BHA & BHT Free Classic Court Bouillon

Total time45 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time35 min

4.8

(30)

This fragrant poaching liquid is one of those foundational kitchen preparations that quietly elevates everything it touches — fish, shellfish, vegetables, you name it. Built entirely from fresh aromatics, dry white wine, white wine vinegar, and a handful of whole spices, every single ingredient here is clean and unprocessed, which makes it a natural fit for anyone avoiding synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT. Store-bought broths and seasoning blends are notorious for hiding those additives in the fine print, but when you simmer your own from scratch, you know exactly what's going in the pot. The combination of lemon rounds, fresh parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns creates a broth that smells absolutely incredible as it cooks down — lightly golden, herbaceous, and bright with a gentle acidity. After 30 minutes of simmering, you strain it into a silky, clear liquid that's ready to gently coax the best out of whatever you're poaching. It keeps in the fridge for a few days or freezes beautifully, so making a big batch is absolutely worth it.

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Ingredients

4 servings

8 cups cold water
2 cups dry white wine
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp fennel seeds (optional)
1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1
Combine the water, white wine, and white wine vinegar in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
2
Add the carrots, celery, onion, lemon slices, parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, black peppercorns, fennel seeds (if using), and kosher salt.

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