Broth vs. Stock

I always thought “stock” and “broth” were interchangeable, kind of like sweet potatoes and yams. But technically they are different! The main difference is all in the meat…

Broth is made by simmering water with vegetables, herbs or meat and/or bones for several hours. It is commonly used as the base for soups because it is seasoned.  Technically, you can eat broth on it’s own.

Stock is made by simmering water with bones only, along with the vegetables or herbs. The bones help contribute a rich, meaty flavor, which is why it is ideal as the base for sauces, gravy or dishes like risotto. However, stock is not seasoned, so it tastes very bland on its own. In other words, stock is unseasoned broth.

For most recipes, it is okay to sub one for the other. Just remember that broth is generally saltier than stock, so you’ll have to adjust your seasoning accordingly.

Here are some tips on preparing and storing either:

• Ingredients: I rarely make a trip to the supermarket specifically to purchase ingredients for broth or stock. Instead, I keep a large plastic bag in my freezer and stow away ingredients as they come. For example, I keep chicken bones leftover from my roasted chicken breast dinner, or carrots that I know would go to waste otherwise. When the bag is full, I dump it all in a large stockpot and have broth or stock in hours.
• Equipment: With either broth or stock, you have to strain the liquid from the vegetables, herbs, meats and bones – which can be messy and dangerous when the solids splash out of the pot. To simplify the straining process, use a large stock pot with a pasta insert. You simply have to lift the pasta insert out of the pot, leaving the liquid remaining.
• Simmering: Keep your pot slightly off center on your stove burner while simmering the ingredients. This will help the liquid gently circulate, create a whirpool or convection effect. Ultimately, that means less stirring for you!
• Storing: After I finish preparing broth, I cool it for 30 minutes, pour it in to a muffin pan, and place the pan in the freezer overnight. In the morning, I pop out each individual broth “muffin” and store them all in a plastic bag in the freezer. Since each muffin cup is 1/2 cup, I have perfect portions of broth that can last 5 to 6 months in the freezer.

Tagged as: bones, broth, meat, simmering, soup, stews, stock