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Freezing is a great technique to minimise waste. Follow our step-by-step recipe to find out the best way to freeze meat

Once you’ve made a fresh stock, how do you store it? We’ve got all the answers on how to chill and freeze stock as well as tips on how to make homemade stock cubes, so follow our handy guide…

Once you’ve mastered making your own chicken stock or vegetable stock, knowing how to store it properly can mean your hard work doesn’t go to waste, as stock doesn’t keep in the fridge for long.

Cool the fresh stock down quickly (you can sit the pan 0f strained stock in a sink of cold water to speed it up), then pour the strained liquid into a sealable container. Use within 3 days, or freeze.

If you don’t have fridge space to store such a large amount of liquid, you can pour the stock into a wide pan and boil it to reduce it down first. Cool it, then store. Just make sure you label it as concentrated stock, so you know to add some water back in when re-using.

Line a freezerproof plastic container with a freezer bag and pour cold stock into bag. Cover tightly and freeze. Once stock is frozen, remove bag from container to make it easier to store. Freeze for up to 3 months.

You can make homemade fresh stock cubes easily. Pour the strained stock into a large wide pan and reduce it down by boiling until concentrated to about a quarter of its original volume. Cool, then pour stock into an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer blocks to a sealable container. You can take out as many cubes as you need and reseal tub (you may need a few for a recipe as they often aren’t as strong as shop-bought). Freeze for up to 3 months.

Always remember to clearly label and date what you’re freezing so you can keep track of what you have and use it in good time.

You can reheat frozen stock. Following food safety guidelines, once fresh stock has cooled/frozen, it should only be reheated once more. Any dish made with fresh stock that’s been previously cooled should be eaten immediately and not saved for leftovers.

If you make a dish with freshly cooked hot stock (i.e stock that has just been made and hasn’t been cooled down yet), you can store the leftovers of the meal in the fridge or freezer, then reheat them one more time.

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