Hello everyone - new to the site. I love making stocks but find the length of time it takes to make beef stock a pain even if the results are worth it. Has anyone made stock in a pressure cooker and is the outcome good? Thanks

Can anyone advise me? Please?

Flaky- I would love advice on this too. I have had a pressure cooker for years but am not sure how to use it

I have successfully made beef stock in a pressure cooker - just make sure you dry roast the bones first - it gives a richer, deeper flavour and improved colour. Good luck and have fun.

Hi, Flaky! Welcome to the site. I have made stock in the pressure cooker and would agree with Mrs Woof Woof. You do need to dry roast the bones first. But why not just boil them after roasting? Reduce the liquid to half by first boiling and then simmering. Looks after itself! Just don't go out to lunch.

Thanks for the welcome and advice. I do always roast the bones first prawnfiller but they just take so long in the pan afterwards don't they? I think I'll give it a try in the pressure cooker - like Mrs Woof Woof (love the name). Nothing to lose have I? Thanks again.

hmm, thought about this long and hard, but I suggest - grab a bottle of your fav wine, open it. pour some over the bones in a nice big pan, get a dvd of your choice, stick it on, turn on the pan with the bones and some water to cover - drink the wine, and let the bones do the bizz! you should be fine after that! oh, add some of the usual bits and bobs to make the stock nice - celery, carrot, onion pepper corns and the like, and if you dont like the wine that much - throw some of that in too! good luck

Thanks marik but I do regularly make beef stock - I just wanted some advice to reduce the cooking time. The wine and dvd should do it though!

Hello Flaky and welcome. Do you make other stocks too?

I don't eat meat but I make vast quantities of veg stock on a regular basis and freeze in usable quantities. I also save all my fish bones and prawn shells which I freeze until I have enough and then I make a fish stock out of them which I clarify with egg white and a bit of cheap white fish. It takes ages but I have the time and I really get satisfaction out of doing it. Plus I find that all the bought stocks are too salty.

Hi Mary - thanks for the welcome. Yes I make stocks all the time - I make more stocks than I cook meals to use them in (bit of a thing with me ) I can't be doing with fish stock though - can't even buck up the courage to use fish stock. I'm bit of a wimp as far as fish is concerned. I just like it cooked, as it is, maybe with a bit of sauce, but I can't eat fish stews, curries, soups etc. (Takes all sorts eh). I agree with the saltiness in bought stocks though, there are some out there that will do if pushed (like Marigold) but overall you can't beat your own.

I saw a chef on Good Food Live today adding chicken stock to a sauce for the stuffed chicken he served and it was as dark as beef stock. Do you know if that is because he roasted the bones first? I've never done that with chicken.

Maybe I should have called myself stocky instead of flaky!

Sorry Mary - just checking my post and realised you don't make meat stock. Teach me not to read the posts properly won't it? Can anyone out there advise me (again). Am I a pain?

Hi Flaky, I always use a pressure cooker for making stock.

Very basic recipe is to roast the bones until browned. Sometimes I just shallow fry them. Then into the pressure cooker, with quartered onion (skin left on as long as it is ok), carrot sliced up, celery stick or two sliced up, couple of bay leaves, some black peppercorn and then whatever dried herbs take my fancy from, basil, thyme, sage etc. Add some boiling water anywhere from 250ml to whatever seems right for the amount of bones. Slight aside, the pressure cooker is a modern one rather than the old jiggle type so I can get away with using small amounts of water.

Bring the cooker up to pressure and maintain pressure for about 40 minutes. Freeze the stock in 250ml containers. I sometimes find that I need to reduce the stock to increase the strength of the taste.

I do a similar thing for chicken stock. So for one carcase along with any other remnants such as the skin, pretty much as above for the beef and 250ml water pressure cook for 30 minutes. I make more chicken stock than any other.

Also, just help things along, I often add a tsp or two of Knorr Touch of Taste.

I would also like to know the best way to make chicken stock. When I boil the carcass after a roast it is usually tasteless (and I need to add stock powder ) Is it better to maybe cook the whole chicken with plenty of water and flavourings in my slow cooker. I don't own a oressure cooker anymore.

I cheat and buy it fresh from the chiller counter in Sainsburys. Its really very good and great if your stuck for time, which these days I am. but still I look on in wonder at people who do make it.
Perhaps one day......

I love making chicken stock. I use similar ingredients to TerryDox, (plus some garlic) but don't do it in the pressure cooker, I just simmer it for a few hours. I love the smell of it cooking, In fact I only roast chicken as an excuse so I can make it

Hi Carol2, I make my chicken stock with chicken wings and end up with a clear light stock which seems to do the business in most recipes.

To a large pot add 2 kg of chicken wings which are as cheap as chips. Cover with water and bring to the boil skimming scum as you go. Remove wings with a slotted spoon and reserve, dump the water and wash the pan out to remove residue. Add the wings to the pot and cover with water, place over a lowish heat then add, a head of celery rough diced, two white onions peeled and quartered, 2 large carrots rough chopped, a diced leek, a handful of parsley, stalks and all, fresh thyme on the stalk, 24 black peppercorns, 4 cloves and some salt. Adjust the water level to ensure all is covered and bring slowly up to a gentle simmer, skimming as required. This stock should simmer gently for at least 4 hours with the lid off, skimming as required. If it boils you will get a cloudy result. When done, strain and cool. It sets in the fridge to a jelly and freezes for a month or so. Enjoy.

Thanks TerryDox and Chef de Maison - great info. I never thought of making stock with chicken wings - they are indeed very cheap aren't they? I'll try them. And Carol - I have made stock before with both chicken pieces/carcasses and a whole chicken, but try the wing recipe from Chef de Maison - let me know how it comes out.

I always put an onion or two with the skin on in to my stock plus the usual vegetables and spices. I also like to use celery and celeriac. The stock is then lovely golden colour. The darker the skin the darker the stock. I use the whole chicken, some carcass and chicken feet. I don't pre roast the carcasses because we also use the stock for chicken soup.

Wow how impressed am I? My first posting on the site and just watching Good Food Live (missed it today) and Jeni read it out and Mike Robinson answered my question and proceeded to make a game stock! What a wonderful show! Thanks very much

This is a thank you to Chef de Maison. I made stock with chicken wings as he suggested and it was the best I've ever made! Lovely and clear, tasty as can be and it does set to a lovely thick jelly. I would recommend this to anyone. Thanks again.

Well done Flaky, and isn't it nice to hear a thank you everyone?

Hi Flaky, thanks for that, you have made my day!