Stock or Broth

If you are like me you have stood in the grocery store before and said out loud “what is the difference between stock and broth?”  When no one answers you close your eyes and grab one, or do eeny meeny miney mo.

So is there is a difference?  What do you think?

It would seem by definition there is a difference, but by practical application there may not be.

Definitions:

Broth:

1. A  thin soup of concentrated meat or fish stock.(1)
2. water that has been boiled with meat, fish, vegetables, or barley.(1)

Stock: A liquid or jelly containing the juices and soluble parts of meat, and certain vegetables, etc., extracted by cooking; — used in making soup, gravy, etc (1)

(1) – Definitions from Dictionary.com

So what does that mean you ask.  From my point of view there really isn’t a difference in my kitchen.  It would seem the commercial companies have made up the difference between the two, probably a marketing ploy.

Here is how Swanson defines them.

Broth: An essential ingredient to add flavor to soups and side dishes that don’t have a strong flavor on their own.

Stock: A foundational ingredient used to enhance the rich and meaty flavors and juiciness of your main meat dishes and gravies

In short:  If you are buying name brand containers in the store you can expect the broth to have more seasoning in the broth, where the stock you may need to add more of your own seasoning.

In my experience the store brand stocks and broths are pretty much the same thing.

If you are seasoning to taste as you cook, it shouldn’t matter if you interchange the 2 in a recipe.

If you are making your own at home, and you aren’t a trained professional chef,  Call it what ever you want and enjoy.