Pork Stock

When making stock, roasting the pork bones adds a rich, deep flavor. If you're short on time, however, you can skip the roasting step and still have a richly flavored broth — ideal for making soups, gravies and risotto, or for cooking vegetables, rice and much more. Use pork hocks, neck bones, or bones removed from roasts or steaks. Simply store them in a plastic bag in the freezer until you have enough to make stock.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 to 4 quarts uncooked pork bones
2 large carrots, broken in several pieces
2 large onions, unpeeled and halved
2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled and smashed
12 to 15 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Place bones in single layer in large shallow roasting pan(s); add half of the vegetables and 1 clove of garlic. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until bones are well browned. Transfer bones and vegetables to large kettle; discard any fat.
3. Pour about 1 cup water into roasting pan(s) and bring to boil over medium-high heat, scraping browned bits free from pan(s). Add to kettle.*
4. Add remaining vegetables, remaining garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer, occasionally skimming off any foam. Simmer, loosely covered, for 3 to 4 hours, adding more boiling water if liquid evaporates below surface of ingredients.
5. Strain into large bowl, pouring through large colander or sieve lined with cheesecloth; discard solids. Cool slightly; chill for several hours or overnight. Lift off and discard fat. To store, cover and chill up to 4 days or freeze up to 1 year.

Makes about 16 cups stock.

*If not roasting bones, simply place all ingredients in large kettle and proceed with recipe.

To Use a Pressure Cooker: In pressure cooker combine all ingredients (whether roasted or not) with enough water to cover. Pressure-cook for 20 to 30 minutes.

To Make Ham Stock: In large kettle simmer ham bone and trimmings (do not roast), 2 roughly chopped celery ribs, 1 roughly chopped onion, 1 broken carrot, a few peppercorns, a few allspice berries, 1 bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme with enough water to cover. Strain, chill, and store as described above.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup): Calories 19 calories Protein 0 grams Fat 2 grams Sodium 158 milligrams Cholesterol 2 milligrams Saturated Fat 1 grams Carbohydrates 1 grams Fiber 0 grams.

Recipe provided courtesy of National Pork Board.