Does That Recipe REALLY Need Chicken Stock—Or Can You Just Use Broth?
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They sit next to each other in the grocery store, often in rectangular paper boxes: Stock and broth. They look the same, they're often made with the same (or similar) ingredients. But despite all this chicken stock and broth do have some important differences. The biggest differences are in their concentrations.
Many people think of them (and use them) interchangeably. However, once you know how they're supposed to be used, you'll be able to use both more effectively in your home kitchen.
What's the Difference: Chicken Stock vs Chicken Broth
The biggest difference for someone who's thinking of buying or using one or the other is that broth is a little thinner and has fewer calories per serving. Stock usually is a little more full-tasting and has more calories per serving.
This is because the two are made differently. As J. Kenji Lopez-Alt explains in his authoritative book on kitchen techniques, The Food Lab, "Stock is made by simmering bones, connective tissue, meat scraps, and vegetables in water. The connective tissue gives it body and a rich, unctuous mouthfeel.... Broth is made with meat and vegetables—no bones or connective tissue."
If you're making your own, at home, the advantage of a broth is that it's made very quickly, and is used mostly in soups. Stock—especially homemade stock—can take hours to make, as you have to let bones simmer for a while to let the collagen break down and dissolve. But what you get is a much thicker substance that can be used in all kinds of ways, including in sauces, marinades and gravies. It's not just a way to flavor soup!
Homemade vs Store-Bought Stocks
If you've ever tried making chicken stock at home, you might have noticed that it's a lot different than the stuff you get in the store. Homemade stock that's been cooked for hours is very thick, whereas premade stock from a store isn't much different from broth.
As Kenji explains, there's a very understandable reason for this: "Rather than spending all day simmering bones, [food manufacturers] opt to use natural and artificial flavorings [in their stock]."
This keeps the price down (a box of stock isn't much more than broth) but the result is less than great. Which is why it always pays to make your own, if you can. And since it's made mostly from bones you'd otherwise throw away, all it costs is your time.
What Is Bone Broth? Why Do People Drink It?
Perhaps you've seen yet another box on the shelf: bone broth—and you wondered what makes this different from the other two ingredients.
Bone broth is essentially a step closer to homemade chicken stock. When, a few years ago, drinking bone broth for health benefits took off in popularity, a number of people tried buying and drinking chicken stock and discovered that it was a) very salty and b) didn't have nearly the same amount of collagen as homemade bone broth (a.k.a. "stock"), which is where the health benefits are supposed to come from.
So companies started making and selling a more expensive "bone broth" version of their stock and broth that has slightly more collagen, (and more calories) and often a little less salt. It's more drinkable, but otherwise it can be used just like stock.
Can I substitute stock for broth (or vice versa)?
The good news is that, when it comes to the store-bought stuff, any one of these can be substituted for the other! Got a recipe that calls for stock (or broth)? Go ahead and use whatever you have on hand! Bone broth will work just fine as well.
Other Substitutes for Chicken Stock and Broth
In fact—about 99% of the time, if you don't have anything on hand, you can just use water! That's right: If you're throwing together a soup and you ran out of stock or broth, water will work just fine.
Now, the soup may taste a little bit blander, but you can add a bit of salt and increase a few spices or other ingredients—or add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce—to make up for it. But there's no need to run out to the store just for stock.
In the same vein, vegetable stock and chicken stock can generally be used interchangeably (unless you're trying to keep a dish vegetarian, of course). And if you have cubes of bouillon on hand, use them according to the package directions—typically one cube per 8 ounces. They'll work, too!
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