Vegetable Broth Canning Recipe

For those of you who do not consume meat or prefer to use vegetable broth when cooking, this vegetable broth canning recipe if perfect for you!

The most economical way to make and preserve Vegetable Broth is to save food scraps when cooking and canning other recipes.

We are all familiar with the saying, “waste not, want not” – well vegetable scrap saving is testament to its core. While we are often told there are many benefits to using food scraps for broth, most articles do not share what to save or how to do so.

Most importantly, be sure everything is properly cleaned prior to slicing, cutting, peeling and trimming. No one wants grit or dirt in their food!

Using a gallon freezer bag, feel free to save/freeze the following for later use when making and canning vegetable broth:

• onion and scallion ends and peels
• leek and fennel tops and ends
• carrot ends, greens and skin peels
• celery ends
• beet greens
• wilted parsley, basil and oregano

After adding your scraps to the freezer bag, flatten it out on the counter top by pressing the air out of the bag before sealing. This allows you to stack your scrap bags on top of one another for storage giving you more freezer space and the ability to store more until you are ready to start making broth.

It is best to have 2 freezer bags full of scraps when looking to make about 5 quarts or 10 pints of Vegetable Broth. If you do not have scraps, or all of what is listed above, not to worry. You may use the following recipe and create from scratch or use to supplement your scrap saving.

Vegetable Broth Canning Recipe

Makes approx. 5 quarts or 10 pints

Having this delicious broth on hand is key to enhancing any dish’s flavor. Replace water with vegetable broth when making rice, couscous – even pasta. Feel free to use in any side dish which requires water. This broth also makes an excellent base when making a fresh batch of Vegetable Soup.

Ingredients

• 18 cups water
• 3 cups dry white wine
• 3 large yellow onions, quartered
• 6 tomatoes, halved
• 5 carrots, scrubbed well
• 2 heads garlic, excess exterior skin removed and tops chopped off to expose the cloves
• 1/2 punch parsley, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
• 4 sprigs fresh oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot, combine every ingredient. Mix well to evenly distribute ingredients. On medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Boil gently for 5 minutes then reduce heat and simmer, undisturbed and uncovered, for 1 hour minimum. The longer it simmers the better concentrated the broth’s flavor.
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables and herbs from the stockpot and discard. Carefully pour the hot broth through a fine-mesh chinois strainer or sieve, capturing the strained broth in a large, clean stockpot. You are welcome to strain a second time using cheesecloth if you prefer a more clear broth.
3. Ladle hot strained broth into hot jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace.
4. Wipe jar rim with a washcloth dipped in vinegar. Add lid and ring and hand tighten.
5. Process in a pressure canner at 10psi or according to your elevation and canner type. Process quart jars for 25 minutes and pint jars for 20 minutes.

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Happy Canning!
Diane, The Canning Diva®
www.canningdiva.com