With a few simple ingredients, some basic kitchen equipment, and a little planning, wonderful stock is easy to make at home.

　　

Ingredients

　　

Step 1

Use meat and bones to make a stock; if you use only bones, that’s exactly what the stock will end up tasting like.

　　

Step 2

The stockpot should be tall and narrow enough to keep the ingredients snug; too much space causes the flavorful liquid to evaporate rather than extracting the full flavor from the ingredients.

　　

Step 3

Don’t rush stock; it takes 3 to 4 hours to release all the flavor from the bones.

　　

Step 4

Add enough cold water to cover the ingredients by 1 or 2 inches—no more, or the stock may be too watery. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat right away so the liquid barely simmers (use a metal trivet or a flame tamer). Letting the stock boil too long can result in greasy, off flavors; all that churning makes the fat released from the bones and meat emulsify with the water.

　　

Step 5

As the stock gently simmers, a thin skin of impurities will form on the surface. Skim this skin off with a slotted spoon, and discard. Skim the stock every 30 minutes. When the liquid falls below the level of the bones, add cold water.

　　

Step 6

Strained and cooled, stock keeps in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. Once it’s refrigerated, a layer of fat develops on top of the stock; skim it off with a spoon, and discard. If you freeze the stock, leave the fat intact as a seal; remove it before using.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.