Using vegetable peelings to make stock

Question

I read somewhere you can use vegetable peelings to make a good vegetable stock, I loved this idea of producing even less waste but I have 2 questions.

1. Are there any vegetable peelings I shouldn't use, eg. Butternut Squash has a really hard skin is that okay to use

2. Will I get loads of pesticides if I do that?

Answer 1

For some veg it makes sense:

• the peelings of well-scrubbed carrots and parsnips,
• the bits you remove if your celery is stringy, and celery leaves (I grow my own so always have leaves)
• non-muddy trimmings of leeks, spring onions and other alliums
• onion skins - but only if you want your stock brown.
• outer leaves of brassicas, but in very limited quantities or the flavour will dominate. Can be better if browned first, and of course must be well-washed.
• If you grow your own veg, the top growth of garlic and carrots can be added, as can undersize leeks and spring onions as you thin them.
• Home grown herbs can be added stems and all, though probably not really woody bits.

Potato peelings only add starch, not flavour, and are best avoided.

In between are things like squashes - they'll add very little flavour, and probably a bit of starch that you probably don't want.

You do need quite a lot. I'm more likely to do this making turkey stock at Christmas when I have the bones to go in as well, and I'm preparing a lot of veg. Even then I usually add an onion or two as well as herbs from the garden.

Answer 2

Out of personal experience: do not use the trimmings of (bell) peppers, and probably other capsicum varieties. The stalks and seed parts quickly add a rather bitter aftertaste to the stock.

Answer 3

Broth is made from meat and/or vegetables whereas Stock is made from bones. You'd need to scrub and ensure they're very clean to limit the grime and dirt. But Yes you could make broth with peels but you'd need quite a bit to have the same amount if you were to use the whole vegetable(s)