Recipes can call for beef and chicken broth or stock, establishing the base for soups or sauces. So what's the difference?
Often the terms are used interchangeably, but technically, a broth is liquid made from simmering meat and/or vegetables.
Stock, on the other hand, is made by simmering bone in liquid.
When bones are simmered for a long time to make stock, gelatin is extracted along with flavor. The gelatin makes the stock thicker than a typical broth. Roasting the bones prior to simmering gives the stock a deeper and richer flavor but is not required.
 Beef stock |
 Beef broth |
What about seasonings?
Usually a stock doesn't have much (or any) seasoning in it, while a broth is often heavily seasoned. The idea behind stock is that it provides a clean base for adding other key flavors, while the seasoning in a broth may define the flavor of an entire dish. This is especially the case with store-bought stocks and broths.