tasty stock without onions or garlic?

Shropshirelass

I often use thinly sliced celery, if running short of onions. 

Spikeygran

I just remembered I used to make devilled kidneys with a pint of stout.  It makes a very rick dark sauce, and it worked for beef stew. It tenderised the meat.  

I would have used onions at the time, but the yeast and alcohol should provide plenty of flavour.  

I use a pressure cooker.  After xmas I put all the bones, skin etc in with a few inches of water, and give it an hour or so on low pressure. I use the rich stock to make a non traditional paella with the last bits of turkey and king prawns.

Rosa_Damascena

MyRealNameToo said:

goldfinches said:

I've only ever seen liquid smoke listed as an ingredient so didn't realise it contained acrylamides which do sound very offputting so thanks for pointing that out, I'll leave that on the shelf if I ever spot it.

Acrylamides are the result of exposing certain sugars to high heats (120C+) so if you ever fry potatoes, sear/brown meat, eat bread with any form of browned crusts then there will be levels of acrylamides. Your only route to avoid them is eating everything raw or poached. Clearly BBQs are out too.

It isnt an ingredient in liquid smoke but burning wood to make smoke will generate acrylamides of which some will be in the smoke that will be condensed into the liquid. That said the levels are likely to be lower than in something like home made chips and much lower than something like dark toast. 

That is exactly why I am driven mad by chefs telling us to brown and deglaze everything, "that is where the flavour is". I can't speak for people that eat meat, but softening veggies in a pan without charring is good enough for me. I rely on my spice kit for added flavour.

Nelliegrace

Celery perhaps? Herbs and spices.

This might help if you want stock for gravy, ( without the onion powder.)

https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2016/07/gravy-mix-from-scratch.html

Cairnpapple

Thanks for the continuing ideas everyone! I do already substitute celery for onions in a lot of things, it really works in a stew etc.

Cairnpapple

OK today's stock has chicken carcass, carrots, celery, peppercorns, bay leaves and a LOT of fresh parsley and chives. The best flavour I had this week was keeping the (lactose free) buttery lemony cooking juices from the chicken and using them plus some tinned pumpkin as a base for a risotto-y chicken thing with leftover roast carrots and pine nuts. Definitely the best thing I've eaten since starting this plan!

Having read everyone's comments I think I need better stock plus also adding more flavour enhancers when making a meal with the stock. I'm eyeing up the marmite which is not usually something I'd ever say

Nelliegrace

Aldi has Marmite at £2.85 this week. It is included in WW2 rationing recipes for flavour when meat and stock bones were in short supply.