How I Freeze Homemade Stock in Ice Cube Trays

Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor
Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.
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updated Nov 7, 2019
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Whenever I make homemade stock I always take the approach of keep half for now and freeze the other half for later. Homemade stock is a truly wonderful staple to keep on hand, but it doesn’t have a very long shelf life.

If you’re not using the entire batch immediately, the best way to get the most out of your stock is by freezing it in ice cube trays.

Ice cube tray size can vary, but standard trays usually hold one ounce in each well (this is the same as 2 tablespoons).

There are a lot of recipes that call for a small amount of stock, especially if you’re making a sauce or reheating leftovers. Chances are you’ll only need a couple tablespoons, and probably no more than 1/2 cup.

And, even if you have a recipe that uses a few cups of stock, the frozen cubes defrost much faster than stock stored and frozen in large containers.

Credit: Ghazalle Badiozamani; Food Styling: Cyd McDowell

How I Freeze Stock

  • Ice cube trays: Pour the stock into ice cube trays and place in the freezer.
  • Freezer-safe container: Remove frozen stock cubes and store in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Be sure to clearly label the container with the date.

Do you freeze your stock in ice cube trays? If not, what’s your method?

How to Make Stock

Updated from a post originally published January 2010.

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