Making stock from your pork bones (or any bones for that matter) is extremely easy, it's a great way to make use of the whole pig, and, most importantly homemade stock is delicious--I often sip on a mug of broth for a small meal, when it's cold out, or as a quick breakfast to go.
We love having a stash of stock jars in our freezer to cook with, and we go through it surprisingly quickly by making soups, beans, grains or just putting a few spoonfuls in with eggs or veggies.
While we've posted a recipe below, the stock is really flexible and can be made from some bones combined with a lot of different vegetables or vegetable scraps: carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery, fennel, parsnips, and leeks all work well. We like to keep a bag of vegetable scraps in our freezer, which we add to while we're cooking--onion scraps (though not the paper-y skins), mushroom stems, carrot and parsnip tips and ends, the tiny garlic cloves that don't seem worth it to peel, etc., and then once the bag is full, we throw it into the stock pot with some bones, a few bay leafs, peppercorns, and salt.
Pork Stock Feel free to substitute other vegetables you have on hand.
2-4 lbs pork bones (any mix of bones will do)
pig foot, ideally cut in half (optional)
2-3 carrots, cut in half or thirds
1-2 celery stalks, cut in half
1-2 onions, quartered
3 cloves garlic
1 leek or a few green onions (optional)
1-3 sprigs of thyme, rosemary, or a few parsley stems (optional)
2 bay leaves
6-8 peppercorns
1+ tsp kosher salt (add more to taste)
Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot. Fill the pot with enough cold water so that the bones and vegetables are covered by a few inches. Slowly bring to a boil. Once the stock begins boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, and use a spoon to skim off any scum that rises to the top. Simmer the stock for 3-5 hours, skimming off the scum from time to time. Once the stock is done, strain the stock through a colander or large mesh sieve into another pot or a large bowl. For a clearer stock, strain this once more through a fine mesh sieve or a few layers of cheesecloth. Once the broth cools a bit, you can transfer it into smaller containers for storage(we like to use plastic tubs or freezer-safe jars so we can put them in the freezer). Refrigerate the broth overnight--the fat will rise to the top and you can then skim this off (you can also keep some of the fat in your broth, it will give your soups more body & flavor). Store the broth in the fridge if you plan to use it within 5 days, or freeze it, where it will keep for 6 months.