How to make a stock

Q. What are some basic stock recipes?

A. Thank you Iris for my first question on my blog. Stock is a lot easier to make than you might think. Here are some easy recipes for chicken, beef, and vegetable stock:

• Chicken Stock: Place 4 pounds chicken backs, wings, and bones in a large stock pot. Add 4 quarts cold water, 2 large sliced onions, 2 sliced carrots, 2 sliced ribs celery with leaves, 1 bay leaf, 4 peppercorns, 2 sprigs parsley, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Slowly bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer, skimming off surface foam for first 30 minutes. Simmer a total of 2 hours; strain. Makes about 7 cups.

• Beef Stock: Preheat oven to 450°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large roasting pan. Add 4 pounds beef bones and brown in oven, about 10 minutes, stirring pieces frequently. Add 2 large sliced onions, 2 sliced carrots, 2 sliced ribs celery with leaves and roast until browned. Transfer bones and vegetables to a large stock pot. Pour off fat from roasting pan and deglaze with 1 cup hot water, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan; pour into stockpot. Add 1 bay leaf, 4 peppercorns, 2 sprigs parsley and 1 teaspoon dried thyme to stock-pot and cover with 4 quarts cold water. Slowly bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer 4 to 5 hours, skimming off surface foam during first 30 minutes of cooking; strain. Makes about 3 quarts.

• Vegetable Stock: Combine 3 each finely chopped carrots, celery, leeks, and onions, along with 1/2 pound mushroom pieces, 1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs parsley, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme in a large stockpot. Cover with 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, 2 hours; strain. Makes about 2 quarts.