Stock vs. Broth: Two Experts Explain the Difference

Every time I get a rotisserie chicken from Costco, I use the bones to make broth. Or am I making stock? I asked a couple of experts to explain the difference.

“Stocks and broths are similar in that they are made from water simmered with animal proteins—such as chicken, beef, or fish, and/or vegetables—such as carrots, celery and garlic,” says registered dietitian Whitney Linsenmeyer, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. There are, however, a few differences.

“First, stock is usually made from animal bones, whereas broth is usually made from the flesh. Second, stock is usually unseasoned and will then go on to become a key ingredient in soups and sauces, whereas broth is often seasoned with salt and/or pepper.”

The Difference Is Mostly a Matter of Time

“Stocks often are simmered for a longer duration than broths, which results in a deeper flavor, darker color, and more viscous consistency,” says Jacob Tuell, an assistant professor of animal science and food science at Northwest Missouri State University and member of the Institute of Food Technologists. “The latter is due to extraction of gelatin from the collagen in the connective tissue associated with the bones and joints.”

Homemade stocks often have a gel-like consistency when they cool. “That gel is great for thickening sauces and soups, such as a beef stew thickened with beef stock,” says Linsenmeyer. “Because they don’t contain bones, broths will have a much thinner consistency, making them a better fit for certain soups or other applications.”

Stock vs. Broth: The Difference In Flavor

Stocks tend to taste fuller and bolder, while broths are more refined and delicate. “Stocks are usually going to have a more rich, savory flavor by nature of the way they are processed—simmering [for] longer durations of time, starting with bones that may be roasted beforehand, etc.,” says Tuell.

Stocks also typically have less sodium than broths, so they taste less salty. “This is related to how stocks are normally used versus broths,” Tuell says. “Stocks are used in sauces, soups, stews, etc. that will reduce in volume considerably, so it is important the dish does not become overly salty as a result of the reduction.”

Can You Substitute One for the Other?

Stock and broth can often be used interchangeably, but the saltiness comes into play. “If I were using either product in a dish that I knew would be cooked for a long period of time and reduce in volume, I would elect to use either a stock or unsalted/reduced sodium broth to better control the level of salt at the end,” says Tuell. “If you were after that really luxurious, viscous mouthfeel in a sauce, soup, or stew, that is something really only a homemade stock can achieve.”

What About Bone Broth?

Then, there’s bone broth, which is mostly the same thing as stock because it starts with bones as the primary ingredient.

“Where bone broth and stock primarily differ is in the cooking time. A stock usually is simmered for several hours, whereas a bone broth will simmer for around one day or even longer,” says Tuell. “This results in a greater extraction of gelatin from the collagen of the connective tissue associated with those bones and joints.”

The result is higher protein, explains Tuell, who says that one cup of broth has about one gram of protein and one cup of stock has about four grams, while bone broths contain about 10 grams of protein per cup.

Bone broth is easy to make at home, but you can also find it in stores, says Linsenmeyer. “The main difference is that commercial bone broths are typically seasoned with salt because they are intended to be sipped on like tea, whereas stock is intended to be used as an ingredient in cooking.”