The Difference Between Broth and Stock

The foundation of nearly every good soup starts with a rich and wholesome stock or broth, infused with flavor to build upon. Whether made with chicken or beef, they are more than just useful liquids—they're delicious and nourishing all on their own. But what are the differences between broth and stock, and when should you use these flavorful liquids in your cooking? Learn about broth and stock with our helpful guide.  

What Is Stock?

The main difference between broth and stock lies in their ingredients. Stock is made from water, animal bones, vegetables, and aromatics. Those vegetables are usually onions, carrots or parsnips, and celery, and typical aromatics include bay leaf, black peppercorns, thyme, and parsley stems. 

"The purpose of stock is to be used as a base for soup or sauces," says Joshua Resnick, chef-instructor of culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary Education. "That means that there should be no salt in stock. This is because it is going to be reduced further and since salt stays behind during reduction, the finished product can become overseasoned easily."

Stocks are usually straightforward—you don't want them overwhelming your finished product, so Resnick advises against stronger additions like garlic, ginger, or citrus. "Those flavors, though delicious, can very easily overpower the other flavors," he says. 

What Is Broth?

"Traditionally, broth is a slightly reduced stock with further aromatics and seasonings added to it, such as whole spices or more pungent vegetables," says. Broths are also made with animal flesh, along with bones—whole chickens or chicken parts, for example—but may also be made with just meat alone. Broths, Resnick says, have a more pronounced flavor, so as to stand out as a finished product.

Bone Broth

Bone broth is a misnomer, as it's actually made in a similar fashion to stock "but allowed to cook for an extended period of time as to pull out as much collagen from the bones as possible," says Resnick. He claims this is what gives bone broth its satisfying richness, along with roasting the bones for deeper flavor, and seasoning with additional spices, aromatics, and salt to round it out. 

Making Broth and Stock at Home

When making broth and stocks at home, Resnick has some surefire tips to make sure you'll always end up with a satisfying soup base.  

• "Ensure that you have the right ratio of meat and bones to vegetables," he says. "For a traditional stock, you want 2 percent of the weight of your bones in vegetables. So for 10 pounds of bones, you want 2 pounds of vegetables. 
• Include a mix of vegetables: "The traditional mix is 50 percent are onions or onion products (like leeks or shallots), 25 percent celery, and 25 percent carrots." 
• Skim the impurities from the start of cooking: they'll normally show up as the liquid is heating up, and those impurities contain things like fat and blood. "It's important to remove them when they show up, otherwise they will fall back into the broth, making it cloudy and negatively affecting the flavor," says Resnick.
• Season at the end: "If you season early, by the time the broth is done cooking, it could very easily come out oversalted," says Resnick. "Wait until you have all the flavors in there, then season to make sure you can taste everything."

Benefits of Stock and Broth 

The collagen, protein, vitamins, and minerals that come from making homemade broths and stocks provide so much more than boxed and canned products. "Broth and stock provide a ton of important nutrients in an easy-to-consume but filling cup. Our parents were right to give us soup when we were sick as kids!" says Resnick.