If you regularly read this blog, you know I’m a big fan of making homemade stock, bone broth (call it what you will). Not only does it contain great nutrients, but it has economic benefits and helps avoid wasting vegetables and the parts of your meat that don’t go on the plate as is.

I use stock in so many ways now that I always make it and need to keep it moving (I need an industrial-sized freezer over here). So here goes.

Ten Unexpected Ways to Use Stock:

1. Replace water with stock when cooking rice or other grains or pastas.
2. Add a bit of stock to a pan with brown sugar and a few fragrant herbs, a splash of wine, and reduce. Viola! You’ve got a glaze or reduction. Splash over a main dish, or spread on the plate as a garnish.
3. Sip on a mug of homemade stock/broth each afternoon with a pinch of salt. Relaxing like a cup of tea, and very nutritious.
4. Poach eggs in broth. This adds flavor to your eggs.
5. Make gravy from scratch.
6. Freeze in ice trays, store the cubes in a bag. When you serve soup, place a cube in each bowl so that the soup is slightly cooled for immediate eating.
7. Frozen cubes like in #6 above can be given to a dog on a hot day for a delicious, refreshing cold treat. Be sure any stock given to your pet contains no onions, garlic or any other onion type (green onion, shallot, etc). Use in place of water in dog or cat treat recipes.
8. Add to anything you’re sauteing. Just a bit at a time keeps your temperature controlled for slower cooking, and adds aromatic flavor.
9. Use in sauces such as bolognaise or ragu.
10. Share with your foodie or cook friends. Suggest they make homemade soup. Depending on the seasonings in your stock, you can save them time on making their own stock.

I have done every single thing on this list. Real homemade stock is easy to make, cuts down on waste, saves money and makes your food more nutritious.