Stock for Soup: A Guide to Adding Stock to Soup

In most soup recipes, you will see stock listed as one of the ingredients. In fact, some of the earliest soups in history were little more than stock. There are several ways of adding stock to soup, and each method has its pros and cons. Here, we will look at why you need stock for soup, the pros and cons of the different options, and how to make homemade stock for soup.

Why Do You Need Stock for Soup?

The predominant reason that you need stock for soup is to add flavour. Although there is some flavour in the cooking water when you make soup, the stock adds a more intense flavour.

Can You Make Soup Without Stock?

Yes, you can make soup without stock. You can use other liquids in your soup. However, it is essential to note that stock is one of the best and simplest ways of adding flavour. For different ways to add flavour, you should read our article on adding flavour to soups with herbs and spices.

What Are the Different Types of Stock for Soup?

There are four basic options when it comes to choosing stock for soup, all of which are available in various flavours, including vegetable, chicken, fish, and beef. These are:

• Dried stock cubes
• Stock pastes
• Liquid stocks
• Homemade stocks

Dried Stock for Soup: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Readily available in shops
• Cheap to buy
• Convenient
• Long shelf-life
• Easy to use

Cons

• Flavour not as good as homemade stock
• Some have a high salt content

Liquid and Paste Stock: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Easy to use
• Convenient
• More flavoursome than stock cubes

Cons

• More expensive than stock cubes
• Shelf-life can vary between brands
• Less flavoursome than homemade soup

Homemade Stock for Soup: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Better flavour
• Full control over flavour
• Control over salt levels
• Low cost

Cons

• The most time-consuming option

Simple Stock Collection

A simple way of collecting homemade stock without the effort of making the homemade version from scratch is to save the juices from the meat you roast. For example, if you cook a gammon joint, keep any leftover ham and the juices in the bottom of the roasting tin. A ham stock and scraps are ideal for making pea and ham soup or a ham and vegetable soup the next day.

The Principles of Making Homemade Stock for Soup

According to Quizlet (https://quizlet.com/153918729/7-principles-of-stock-making-flash-cards/), there are seven principles for making homemade stock for soup. The seven stock-making principles are:

1. Always start with cold water: The best way to get flavour into your stock is to start with cold water
2. Never boil the stock: Always bring your stock to a simmer rather than bringing to the boil. Simmering will release the flavours of the ingredients slowly, while boiling will remove a lot of the taste.
3. Skim the stock frequently: As you are cooking the stock, a scum will form on the top. You want the stock as clear as possible, so you should skim the stock frequently.
4. Carefully strain the stock: When the stock is ready, make sure you strain it carefully so that only the liquid remains.
5. Cool the stock quickly: If your stock cools slowly, it will lose some of its flavours. Therefore, you should cool the stock quickly. TIP: Adding a couple of ice cubes will speed up this process.
6. Label the storage pots properly: When you are storing your stock, make sure you have clearly labelled them with the type of stock and the date that you made the stock.
7. Remove the fat the following day: Removing fat from stock is essential. If you leave the stock in the refrigerator, the fat will rise to the top and set by the next day. TIP: A quicker way of removing the fat is to add ice cubes during cooling. Not only does this speed up cooling, but the fat also gathers around the ice cubes and sets. Firm lumps of fat will form that you can easily remove with a spoon.

How to Make Vegetable Stock

Making vegetable stock for soup is surprisingly simple. It merely involves cooking vegetable in a pan of water to release their flavours into the liquid. The following points will help you to make the perfect vegetable stock.

• According to The Kitchn, some of the best vegetables to use to make stock are carrots, celery, leeks, and mushroom. However, you can experiment with different vegetables to create a stock with different flavours, such as parsnips, tomatoes, or cabbage.
• Try to use an equal amount of each of the ingredients you use to balance the taste.
• There are also some vegetables that you should avoid using when making stock. For example, courgettes (zucchini) and green beans can give your stock a bitter taste. Likewise, starchy vegetables, such as turnips, swede, and potatoes, can release starch into the water and create a liquid that has a gummy texture.
• To add flavour, you can also add some herbs to the water, but choose them carefully as you do not want the taste to become over powerful. For the same reason, you should not add spices, garlic or salt to the stock. These are ingredients that you can use as a seasoning during the soup-making process, but not included in the stock.
• Always wash and coarsely chop the vegetables before adding to the pan of cold water.
• Simmer the vegetables over medium heat for at least one hour to infuse the water with the flavours of the vegetables. Give the ingredients an occasional stir during cooking to release the flavours.

How to Make Chicken Stock

Many people make the mistake of discarding the carcass of a chicken, either after removing the raw meat or finishing a roasted chicken. However, BBC Food says that a chicken carcass is the best way of making homemade chicken stock. Not only can you use this stock for soup, but you can also use it for making gravy, stews, casseroles, curries, and many other dishes.

Here are some tips for making homemade chicken stock.

