What is the difference between stock and broth? Posted on by Rudy's Riviera Stock vs. Broth: What’s the Difference? Stock and broth are foundational in cooking. From soups and stews to a cooking medium for everything from grains to vegetables, to the basis of sauces and gravies, it is no wonder that many recipes begin with stock or broth in their ingredient list. The two are used nearly interchangeably in print, and in fact, many recipes will call for stock OR broth, which raises the question. They are flavorful liquids that are used to make sauces and soups, or consumed on their own. The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two. What exactly is the difference between stock and broth? What’s in stock and what’s in broth? The main difference between stock and broth starts with the primary ingredient. Stock is generally made from bones, and broth is generally made from flesh. In both cases, they are often supported with aromatic vegetables, but in the case of stock, left unseasoned for maximum flexibility in recipes, whereas broth will usually contain at least salt and pepper. For stock, bones are usually roasted before use for color and flavor, for broth, the meats tend to be used directly from raw. This is why many stocks are darker than broths from the same proteins. But what about vegetable variation? Obviously, this is different for vegetable stocks and broths, where no bones or meat are used in either product. Some companies will add plant-based gelatin to vegetable stock to give it that added thickening, which is a trick you can also do at home if you want to make homemade. Dashi, a flavorful, umami-packed broth, is a fundamental ingredient in many Japanese dishes and perfect for a vegan broth / stock. It’s usually made with a combination of kombu (dried kelp), dried bonito flakes and iriko (dried anchovies). Shiitake mushrooms can also be added to the mix, resulting in a stunningly clear, clean liquid. Try my ultimate vegan vegetable umami broth recipe to create your own. Can you substitute on for the other? While you can technically use them for nearly identical applications in cooking, you will want to pay attention to seasoning for your final products. Dishes made with stock will need more aggressive seasoning than those made with broth. If you do not want to make your own, and do not want to have to fill your larder with both options, you can find a happy medium by keeping low-sodium broth in the pantry as your single choice. The only place you really cannot sub broth for stock is in recipes that call for veal stock, which is a reference to a reduced product that is essential for classical sauce work, sometimes called demi-glace. Where to buy and what to keep in mind You can also purchase concentrated varieties to which you add water before you continue with recipes. Stock bases are usually sold as pastes or in liquid form, where broth bases are most commonly sold as powders or in cubes and can be referred to as bouillon. To use either of these in recipes, simply follow the package directions to add water to create the amount mentioned in a recipe. Which is healthier and what are the health benefits? When it comes to health, both have their pros and cons. Broth contains about half the calories per cup (237 ml) that stock does. One cup of chicken broth provides 38 calories, while one cup of stock contains 86 calories (3). Stock contains slightly more carbs, fat and protein than broth, though it’s also significantly higher in vitamins and minerals (4). Here’s how a cup of broth compares to a cup of stock: Chicken broth Chicken stock Calories 38 86 Carbs 3 grams 8.5 grams Fat 1 gram 3 grams Protein 5 grams 6 grams Thiamine 0% of the RDI 6% of the RDI Riboflavin 4% of the RDI 12% of the RDI Niacin 16% of the RDI 19% of the RDI Vitamin B6 1% of the RDI 7% of the RDI Folate 0% of the RDI 3% of the RDI Phosphorus 7% of the RDI 6% of the RDI Potassium 6% of the RDI 7% of the RDI Selenium 0% of the RDI 8% of the RDI Copper 6% of the RDI 6% of the RDI What about bouillon, consommé and bone broth? There are a few related terms worth discussing. Bouillon Bouillon is simply the French word for broth. However, it is often used in place of broth, especially in the case of bouillon cubes. Bouillon cubes are simply broth that has been dehydrated and shaped into small blocks. They must then be mixed with water and rehydrated before use. Consommé Consommé is a stock that has been further concentrated and refined by a process involving simmering the stock with egg whites, meat and vegetables. Impurities are then skimmed from the surface. Bone Broth Bone broth is gaining a reputation as a superfood. However, as mentioned previously, bone broth is simply a new term for a very traditional food: stock. It differs from stock in that it may be cooked longer. It may also include an acidic component like vinegar to aid in breaking down connective tissue. To summarize The terms “broth” and “stock” are often used interchangeably. Though their ingredients are largely the same, there is a difference between them. Stock is made from bones, while broth is made mostly from meat or vegetables. Using bones in stock creates a thicker liquid, while broth tends to be thinner and more flavorful. Though broth and stock do have small differences, many people use them for the same purposes.
