boil hard. A rolling boil churns fat into tiny droplets and keeps fine particles suspended, making cloudy, greasy stock. A bare simmer, around 85–95 °C / 185–205 °F, with a bubble breaking the surface every second or two, keeps it clear.
Types of stock
| Stock | Bones | Simmer time | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| White chicken | Raw chicken backs, wings, feet | 3–4 hours | Soups, risotto, velouté, pan sauces |
| Brown chicken | Roasted chicken bones | 3–4 hours | Gravies, darker sauces |
| Brown beef or veal | Roasted knuckle, marrow, and neck bones | 6–8 hours | Demi-glace, braises, French onion soup |
| Fish (fumet) | White fish frames, heads (gills removed) | 20–30 minutes | Seafood soups and sauces |
| Vegetable | Onion, carrot, celery, mushroom, leek | 45–60 minutes | Vegetarian soups, risotto |
Fish and vegetable stocks get bitter or muddy if cooked too long, so keep them short.
Ingredients (about 3 L / 3 qt chicken stock)
- 2–2.5 kg / 4.5–5.5 lb chicken bones (backs, necks, wings; add 2–4 feet for extra gelatin)
- 4 L / 4 qt cold water, enough to cover by about 5 cm / 2 in
- Mirepoix: 1 large onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped (about 10% of the bone weight in total)
- A bouquet garni: 1 bay leaf, 4–5 thyme sprigs, a handful of parsley stems
- 8–10 black peppercorns
Steps
- For brown stock, roast the bones on a sheet pan at 220 °C / 425 °F for 45–60 minutes, until deep golden-brown. Add the mirepoix for the last 20 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a little water and add it to the pot.
- Put the bones in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 5 cm / 2 in. More water just dilutes it.
- Bring slowly to a bare simmer over medium heat, which usually takes 30–45 minutes. Don't let it boil.
- Skim the grey foam with a ladle as it rises, especially in the first 20–30 minutes.
- Add the mirepoix and aromatics once the foam has mostly stopped, after about 30 minutes. (For brown stock, they may already be roasted.)
- Simmer uncovered at a lazy bubble. Chicken: 3–4 hours. Beef or veal: 6–8 hours. Top up with hot water if the bones become exposed.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, lined with cheesecloth for very clear stock. Don't press on the solids; that pushes cloudiness through.
- Cool quickly. Divide into shallow containers, or set the pot in a sink of ice water and stir. Food safety guidance is to cool from 60 °C / 140 °F to 21 °C / 70 °F within 2 hours, and to 4 °C / 40 °F within about 4 more hours. Never leave a big pot to cool overnight on the stove.
- Remove the fat once the stock is chilled; it will set on top in a solid layer. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 6 months.
Shortcuts
Pressure cooker: 60–90 minutes at high pressure extracts as much gelatin as several hours of simmering. The stock may be a bit cloudier.
Slow cooker: 8–12 hours on low gives a clear, mild stock with little attention.
Scrap bag: Keep a freezer bag of onion ends, carrot peels, celery tops, and roast chicken carcasses. When it's full, make stock.
Common mistakes and fixes
Cloudy stock. It boiled, or you pressed the solids. It still tastes fine for soups. For clear soup, see consommé.
Weak flavour. Too much water or too little time. Simmer uncovered to reduce and concentrate.
No gel. Not enough collagen-rich parts. Add chicken feet, wings, or pork trotters next time, and use less water.
Greasy. Chill and lift off the solid fat, or skim with a ladle while hot.
Bitter or sour. Vegetables overcooked, or you included strong-flavoured scraps like cabbage, broccoli, or too many onion skins.
Stock went sour in the fridge. It cooled too slowly or sat too long in the danger zone. Discard it and cool faster next time.
Stock vs. broth
Stock is bone-based and unsalted, built for cooking. Broth is meat-based, seasoned, and ready to eat. See stock vs. broth for more, or chicken stock substitutes if you need a shortcut.
Questions
What is the difference between stock and broth?
Stock is made mostly from bones and is usually unseasoned, so it's rich in gelatin and sets when chilled. Broth is made mostly from meat, is seasoned, and is meant to be sipped or served as soup.
Why is my stock cloudy?
It boiled. Hard boiling emulsifies fat and churns fine proteins into the liquid. Keep it at a bare simmer and skim early; a cloudy stock is still perfectly good to cook with.
Why didn't my stock gel?
There wasn't enough collagen, or there was too much water. Use more joints, wings, feet, or knuckle bones, cover them by only 5 cm (2 in) of water, and simmer long enough to extract the gelatin.
How long does homemade stock last?
About 3–4 days in the fridge, or 4–6 months in the freezer. Freeze it in measured portions, such as 250 mL or 500 mL containers or ice-cube trays, so you can thaw only what you need.
Should you salt stock?
No. Leave stock unsalted so you can reduce it for sauces without it becoming too salty. Season the dish you use it in.