If you enjoy making homemade soup, you may wonder, "What's the difference between stock and broth?" After all, your grocer's soup aisle is likely filled with several brands of stock and broth, so which to choose? And is bone broth actually broth? Let us break it all down for you.
What Is the Difference Between Stock and Broth?
Technically, stock is not the same as broth. There are a few ways you can differentiate between the two, including texture, seasoning, cooking time, and more. Here are the main differences.
Texture of Stock vs. Broth
Stock and broth differ in terms of their thickness and ingredients:
- Stock, typically thick and gelatinous, is made from animal bones (like chicken, beef, and even fish) and left unseasoned (that means no salt).
- Broth, generally thinner in texture, is made with animal meat (and sometimes bones) and is always seasoned.
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Stock vs. Broth
- Stock is a gel-like substance made from animal bones (or not for vegetable versions), vegetables, and aromatics, and used as a base for soups and sauces.
- Broth is a liquid made from animal flesh and bones, vegetables, aromatics, and seasoning, and is more reduced than stock.
Vegetable Stock vs. Broth
Both vegetable stock and vegetable broth are made without bones or meat, so you may be wondering how they differ. Since both are made exclusively from vegetables, neither product contains gelatin, yet there are still a few subtle differences between the two:
- Vegetable stock likely comes unseasoned, while broth usually contains salt and other seasonings.
- Vegetable stock is made with untrimmed, sometimes whole vegetables, while broth is made from trimmed, roughly chopped vegetables.
- Vegetable stock generally takes longer to cook (at least 2 hours) than broth, which usually cooks for less than 30 minutes.
Bone Broth vs. Stock
Bone broth is technically stock because it's based on animal bones instead of meat. But bone broth is often seasoned, so in that respect, it's more broth-like.
Another distinguishing feature of bone broth is that it cooks longer than stock and other broth types, often for more than 24 hours. This extended cooking time results in the release of more nutritious compounds and minerals than just gelatin, such as collagen, amino acids, electrolytes, and calcium.
Other Types
While vegetable, beef, and chicken stocks and broths take up almost all the real estate on grocery shelves, there are several alternative broths you can make that are just as, if not more, flavorful:
- Fish stock/broth is made with fish bones (or fish) and shellfish trimmings and is perfect in seafood dishes, such as chowders and bisques, or to use for poaching fish or seafood.
- Mushroom stock/broth is made by simmering mushrooms in water and is rich and savory. It provides a meaty flavor that’s perfect to use in vegetarian and vegan dishes.
- Parmesan stock/broth is made from the rinds from Parmesan cheese. Instead of throwing them away, save those valuable ends to make a rich, flavorful Parmesan broth that's as good as gold!
Stock Ingredients and Uses
Stock is a thick liquid generally made from the following ingredients simmering in water for about 4 to 6 hours:
- Animal bones – commonly chicken, beef, and fish; which are often roasted first to create a more rich flavor
- Mirepoix – a classic combo of onions, carrots, and celery
- Aromatics – peppercorns, parsley stems, and bay leaves
After stock is fully cooked on the stovetop and then strained, it has a viscous, gelatin-like quality, a result of collagen derived from cooked bones and joints. When chilled, stock transforms into a Jell-O-like gel. Typically unseasoned, stock is rarely recommended for consuming as is and is more often used as an ingredient. It makes a good base for gravy, rich sauces, and soups; and is useful for de-glazing a pan for a quick sauce.
How to Make Broth
Having a good homemade stock in your freezer can come in handy when you're cooking. Sure, you can buy stock at the store, but nothing is going to taste as good as homemade. Here are the steps for making a killer homemade stock.
Step 1: Combine Your Ingredients
- Fill a large stock pot with 6 quarts of water.
- For chicken stock, this is the bones and carcass, plus aromatics and vegetables like leeks, garlic, black peppercorns, celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and anything else you want in your stock.
- Place on a burner on high heat and bring to a boil.
Step 2: Simmer and Skim
- Once you've brought your stock to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer.
- Allow the broth to simmer until the stock has reduced by 1/3 (approximately 3 hours).
- While the broth is simmering, skim off any fat that rises to the surface.
Step 3: Strain
- Remove everything from the liquid using tongs, a strainer, or a slotted spoon and discard.
- Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into another large pot to remove any residual debris from the chicken and veggies.
Step 4: Cool and Store
- Allow the stock to cool completely on the counter or stovetop.
- Once the stock has cooled, transfer it into smaller airtight containers that will fit in the fridge or freezer, if necessary.
- Store containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Make Broth
Making chicken broth at home is super simple, and a great alternative to just buying it from the grocery store. For broth, you need actual meat for flavor instead of just bones (like with stock). Here are the steps for making a perfect broth.
Step 1: Combine Your Ingredients
- In large pot, place a whole chicken (raw or cooked will both work), carrots, celery, onion, salt, and pepper.
- Add just enough cold water to cover the ingredients (about 8 cups).
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 2: Simmer and Skim
- Once the broth is boiling reduce heat to a low simmer.
- Skim off any bubbles, fat, and debris that rise to the surface.
- Simmer for about 30 minutes (for cooked chicken) to 1 hour (for raw chicken).
Step 3: Separate Chicken Meat
- Leaving the pot simmering, remove the chicken from the pot with tongs.
- Remove the meat from the bones, saving it for later if you're planning to use it.
- Put the chicken carcass back in the pot and simmer for another hour.
Step 4: Strain and Cool
- Remove the chicken carcass using tongs.
- Using a regular colander or strainer, pour broth into another large container so you strain out the rest of the ingredients.
- Let the broth cool fully.
- To speed up the cooling process, place your container in a sink or larger container full of water and ice. Stir gently while the broth cools.
Step 5: Store
- Once cooled, pour the broth into containers that will fit in your refrigerator or freezer.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 to 3 months.
Broth Ingredients and Uses
Broth is a thinner liquid and generally made from these ingredients simmering in water for a shorter time, roughly 45 to 120 minutes:
- Animal meat and perhaps some animal bones
- Mirepoix
- Aromatics
- Seasonings, which are added after it's strained
When chilled, broth doesn't gel the way stock does. Light, thin, and full of flavor, broth tastes good on its own or as a base for all kinds of soup. You can use it as a substitute for water when making rice, stew, or polenta.
While homemade broth is amazing, boxed or canned broth is an economical shortcut that's handy to retrieve from the pantry. You can always upgrade store-bought broth by adding more flavor with aromatics, herbs, and spices.
Stock and Broth Substitutes
In most cases, stock and broth are interchangeable. If you’re in the soup aisle and can’t remember whether the recipe called for stock or broth, either will do for making soup, gravy, or a flavorful pot of rice or grains. Keep in mind that stock is unseasoned, and broth is seasoned.
- When substituting stock for broth in a recipe, add a little salt as needed.
- Cut back on any added salt (or water down the broth) when using broth instead of stock.
Which Is Better?
At the risk of sounding wishy-washy, the answer to whether stock or broth is better just depends:
- Stock and broth are equally great for thinning out sauces, making risotto, or as a base for quick soups.
- Broth is better for consuming as is because it has seasoning that makes it tastier on its own.
- Broth may be preferred as a flavor enhancer for cooking plain white rice or grains.
- Stock may be better to use in a recipe with a complex flavor profile that you don't want to tamper with.
