Making your own pot of stock is rewarding in more ways than one, here why:

Health benefits

Packed with vitamins and minerals, homemade stocks have tons of great health benefits. Stocks have been used over centuries to assist with relieving gut problems and arthritis, in addition to soothing colds and flus.

Sodium and preservatives

Homemade stocks develop natural flavours compared to store-bought stocks, which are high in sodium, MSG and flavourings. Since we are ideally aiming to create a concentrated stock, any amount of salt added can potentially ruin it, altering the flavour of your dish.

Minimise waste

Instead of throwing away onion peels or celery stalks, why not transform them into something amazing. It is such a satisfying feeling to make something delicious using things that are considered to be scraps. If you are not turning your vegetable scraps into compost, making your own stock is the next best sustainable choice for you.

Time

Preparing a meal and making a stock at the same time can be easy. Simply place a pot of water on the stove and while you’re preparing your meal, discard any scraps into your pot and start to simmer. Making a stock may seem to be a time-consuming process but if you really look at it, all the work is practically done for you. Your prep time is 10 minutes – all that’s left is to let it simmer. Try making your stock in a pressure cooker to further cut down on cooking time.
 

Words: Jezza-Rae Larsen | Photography: Unsplash