Switched from store-bought beef stock to homemade and saved $12 a week easy

I used to grab those cartons of beef stock for $3.50 each at Kroger, going through 3 or 4 a week for soups and braising. Then I started saving my veggie scraps and beef bones from chuck roasts in the freezer, and now I just simmer them for 4 hours on Sunday. The flavor is way richer and it costs me basically nothing since I was gonna toss the bones anyway. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed a difference in how long their stews last in the fridge?

3 comments

3 Comments

tessa36821d ago

I used to think the collagen thing was just a food blog myth until I actually tested it myself. I made two batches of beef stew one week apart - one with store bought stock and one with homemade. The homemade batch stayed good for almost 10 days in the fridge while the store bought one started smelling off around day 6. It really surprised me because I always assumed the preservatives in the boxed stuff would make it last longer. Now I'm a total convert and even my husband noticed the difference in texture when I reheat leftovers.

taylorhunt20d ago

Did you notice any difference in how the homemade stock smelled or looked right when you opened the fridge compared to the store bought one? I'm curious because I've found that homemade stock tends to get this kind of gelatinous layer on top after a couple days, and I wonder if that's part of what keeps it good longer. Like maybe the store bought stuff doesn't have enough actual collagen left after processing to do that same thing.

the_blair21d ago

Read somewhere that the collagen from the bones acts like a natural preservative, makes your stews last way longer in the fridge. Definitely noticed less waste since I started doing this myself.