The foundation that makes everything taste better
Great cooking starts with great stock. It’s the quiet hero behind rich soups, glossy sauces, and deep flavour — and it’s one of the simplest things you can make at home.
I always say: if you can boil water, you can make stock.
The difference is learning how to keep it clean, clear and full of flavour (without additives and without drama).
What you’ll learn in this tutorial
- How to pull maximum flavour from bones and veg
- The simple tricks for clear stock (no cloudy soup water here)
- How to make it stovetop or pressure cooker
- How to use veg trimmings and leftover roast chicken bones (less waste, more value)
- How to store and freeze it so you’ve always got “liquid gold” ready to go
Why bother making your own?
Because once you’ve got proper stock in the freezer, weeknight cooking becomes easier:
- soups and noodle bowls taste like you tried harder than you did
- risotto gets depth without extra ingredients
- sauces get that glossy, restaurant finish
- and you control what’s in it (no weird additives)
You’ll need
- A large stockpot or pressure cooker
(I highly recommend the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 for ease.) - Raw chicken bones (frames, wings, necks — or leftover roast chicken bones)
- Onion, carrot, celery (roughly chopped)
- Bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns, thyme
- Cold water
- Fine strainer or muslin cloth
- Airtight containers for storing/freezing
Method: Stovetop (classic way)
- Add bones to a large pot. Add onion, carrot, celery and aromatics.
- Cover with cold water (cold start helps pull flavour gently).
- Bring up slowly until it reaches a gentle simmer.
- Skim any foam that rises to the top in the first 20–30 minutes.
- Keep it at a bare simmer (don’t boil), uncovered or slightly cracked lid.
- Simmer until you’re happy with the flavour (usually a few hours).
- Strain through a fine strainer or muslin.
- Cool quickly, portion, and store.
Method: Pressure cooker (fast and tidy)
- Add bones + veg + aromatics to the pot.
- Add cold water (don’t overfill — follow your cooker’s max line).
- Pressure cook, then allow pressure to release safely.
- Strain, cool, portion and store.
(Same flavour principles — just faster, and your kitchen stays cleaner and cooler.)
Chef’s Tricks (this is the bit that makes it “good”)
- Cold water start: better extraction, cleaner flavour.
- Gentle simmer only: boiling makes stock cloudy and can taste “muddy.”
- Don’t stir it like soup: let it do its thing.
- Skim early: that’s where clarity comes from.
- Don’t salt your stock: season the dish you use it in (stock reduces, salt concentrates).
- Use trimmings: celery leaves, herb stalks, carrot ends — all good (just avoid bitter brassica scraps like lots of broccoli/cauli).
Optional: Turn it into an Asian Master Stock
If you want that next-level “everything tastes incredible” base, add:
- star anise
- lemongrass
- ginger
- coriander
That’s a brilliant foundation for noodles, dumplings, ramen-ish bowls, or braises.
Storage (simple + safe)
- Cool it fast (shallow containers help).
- Fridge for near-term use, freezer for longer storage.
- Portion it in meal-sized amounts so you’re not thawing a whole bucket every time.
Final word from Chef Ian
"Once you make your own stock you will never use store bought again."
Chef Ian
