What is the difference between stock and broth?

• Stock and broth can be interchangeably used in most recipes. However, they have different ingredients, textures, and seasonings.
• A broth is made from meat or vegetables.
• Broth has salt and is thinner that stock, so it’s best to enjoy it as-is.
• Visit Insider’s Home & Kitchen Reference library for more stories.

Both broth and stock have their places in the kitchen. Although the terms are interchangeable and you won’t notice any difference if you use one in a recipe you make, there are subtle differences between the two cooking liquids.

What is the difference between stock and broth? And when should you choose one or the other? It all depends on what you are cooking and your tastebuds.

“I always prefer stock to broth because stock has more body and is more versatile,”Devan Cameron is the chef behind this recipe site Braised and deglazed. These are the key differences between broth and stock.

What is stock?

Stock is a liquid used to cook meats, vegetables and herbs.

It’s used as a base in soups and stews as well as as a braising liquid for meats and vegetables. Stocks can also serve as a base for cooking grains and making sauces and gravies.

A stock is defined by the addition of bones. These bones add body and richness to the stock. To maximize flavor extraction, the bones are cooked in water for between 2 and 12 hours. Cameron mentions that stock can be enhanced with vegetables such as celery, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and so on.

It is important to know that stock contains collagen. This gives stock a richer consistency and noticeable mouthfeel.

This is a sign that homemade stock has become gelatinous upon cooling. This is a sign that collagen from bones has become gelatin in cooking. “A gelatinous stock adds body, flavor, and nutrition to a sauce,”Cameron.

One thing you can never add to stock is salt. Stock is intended to be used in other dishes and you don’t know how much salt will be needed for future dishes. If you decide to reduce the stock into a sauce and salt it, the reduction will increase the salt content and make the sauce too salty.

Stock can be made with many kinds of bones. Chicken stockThis is the most common, but there are many others, including beef, duck and veal as well as lobster and fish stock.

Stock can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen in cubes for future use.

What is broth?

Broth can be defined as any liquid that is made from simmering meat or vegetables in water. While broth may or may not contain bones, broth differs from stock in that it includes meat.

Broth takes less time to cook and can be made in as little as an hour. Because collagen is not released during the cooking process — either because of the exclusion of bones or due to the shorter cook time — it doesn’t have the same thick texture as stock. It is a thinner liquid which does not gel when chilled.

Instead of stocks which can be used in many different recipes, broths come with salt. This is why broth is often consumed plain. Broth can be used as a base in soups, sauces and casseroles.

What about bone broth, though?

Bone broth, despite its name, is simply stock. It is made by simmering bones for an extended period of time, typically 24 hours. It is about obtaining nutrients and not making the best flavor.

“Chicken stock was invented by French chefs and bone broth was invented by nutritionists,” Cameron says.

Stock is focused on purity and flavor — chefs work to keep their stock clear of any fats or impurities. It’s not as important with bone broth which is focused on nutritional value.

Continue reading to learn more about the health benefits of bone soup.

Stock and broth can be interchangeable

What is the main difference between stock or broth? However, stock and broth can be used in place of each other.

“Nowadays, even chefs interchange the two terms,” Cameron says.

You can season stock to make soup by adding herbs and spices to it. It can be more challenging to use broth instead of stock in sauces or gravies. It is important to monitor the salt content of broth and not reduce it too much.

“It may be a little too intense when reduced down into a gravy,” Cameron says.

Insider’s takeaway

Stock generally has a thicker consistency. It is made by boiling bones, vegetables, aromatic herbs, and water. Broth is made with meat and has salt, unlike stock. The result is broth with a thicker consistency and a richer flavor.

Bone broth is made from bones that have been cooked for at least 24 hours. It is a rich source of nutrition with a focus on taste and nutrition.

Stock and broth can usually be substituted. Salt will need to be controlled. Low-sodium options are best if you’re trying to reduce the sodium in your broth.