Vegetable Stock Recipe by Alton Brown That’s Foolproof Every Time

Vegetable stock weaves culinary magic, transforming mundane meals into symphony-like sensations.

This liquid treasure carries profound flavor depths that dance across your palate.

Crafting an exceptional vegetable stock demands passion and precision from home chefs.

Vibrant, fresh produce becomes the foundation of a spectacular cooking canvas.

Simmering creates an alchemical process where vegetables whisper their most delicate notes into a transformative liquid.

Each carefully selected ingredient contributes its unique personality, building complex flavor landscapes.

Professional cooks understand this humble brew represents the soul of remarkable cuisine.

Unleash your inner culinary artist and let this golden elixir elevate every dish you create.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Calories: 10 kcal

Servings: 8

What You Need for Alton Brown’s Vegetable Stock

• Carrots: Choose firm, vibrant orange carrots without soft spots or blemishes.
• Celery: Look for crisp, bright green stalks with minimal wilting.
• Leek Tops: Select fresh, green parts with no signs of yellowing or sliminess.
• Garlic: Pick firm, plump cloves with tight, intact papery skins.

• Parsley, Thyme: Seek bright green, perky herbs with strong, fresh fragrance.
• Bay Leaves: Opt for whole, intact dried leaves with rich, deep green color.

• Salt, Black Pepper: Choose high-quality, freshly ground options for robust flavor profile.
• Water: Use clean, filtered water for the purest stock taste.

Stockpot & Tools for Alton Brown’s Vegetable Stock

• Large Stockpot: Spacious cooking vessel perfect for simmering vegetables and creating rich, flavorful stock.
• Cutting Board: Sturdy surface for chopping carrots, celery, and preparing ingredients.
• Chef's Knife: Sharp blade for precisely cutting vegetables into rough chunks.
• Measuring Cup: Helps accurately add water to the stock.
• Wooden Spoon: Great for stirring and checking stock during simmering process.
• Strainer/Colander: Essential tool for separating cooked vegetables from liquid stock.
• Storage Containers: Airtight vessels for cooling and storing homemade vegetable stock.
• Heat-Resistant Gloves: Optional safety gear for handling hot pot and straining stock.

Cooking Directions for Vegetable Stock

• Gather Garden Treasures (Collect) Raid your kitchen for vibrant vegetables like carrots, celery, leeks, and aromatic herbs. Select the freshest produce to create a magical flavor base that will transform your cooking.
• Craft Liquid Gold (Combine) Toss your chopped garden gems into a spacious pot. Pour cool water over the vegetables, ensuring they're completely submerged. This is where the flavor alchemy begins.
• Coax Out Flavors (Simmer) Bring the mixture to a robust boil, then gently lower the heat. Let the liquid dance and bubble softly for an hour, allowing the vegetables to whisper their delicious secrets into the broth.
• Unveil Your Liquid Treasure (Strain) Carefully remove the pot from heat. Separate the softened vegetables from the rich, golden liquid using a strainer. Taste and season your stock with a pinch of salt and pepper, creating a liquid canvas for future culinary adventures.
• Preserve Your Creation (Store) Allow the stock to cool to room temperature. Pour into clean containers – your liquid gold is ready to elevate soups, risottos, and countless dishes. Refrigerate for quick use or freeze for future cooking magic that will make your meals sing with depth and flavor.

Alton Brown’s Tips for Better Veggie Stock

Experiment with different herb combinations like rosemary or sage to create unique taste profiles that match your cooking style.

Toss in additional vegetable scraps like onion peels, mushroom stems, or fennel tops to enhance the stock’s nutritional density and reduce food waste.

Roast vegetables before simmering to develop deeper, caramelized notes that add richness and complexity to your homemade stock.

Pour cooled stock into ice cube trays for convenient portion-controlled freezing, allowing easy access to small amounts when cooking sauces or adding quick flavor to dishes.

Serving Uses for Alton Brown’s Vegetable Stock

• Elevate Your Vegetable Stock Experience
• Soup Base Upgrade: Transform this homemade stock into a hearty soup by adding fresh diced vegetables, cooked protein, or noodles for a comforting meal.
• Risotto Magic: Use the stock as a rich liquid base when cooking risotto, infusing deep vegetable flavors into creamy rice dishes.
• Flavor Enhancer: Splash the stock into sautéed dishes, stir-fries, or use as a quick cooking liquid for grains like quinoa or rice to boost overall taste profile.
• Freezer Friendly Portions: Pour stock into ice cube trays, freeze, and store in freezer bags for convenient, small-portioned flavor boosters ready anytime.

How to Freeze Alton Brown’s Vegetable Stock

• Preserve Peak Freshness: Cool vegetable stock completely before storing to maintain optimal flavor and prevent bacterial growth.
• Refrigerator Revival: Store homemade stock in sealed glass containers or mason jars for up to 5 days, keeping it readily available for quick meal preparations.
• Freezer-Friendly Technique: Portion stock into freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays, allowing flexible usage for future cooking adventures. Label containers with date and quantity for easy tracking.
• Smart Storage Strategy: Leave slight headspace in containers when freezing to accommodate liquid expansion, preventing potential cracking or spillage during freezing process.

Foolproof Alton Brown Vegetable Stock Recipe

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4.7 from 38 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Alton Brown’s vegetable stock provides a rich, aromatic base for countless culinary creations. Home cooks can easily prepare this flavorful liquid with simple ingredients and minimal kitchen expertise. You’ll appreciate its versatility in soups, sauces, and risottos.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 medium onions, halved
• 4 medium carrots, chopped
• 1–2 medium celery stalks, chopped
• 1 garlic bulb, halved
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 1 handful fresh parsley
• 3 bay leaves
• leek or fennel tops, chopped
• 2 tsps sea salt
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 10–12 cups (2.4–2.8 L) filtered water

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Instructions

1. Ingredient Assembly: Gather carrots, celery, leek tops, whole garlic cloves, fresh parsley sprigs, thyme branches, bay leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper into a spacious stockpot, submerging all components completely with water.
2. Liquid Activation: Escalate heat to high, bringing the mixture to a vigorous boil, then immediately transition to a gentle, steady simmer by reducing temperature to low.
3. Flavor Infusion: Secure stockpot with a tight-fitting lid, allowing the aromatic liquid to develop rich, nuanced flavors through a slow, consistent cooking process for precisely 60 minutes.
4. Liquid Extraction: Carefully remove pot from heat source, strategically strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to capture the vibrant, herb-infused stock while separating and discarding softened vegetable remnants.
5. Seasoning Refinement: Taste the extracted vegetable stock, calibrating flavor profile by introducing additional salt and pepper to create a versatile culinary foundation perfect for soups, stews, and risotto preparations.

Notes

• Maximize Flavor Extraction: Simmer gently to coax out deep, rich vegetable essences without boiling aggressively, which can create bitter undertones.
• Ingredient Quality Matters: Use fresh, crisp vegetables at peak ripeness to ensure the most vibrant and robust stock flavor profile.
• Strain Carefully: Use a fine-mesh sieve to capture all delicate flavors while removing vegetable solids completely, creating a clean, pure liquid base.
• Storage Strategies: Cool stock quickly, then refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze in portion-sized containers for future culinary adventures.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 10
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 460mg
• Fat: 0g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 2g
• Fiber: 0.5g
• Protein: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg