Stock From Scraps: Turning Leftovers Into a Base

Onion ends, carrot peel and a roast chicken carcass are not rubbish. Simmered gently, they become the foundation of soups, sauces and braises.

What stock is

Stock is a savoury liquid made by simmering bones, vegetables and aromatics in water. It is the base of many soups, stews and sauces.

Save as you cook

• Keep a bag in the freezer for clean vegetable trimmings.
• Add bones from roasts and the ends of herb bunches.
• Leave out strongly flavoured or bitter scraps such as cabbage cores.

Making it

1. Cover the scraps with cold water in a large pot.
2. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer; do not boil hard, or it turns cloudy.
3. Skim off foam in the first part of cooking.
4. Simmer for a few hours for bones, less for vegetables only.
5. Strain, cool quickly and refrigerate or freeze.

Do not salt it yet

Leave stock unsalted. You will reduce it in sauces, and salt concentrates; season the final dish instead.

Freeze some in ice-cube trays. A few cubes rescue a pan sauce on a busy evening.

Last cooked and checked 2026-10-20