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Epicurious

Basic Broths (Stocks)

Broths are easy and rewarding, since homemade broth is always better than canned. You’ll use it constantly-even in place of some of the water in the recipe above to cook beans. Make a big batch when you have time and freeze measured portions in heavy-duty plastic freezer storage bags. With slight variations, this simple formula will work for chicken, beef, or fish broth. You can often get the needed bones or carcasses from your butcher or fish market. If you need to substitute canned broth for homemade, use one 14 1/2-ounce can for every 1 3/4 cups broth.

Ingredients

3 quarts water
3 yellow onions, quartered
3 cloves garlic, mashed (optional)
3 stalks celery, chopped
About 6 pounds chicken neck, back, leg, or wing bones with meat scraps, browned, or about 6 pounds beef with lean meat scraps, browned, or 3 to 4 pounds fish carcasses (without heads) and/or shrimp or crab shells

Preparation

  1. Combine the water, onions, garlic, celery, and chicken bones or beef bones or fish carcasses and/or shells in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook up to 4 hours (but only about 1 hour for fast-cooking fish stock). Strain and refrigerate. For chicken or beef broth, skim congealed fat from the surface before using.

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