basics

Veggie Scraps for Homemade Stock

One of my major money saving tips it to save your veggie and herb scraps for making broths.  Not only does this lessen waste, but you save money when making your own broths by not having to purchase the necessary veggies.

I keep 2 - gallon freezer bags, one labeled for chicken stock and one for veggie stock.  Whenever I am peeling carrots or chopping the bottom off of some celery, I throw it in one of the bags.

As a general rule, I use more basic scraps for chicken stock and more exotic scraps for veggie. You can also use veggies that may be a little past prime for eating raw, but that you do not want to throw away (do not use rotten or "expired" vegetables, however, or your broth will not be good).

Vegetables I may use for chicken broth, include:

When you cut the end off of the celery stalk, throw it in.  Any other pieces of celery you cut off as well.  Carrot tops and peels.  Pieces of onion.I like to hold the bag under my pepper grinder when I am filling it so that any little peppercorns that fall will make it in to the bag.Potato skins.  Bell pepper tops.

For veggie stalk I am more adventurous and pretty much throw in any veggie scraps I come by.