Want to Make a Great Stock? Meet the Flavor Makers

We know that kitchen trimmings make a terrific aromatic base for any stock. We routinely save unused onion layers, fennel ends, tough outer leek leaves, stripped stalks from green vegetables, sweet potato peels, parsnip ends and even apple cores in a freezer bag in the freezer. It makes kitchen life easy when you can add a heaping of those trimmings to, say, a chicken carcass, ham hocks or beef bones for good, flavorful stock that will liven up plain grains and bland beans alike. But what is it that these flavor makers contribute to a stock? Let’s take a closer look at some of them:

Onion is sharp, pungent, strong—and so is every other allium, including scallions, chives and leeks.

Celery is vegetal, fresh and herbaceous—as are its leaves, and so are fennel stalks.

Carrot lends sweetness—as do other root vegetables, including sweet potato and parsnip.

Dark-leaf vegetable stalks (think kale or collards) deepen stock’s overall character but use in moderation to avoid an overly vegetable flavor. The same goes for other vegetable trimmings, from asparagus to zucchini.

Green herb stems (basil to parsley) add aromatic, herbaceous notes.

Mushroom trimmings add good, savory umami to any stock. And don’t worry, you would really need a whole lot before a stock turns “mushroomy.”

Citrus skins bring bright notes but can easily dominate—a little goes a long way.

Apple and pear cores can add a great touch of fruity sweetness—but again, in moderation.

TIP: You need about 4 cups of aromatic base for two quarts of stock. Average an aromatic base roughly as follows: 40% onion group; 30% celery group; 10% carrots/roots; and 20% mixed everything else.

GO BANANAS

Let’s consider one more usually discarded flavor maker: banana peels! Raw banana peels taste astringent. But well-seasoned and roasted or even smoked banana peels are literally good enough to eat!

PROCESS

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Season banana peels (as many as you have or want) liberally with coarse salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes. Note: Banana peels take about 1–2 hours on a backyard smoker to develop a deep smoky umami flavor.

USE

Roasted or smoked banana peels are great flavor makers in stock, along with (or even instead of) bones.

Shredded roasted or smoked banana peels can also be used as meat replacement, such as coated in sweet tangy barbecue sauce and piled into a sandwich with pickles and lettuce; simmered in spicy coconut curry heavy with root vegetables; or stewed in tomato sauce and tossed with pasta.