Stock Vs Broth: What's The Difference?

When it comes to cooking, the internet is littered with tips, tricks, and hacks that can help take whatever you are cooking or baking to the next level. From the best way to flip an omelet to different kinds of seasonings to keep on hand, there is nothing that one can't find. According to Kroger, some of the most necessary cooking essentials that all at-home cooks should have are things like olive oil, salt, rice, pasta, vinegar, sugar, and broth. 

While most folks are able to distinguish the differences between the different kinds of salt, vinegar, and oils, what about broth and stock? Surely, both of these delicious liquids are interchangeable with it comes to whipping up a savory feast. Unfortunately, that is not the case at all. The Kitchn reports that despite having several similarities, there is a "small but significant" difference between the two cooking liquids. Here's how to know whether you want to use stock or broth.

Taste of Home explains that the key difference is that broth requires meat and veggies to make, while stock is made using bones. So, chicken stock is made using chicken bones? Correct, while broth would be made using the chicken breast. Stocks are thicker while broth tends to be thinner. The Kitchn details that to make stock at your home, you'd need things like animal bones, a mirepoix (the combination of onions, carrots, and celery), and any other aromatic elements you'd like to add. Cook time? About two to six hours (might be worth making in a slow cooker). 

Now, when making a broth, cook time is dramatically shorter (under two hours, per The Kitchn) and you need similar ingredients to that of the stock with the exception of the bones, as you would be using actual meat instead. Another difference between the two is that broths are seasoned with salt, while stock is generally not. (That makes broth all the better to enjoy on its own). Despite all their differences, the end result of any stew, soup, or sauce will be delicious regardless of which one of the two you happen to grab.