• To make the stock, you will need a chicken carcass, including any leftover skin. You will also need a roughly chopped carrot, a head of garlic cut horizontally, a large onion cut in half, and a couple of roughly chopped stalks of celery.
• Optional ingredients include black peppercorns and a couple of sprigs of thyme.
• Put the ingredients in a pan of cold water, with enough water to cover all the ingredients, and heat to a simmer over medium heat.
• Simmer for approximately three hours, removing the scum from the top of the stock occasionally.
• After three hours, strain the chicken stock into a container for storage and chill.
• You can also make this chicken stock by adding all the ingredients and water to a slow cooker, then cooking on high heat for eight hours.

How to Make Beef Stock for Soup

The most important ingredient for beef stock is bones. The marrow from the bones is what adds most of the flavour to the stock. According to Delia Online, many butchers will sell marrowbones to customers for just a few pence, and they will even cut them up for you if you ask nicely. Here are some tips for making beef stock.

Light Beef Stock

• You will need 1.5-pounds chopped marrowbones, a chopped carrot, a halved onion, a couple of chopped celery stalks, a bay leaf, and around eight black peppercorns.
• Put all the ingredients in a large stock pan and cover with water.
• Simmer over a medium heat for three to four hours.
• Every half hour remove any scum from the top of the stock.
• When the stock has simmered for up to four hours, strain the stock into a container so that only the liquid remains.

Dark Beef Stock

For a richer beef stock with a deeper flavour and colour, you should roast the ingredients first. Use these tips:

• Spread the bones and vegetables in a roasting tin, then put it into the oven on high heat for 45 minutes.
• Remove the tray from the oven halfway through cooking to spoon the juices over bones and vegetables.
• Once roasted, add the ingredients to the pot of water with the bay leaf and peppercorns, then cook in the same way as light beef stock.

How to Make Fish Stock for Soup

If you buy a whole fish and fillet it yourself at home, you can use the bones and fish scraps to make your stock. Alternatively, you can ask your local fishmonger if he has any fish heads and carcasses you can use to make the stock. The bones and scraps will not cost you a lot, and some fishmongers will even give you them for free.

Here are some tips for making homemade fish stock for soup.

• You will need a kilogram of chopped and clean fish bones.
• Other ingredients you can use are a stick of chopped celery, a small, chopped onion, half a chopped fennel, the chopped white of one leek, half a bulb of garlic, a couple of slices of lemon, and 500 ml. of white wine.
• You may also wish to add some other flavours and aromatics, such as pink or white peppercorns, fennel seeds, parsley, tarragon, or some dill.
• Add all your chosen ingredients to a large pot of cold water.
• Bring the pan to a simmer and cook for three hours, so the liquid is flavourful.
• Remove the scum from the top of the stock every half an hour.
• After three hours, strain the stock, so only the liquid remains.
• Leave to cool and then store.

Storing Stock for Soup: How Long Can You Store Stock?

If you are not ready to use your stock until a later date, you can store it in either the refrigerator or the freezer. It is essential to label the container with the date so that you know when you made the stock, and for how long you can store it. However, there are specific rules for each type of stock. Here is a brief guide:

• Vegetable stock: You can store vegetable stock for soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. If you want to save the sock for a later date, you can also freeze the stock for up to three months.
• Chicken stock: You can store chicken stock in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. It is also possible to free the chicken stock for up to three months.
• Beef stock: It is possible to store beef stock in the refrigerator for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three months.
• Fish stock: Like chicken and beef stock, you can keep fish stock in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also freeze it for up to three months.

Which Type of Stock Should You Use with Which Soups?

Each of the stocks outlined in this article will work with different types of soup. The following is a brief guide to using your stock.

Vegetable stock: For vegans and vegetarians, vegetable stock is the only option for soup-making or any other dishes. However, you do not need to be a vegetarian or vegan to use this type of stock. It will work well for any vegetable-based soup.

Chicken stock: If you are not a vegetarian, then you may choose to use chicken stock in vegetable-based soups for extra flavour. However, it is also the best option for any soups or other dishes that include chicken as one of the ingredients, such as cock-a-leekie.

Beef stock: Any soups featuring beef should include a beef stock. However, beef stock is also a good option for vegetable-based soups if you want a deep and rich flavour. The perfect example of using beef stock in a vegetable-based soup is French onion soup.

Fish stock: Generally, you will use fish stocks in soups that feature fish or seafood as an ingredient, such as bouillabaisse, chowder, Cullen skink, or prawn laksa. Great British Chefs says it is also an excellent base for a sauce for dishes featuring fish or seafood.

Other stocks: Although this article has covered vegetable, chicken, beef, and fish stock for soup, there are also different varieties of stock that you can make. For example, you may wish to make a pork stock using pork bones for a Chinese soup with dumplings, or a ham stock for a pea and ham soup. You will use the same principles of stock-making to create these stocks.