When you cook with pork, chicken, duck or beef, don't throw out the bones! Clean out your crisper-that carrot that's getting soft, the half an onion, the celery heart that's still left- toss those in the pot as well. And when you cook with fresh herbs, keep your stems and put these into a stock. Someone had recently given me some apples from their tree and so I chopped up a few and added them. Slow cook them all together, add salt, pepper, a bay leaf and a splash of white wine and you have great stock for soups, stews, risotto, and braising. Store bought stocks can get expensive, and often have a lot of MSG or other additives. We butchered a whole pig, and so used the bones and trotters for stock.

Step 1: Chop Bones

Some of the bones you can snap with your hands, but for the others, you'll want a cleaver. Chop these and split the hooves or trotters. Add them to a deep pot.

Step 2: Add Vegetables

Roughly cut onions, carrots, celery and apples and add to the pot. Cover it with water and pressure cook for 3 hours, or simmer for 8 hours. Add salt, pepper, bay leaves and paprika.

Step 3: Strain the Stock

After you've pressure cooked or slow cooked the stock, strain it with a colander. Discard the bones, vegetables and herbs.

Step 4: Store and Use the Stock

Put the stock in glass mason jars or plastic containers and store for up to a year. It should keep refrigerated for a few weeks. I'll soon be publishing an Instructable on using pork stock to make tamales and farro risotto.