In Canadian Living recipes, the word stock refers to the strained liquid that results from cooking poultry, meat, fish or vegetables and seasonings in water. Other terms for this flavoured liquid are broth and bouillon.

For homemade stocks, see below. For convenience, you can use good-quality powdered, fresh chilled or canned concentrated stock, increasing the ratio of water to lower sodium content if desired. Stock is also available frozen and may or may not be concentrated. Specialty or bulk stores may sell no- or low-sodium stock bases. If using commercial stocks, avoid adding salt until soup is cooked, at that point, season to taste. Be particularly vigilant when using other cured or canned already salted ingredients (bacon, ham, sausage, clams, tomatoes, beans).

Chicken Stock and Turkey Stock

• Pour 16 cups (4 L) cold water into large stockpot. Add 5 lb (2.2 kg) chicken bones, backs and necks, cut into pieces, or 1 turkey carcass, cut into 3 or 4 pieces. Bring to boil; skim off any foam.

• Add 2 each stalks celery, carrots and unpeeled onions, coarsely chopped, 1 bay leaf, 1 tbsp (15 mL) each dried thyme and black peppercorns and 6 stems parsley; reduce heat and simmer for 4 hours.

• Strain through cheeseclothlined sieve set over bowl; let cool. Refrigerate for about 8 hours or until fat solidifies on surface; remove fat.

(Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 months.)

Makes 12 cups (3 L).

Test Kitchen Tip: Too many turkey soups taste flat because the carcass sits too long in the refrigerator. After the meal, remove all meat and package separately. Refrigerate the carcass, then make stock early the next day. The soup can follow a day or two later. The taste difference is dramatic, making turkey soup something to look forward to.

Beef Stock

• In roasting pan, combine 4 lb (2 kg) beef bones, 1 lb (500 g) veal bones, 3 tomatoes, coarsely chopped, 2 each stalks celery, carrots and unpeeled onions, coarsely chopped, and 1 clove garlic. Roast in 450F (230C) oven for 1 hour or until browned.

• Transfer to large stockpot. Add 16 cups (4 L) cold water. Bring to boil; skim off any foam. Add 1 cup (250 mL) dry red wine, 10 black peppercorns, 1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme, 4 stems parsley, 2 whole cloves and 1 bay leaf, reduce heat and simmer for 5 hours.

• Strain through cheeseclothlined sieve set over bowl; let cool. Refrigerate for about 8 hours or until fat solidifies on surface; remove fat.

(Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 months.)

Makes 8 cups (2 L).

Fish Stock

• Pour 16 cups (4 L) cold water into large stockpot. Add 5 lb (2.2 kg) fish bones, heads and tails from lean, mild fish such as sole or halibut (avoid fatty strong-flavoured fish such as mackerel and salmon). Bring to boil; skim off any foam.

• Add 1 each unpeeled onion and stalk celery, coarsely chopped, 1 leek (white and light green parts only), chopped, 1 bay leaf, 10 black peppercorns, 6 stems parsley, 1 whole clove and 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

• Strain through cheeseclothlined sieve set over bowl, let cool. Refrigerate for about 8 hours or until fat solidifies on surface; remove fat.

(Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 months.)

Makes 16 cups (4 L).

Test Kitchen Tips

• Freeze stock in amounts that you will use in recipes; for example, 2 cups (500 mL).

• These stocks are all unsalted, so you may need to increase the salt in a given recipe for which you use the stock.