But what exactly is the difference between broth and broth, if there is any at all? If so, does it make a difference what you use when preparing soups, stews and other dishes? Here’s what you need to know.
While both stock and broth are made by boiling animal parts (unless the liquid is plant-based), vegetables, and sometimes herbs and spices in water, they’re technically different things:
- warehouse is made primarily from long-cooked bones and is unseasoned. The long cooking time allows the collagen in the bones to turn into gelatin, giving well-prepared broths their viscous consistency and gelling as they cool. Stocks are best used in stews, sauces and stews.
- broth is made primarily from meat that has been cooked for a shorter time, usually two hours or less, and seasoned with salt. It has a thinner consistency and is best used in soups, grains, or any dish where its flavor is welcome.
“Traditionally, broth was made from meat and sometimes bones; Broth was made with bones, but not necessarily meat,” says Joy of Cooking. “Perhaps it is best to think of broth as an ingredient and broth as a goal: a simple clear soup of meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, or vegetables, often eaten (or drunk) as such.” According to this modern distinction, ” Vegetable broth” is something you can use to stew vegetables, and it also explains “bone broth,” a liquid made from simmering bones for a considerable length of time (up to two days). that is flavored and meant to be drunk alone.
Yet no taxonomy takes into account the things you buy at the grocery store. While manufacturers seem to follow the rule that broths should contain less salt than broth, that doesn’t mean packages labeled “stock” are sodium-free. For example, the regular sodium versions of College Inn brand chicken broth and broth have 480 milligrams and 850 milligrams of sodium per serving, respectively. So if you’re deciding between regular sodium broth and broth, I recommend going with broth by default so you have more control over the amount of salt in the finished dish.
Overall, however, the best option for most home cooking is unsalted or salt-free broth or broth, which is what I usually call for in recipes since you’ll most likely add salt and spices to taste regardless. (Low-sodium or reduced-sodium options are good second choices, although you’ll need to check the nutrition label to see which product has the least amount.)
But don’t fret too much: if you’re just trying to get dinner on the table, what you have on hand will do. As a chef, salt is of paramount importance, so you need to be aware that the people who made the product you bought and/or the person who wrote the recipe you are following may not get the nuance Considered of broth and broth have effects that they can have. (Full disclosure: Even we were a little loose with the terms in our broth and broth recipe names.) So check the sodium content of the broth or broth before adding it to your recipe, be careful with seasoning (especially if the liquid will be will). reduced) and try your food.
If you have an overly salted sauce, soup or stew, there are ways to fix it such as: B. by adding sweetness or extra strength.