Basic stock for everyday cooking.
Cooking: 1.5 to 2 hours
Ingredients
750g Venison bones
1 litre water
1/2 teaspoon boullion
If the bones are shin or thigh make sure they are cut so the flavour from the marrow can get into the stock. Make sure the bones are small enough to go into a small pan so they are submerged with the water.
Method
Place the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil, put the lid on and reduce the heat to a very low setting where the water is just bubbling and the lid stays unruffled by the steam. On my induction hob that’s 2/10.
Cook the stock for at least 90min, ideally 2 hours then put to one side to cool or use it straight away. Remember to pick at the bones to get any meat off, and to strain the stock to remove any bone fragments.
If you store the stock in the fridge use within 2-3 days.
The quantities are a guide to the proportions I find useful – If you want just multiply it all up and freeze it in 500ml blocks (see below). But if you stick to smaller batches you can play with flavours – roasting the bones first in the oven (200 c in a fan oven with a smear of olive oil adds a deeper flavour – good for gravy but not for broth. Up to you…
Why make your own stock?
You can buy stock, and stock cubes, but if like me you buy venison by the ‘beast’ then you want to make the best out of every bit…
Typically I’ll freeze maybe 5 or 6 packs of bones and use half the stock fresh, and freeze the other half. I could make a huge batch but I like to take the time and faff, playing with flavours because it’s how I like to relax.
Making Stock Blocks
Save up some large margarine tubs and keep the lids. Open out a plastic freezer bag and place it in the tub (remember to label it first),
Pour in the stock until it’s almost full, fold over the bag to cover the top then pop the lid on. Leave until it’s cool before stacking in the freezer.
Leave it for at least a day to freeze then pop it out of the tub, still in the bag and tie the bag – hey presto a 500ml stock cube…
Remember not to tie the bag before you freeze it as the liquid will expand – and for the same reason always leave a little room in the tub for expansion – if you over fill the tub will crack.