Turn your meals into amazing works of art by adding homemade vegetable broth instead of the unknown source you buy at the store. This savory stock is perfect in any dish and ridiculously healthy!

Ingredients

Try to use everything organic!
4 carrots
4 celery stalks
6 mushrooms
1 head of garlic
1 medium onion
1/2 cup fresh rosemary*
1/2 cup fresh thyme*
1/2 cup fresh sage*
1/3 cup dried onion
2 Tablespoons sea salt
1 Tablespoon peppercorns

     Directions Below

 

 

 

 

Step ONE:

1 large pot (the bigger the pot, the more broth you can make)**

Try to use everything organic!

4 carrots

4 celery stalks

6 mushrooms

1 head of garlic, cut entire head of garlic in half (no need to peel)

1 medium onion, cut in half (peel outer layer off)

1/2 cup fresh rosemary, stems on*

1/2 cup fresh thyme, stems on*

1/2 cup fresh sage*

1/3 cup dried onion

2 Tablespoons sea salt

1 Tablespoon peppercorns

Add all ingredient to big pot. Fill entire pot with water except the last 4 inches. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 3-4 hours. Strain. 

This recipe makes a clear vegetable broth. This can be used in all recipes. Broth with tomatoes in them, doesn't taste good in certain recipes, therefore I avoid putting them in. I also avoid putting in a lot of carrots for this same reason.

Step TWO:

steam canner

glass quart bottles (amount will vary depending on how big the pot you used is)

canning lids and rims 

Fill up steam canner half way with hot water. Put on metal divider. Turn stove heat on high.

Fill vegetable broth in 1 quart bottles. Wipe the rim area with dry cloth making sure it is clean and dry.** Put new lids on with metal band. Give a gentle twist. NOT TOO TIGHT or the glass jar will break when steaming.

Place bottles on steamer and put lid on. When the water is boiling in the steamer, reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 45 minutes. Remove lid (be careful not to get a steam burn) and let jars cool. Once cool, put finger in middle of lid and press. If it doesn't 'pop,' it's sealed. If it does pop, you can repeat Step TWO, or refrigerate and use in a near future meal.

Tips:

* Use prepackaged fresh herbs located in the produce department if you don't have fresh on hand.

**Using a large pan with strainer makes clean up very easy. Its worth every penny! Picture of what I have below. 

Jars will not seal if any debris is on the rim of the jar. Make sure to completely clean it off and dry.

Be sure to not let the water dry out in the steamer. It'll burn your pan and could possibly cause a fire. Not to mention, it STINKS! Not that I've done it before :)

Sealed broth will last years, but like everything, gradually loses nutritional value. I try to consume what I preserve within one year of making it. I usually make 7-9 quarts at a time and make broth frequently.