Iced stock cubes

🧊 Homemade Gammon Stock Cubes

One of the best kitchen habits I've picked up is finding ways to make ingredients go further. After slow cooking a gammon joint, I was left with a beautifully rich cooking liquid packed with flavour. Rather than throwing it away, I turned it into homemade stock cubes that can be used in countless future meals.

By freezing the stock in large ice cube trays, you've always got a ready-made flavour boost waiting in the freezer. It's a simple way to reduce waste, save money and add extra depth to your cooking.

🛒 What You'll Need

• Leftover cooking liquid from a slow-cooked gammon joint
• Large ice cube trays
• Freezer-safe container or bag

👨‍🍳 Method

1. Allow the gammon cooking liquid to cool completely.
2. Pour the liquid carefully into large ice cube trays.
3. Place into the freezer until fully frozen.
4. Remove the frozen cubes from the trays and transfer them into a freezer-safe container or bag.
5. Label and store in the freezer until needed.

💡 Rustic Tips

• Large stock cubes provide plenty of flavour and are ideal for family meals.
• This technique works equally well with chicken, beef, lamb and other meat stocks.
• Making stock cubes from cooking liquid is a fantastic way to reduce waste and make the most of ingredients you've already paid for.
• If the stock is particularly salty, simply adjust the seasoning in your finished dish.
• Label containers so you know exactly what type of stock you're using.

🍽️ Ways To Use Your Stock Cubes

• Add a cube to minced beef dishes for extra depth of flavour.
• Stir into cottage pie fillings and savoury mince.
• Use when making gravy.
• Add to soups and stews.
• Use in casseroles and slow cooker meals.
• Add to pasta dishes for extra richness.
• Use when cooking rice for additional flavour.
• Try adding a cube to mashed potatoes in place of some of the milk and butter.
• Add to sauces whenever a little extra savoury flavour is needed.

The beauty of homemade stock cubes is that there really are no rules. Once frozen, they become little blocks of flavour that can be added to almost anything. Whether you're making pasta, mashed potatoes, mince dishes, soups, stews or casseroles, they can help turn simple ingredients into something special.

This is also a method that works well with stock from other meats. Chicken, beef, lamb and even some vegetable stocks can all be frozen in exactly the same way. It's a simple kitchen trick that helps stretch ingredients further while reducing unnecessary waste.

If you enjoy practical kitchen ideas, homemade recipes and making the most of everyday ingredients, you'll find plenty more inspiration on my 🍽️ Another Kitchen page.

🥕 Use What You Have

Visit my "Let's Cook Something Delicious" page to tick your ingredients and get a dish suggestion — ideal for budget-friendly meals:

https://wordofmouthlife.co.uk/another-kitchen/

🍽️ Part of the Another Kitchen collection