that instant stock is a world apart from freshly made

[medona]

I'm not trying to be snobby about cubes, they certainty have a place. But the depth of flavour is just not there compaired to something freshly made with natural ingredients right?

Another one who prefers Knorr Stock Pots, sacrilege as that is to some on here. I do make my own stock, as I'm one of those people who has to use EVERY FUCKING BIT of the chicken (and no, I can't get a week's worth out of mine either! ), but I've always found it a bit insipid too.

I think the only truly flavourful stock I ever managed to make was using a turkey leg, and the only reason I used that was because it was bloody inedible any other way.

I suspect they do. You can get the same effect from a parmasan rind.

The recipe I use is roast bones (unless it is fish or light chicken stock), celery tops, leek tops garlic, herbs, bay, pepper, salt. No carrots. Boil for 15 minutes add a jug of cold water and skim. Then simmer for a couple of hours. Leave over night, drain and then reduce to about a quarter of the volume.

Fish stock is so quick that I do it as I need it. Fish bones (not the heads or salmon bones), celery leaf, leek top, salt, pepper, parsley & chervil (if I have it) and half a bay. Bring to boil, skim and then simmer 15 minutes. Drain and reduce.

nooka - yes to using homemade in risottos! I find the stock pots a bit overpowering in those.

I feel like you're stating the obvious.

Of course stock cubes don't taste as good, but they're convenient.

My stock is never as strong/tasty as a stock pot. It irritates me because I find stock pots so salty, but can't get the flavour I want from my own.

I prefer Knorr Stock Pots too.

I've yet to taste a home made stock that wasn't too weak/subtle in flavour.

Commercial stock is far more tasty, probably because it contains a lot more salt.

Why the fuck are you discussing instant/home made stock on the internet Worra? Is this what your life has become?

I make stock every week, just pop in chicken carcass, any vegetables I have - usually leeks, carrots and herbs, onion etc. Leave to simmer away for a bit, strain and pop into fridge.

It honestly couldn't be easier. I barely bother to chop anything.

Cubes are okay for some things but the flavour of decent fresh stock is much better for risotto, paella, etc.

Worra

I'm vegetarian and I've tried homemade stock and it always finishes up tasting like dishwater.

Knorr stockpots all the way.

WorraLiberty Add more salt to your homemade stock.

There's a really good forum at www.boilingupbones.com where most of us discuss it.

Stock is an ingredient to make something else. It is flavoured water..I have better things to do. I reckon buying the ready made good quality stock in tubs is probably cheaper than the cost of the gas/electricity to boil bones for hours and hours.

Its far cheaper to make your own, not overloaded with horid flavour enhancers / msg too.

Just boil in a pressure cooker for a few mins, don't forget the peppercorns and bay leaves. I just use veg that has past its best. I pop it in the freezer ready to make fresh stock.

It does take a lot of freezer room though, and I don't have that.

I do make stock occasionally. I don't like the Knorr stock pots, they've got an odd taste, the Oxo ones are better.

There's Forums were posters discuss making stock?

So this is a specialist interest area?

I use a Stock Pot jelly cube thing. The only times I've made stock myself it's been very boring to do and even more boring to eat.

Its far cheaper to make your own, not overloaded with horid flavour enhancers / msg too

I disagree. I have given up with making my own stock as even if you count the chicken carcass as 'free' you still need between 50 pence and a quid's worth of vegetables and the gas to do it and it is just a messy and expensive way of making a pan of tasteless dishwater.

I use kallo organic stock cubes or marigold powder instead - costs a fraction of the price, what 10 to 20 pence per pint instead of over a pound?

I am a snobby food snob about lots of things and think that home made cake is far superior to anything that you can buy but have never successfully made my own stock or thought that it was worth the effort to do so. Same for hoummus and pesto - again expensive and messy and no better or worse than just buying it.

I'm no homemade stock evangelist but chicken stock made from boiled up carcass packs ten times the flavour of shop bought.

I usually just eat it as soup.

Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon Powder

Is all I have to say - no need for nasty additives, no need for interminable boiling, just yummy.

Just boil in a pressure cooker for a few mins, don't forget the peppercorns and bay leaves

I don't have a pressure cooker.

Yes to Swiss Veg Bouillon.

There's a really good forum at www.boilingupbones.com where most of us discuss it

A sentence I never thought I'd read...

Another one who make their own stock then chucks a stock cube or spoonful of bouillon powder into it.
The only stock I make that doesn't need a bit of help is ham stock and that's because it's really salty.
Chicken stock is particularly difficult because I've usually used a lot of the best flavour from roasting it and making gravy. I think it needs that lovely savoury marmitey stuff from the bottom of the roasting tin. When I boil up the bones with carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, salt and peppercorns, it just tastes like a bland soup.
I never have really have any pork or beef bones to boil either so unless I buy a joint of meat or bones to boil specially for stock I couldn't make my own.

My hoummus is never right either. I've tried loads of ratios but it's never as good as bought.

The problem with homemade stock isn't making it but storing it. It takes up a lot of room in the freezer compared to a tiny jelly Knorr thingy which is really nice.

So I need a bigger freezer and a pressure cooker to make cheaper stock.

I don't think I'll bother.

No. You don't need a pressure cooker, you just need to boil some bones in a saucepan for 20 mins.

Or not, if the idea doesn't appeal.

Notso I love above a Middle-Eastern food shop and would be mad to even think of trying to make my own hummous. Theirs is sublime (if hummous can be said to be sublime).