Good stock (or broth) is not the most expensive so-called broth from the supermarket. They are just water with a bit of salt and artificial flavour. Let’s make some old-fashioned, deliciously awesome, grandma-style stock.
And yeah, it’s stock and not broth because, technically, we won’t add meat to it, just bones. Although there might be some meat remaining in the bones, in which case… let’s call it whatever the fuck you want and get started, because it’s an extremely easy recipe, but it takes tiiiiiime.

- Wash and roughly chop 1 potato, 1 carrot, 1 celery stick and 1 leek
- Add the veggies to the biggest pot you have, add a handful of soaked (or canned) chickpeas and bones like a chicken carcass, beef bones, pork bones or a combination of them
- Cover with abundant cold water, add a pinch of salt and bring to boil. See that foamy thing appearing in the surface? Remove it, it’s the fat from the bones and you don’t want it
- Once it starts boiling, turn the heat down and let it simmer for 45 min (for a watery stock) to 3 hours (for an intense stock). And keep removing the fat from time to time you lazy! Don’t leave it there for hours while you’re watching a whole season of Game of Thrones.
Some fucking tips
- Stock needs time and I know you don’t have many, so prepare it once and freeze it. It’s going to taste the same and you’ll have it whenever you want.
- If you let it cool down, it’ll become like jelly -which is a great sign- and a layer of fat will appear on top. Get rid of it as you’d do if summer holidays were two weeks from now.
- Can I use meat instead of bones? You’ll technically get broth instead of stock but who cares! It’s just a kind of more expensive stock.
- DON’T THROW THE VEGGIES AWAY! Make a soup or something with them, add more chickpeas and make a dish. If you add meat, fucking use it! It’s not going to be super tasty but use it in a salad or with a flavourful sauce and enjoy!
If you’re too lazy to read all of the above just boil water with things in it for an hour and you’ll get a tasty water -broth, essentially.
Easy right?
The Fucking Chef
I love your approach! Great stuff!
Re stock – I tend to add skin (especially chicken) and any other trimmings. Even what appears to be fat goes in – it generally has plenty connective tissue in it, just means more liquid fat to skim off at the end…. But not bacon rind or fat – too salty.
Regards …. A
Thanks Andy, I bet the extra skimming is worth the taste!