How to Make Broth
What’s the Difference Between Broth and Stock?
The primary difference between broth and stock is what you boil to create them. Broth is typically made with meat, while stock is made using bones. Another key difference is that stock is left unseasoned so that it can be used in a wide variety of dishes. These differences matter when it comes to using broth or stock in a recipe. If you want your dish to add its own flavor, then broth is your best bet. If you want all of your seasoning done at once, stock is a great choice. Stock also has more protein than broth. If you’re looking for ways to sneak more protein into your day, substituting broth for stock could help you meet your goals.
The question of how to make broth comes down to a few key elements. One, which kind of broth are you making and two, how will you season it? With this easy guide, you’ll be a broth boss in no time.
How to Make Your Own Broth
Making homemade broth is super simple, but a good result does take time. Our instructions here are for stovetop broth, but it can also be made in a slow cooker or programmable pressure cooker. No matter which way you cook it, you’re looking for a broth that’s flavorful and aromatic. Making broth is a perfect rainy day activity, since you should keep an eye on your pot as it cooks. The best part is that broth can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months once you make it.
Chicken broth
Maybe the best place to start is to learn how to make chicken broth. Chicken broth takes less time to make than other meat-based broths, and it’s perhaps the most versatile due to its light flavor. You can add any vegetable scraps you have to the pot, but carrot, celery and onion work best. For additional flavor, try adding lemon, rosemary, thyme, peppercorn and salt. Really though, the flavor profile is up to you. As for the star of the show, choose chicken bones that have some meat left on them. Wings and legs are good options, but any bones can work. You can separate the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken and toss the bones into a pot or use leftover chicken bones from a previous meal.
Once you have your ingredients, place them in a pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for around 3 hours.
After you’ve made your broth, strain it to get rid of the herbs, meat and bones. Let it cool before refrigerating the broth overnight. Before using, skim any fat from the top of the refrigerated broth. Freeze to enjoy for up to 6 months.
Vegetable broth
Learning how to make vegetable broth is a skill that will come in handy for a variety of recipes. Vegetable broth is vitamin- and mineral-rich, good for gut health and adds a nice depth of flavor to soups, risotto and more.
While you can add any vegetables you’d like, there are some that work better than others. Carrots, celery and onion are staples and work well in any broth. Sweet potato, kale stalks (but not the leaves, as they could make the broth taste bitter), leeks and mushrooms are all great options as well.
You can add a variety of additional flavors such as whole garlic cloves, herbs, citrus and spices.
Once all your ingredients are added to the pot, cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about an hour.
After you’ve made your broth, strain it to separate the broth from the ingredients. Let it cool before refrigerating the broth. Freeze to enjoy for up to 6 months.
Beef broth
Beef broth can add a rich, decadent flavor to almost any recipe, so it’s a great staple to have on hand. To make your own beef broth at home, you want to choose bones that have some meat on them. Short ribs, shanks and oxtail would be great additions, but you don’t have to make a shopping trip just to make this broth. Instead, save the leftovers from previous meals and use them to create your broth once you have enough saved.
Just like with vegetable broth, carrots, celery and onion work well here, as do other vegetable additions. Feel free to add even more flavor by using herbs like rosemary and thyme, and various spices alongside salt and peppercorns.
Once all your ingredients are added to the pot, cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about an hour.
After you’ve made your broth, strain it to get rid of the herbs, meat and bones. Let it cool before refrigerating the broth overnight. Before using, skim the fat from the top of the refrigerated broth. Freeze to enjoy for up to 6 months.
Bone broth
Bone broth has been getting a lot of buzz recently, and rightly so. With the flavor of a broth but containing the protein and vitamin benefits of stock, bone broth is the best of both worlds. Plus, learning how to make bone broth is almost as easy as picking up a carton from the store.
With bone broth, your goal is to draw the gelatin from the bones. It might not sound appealing, but gelatin is very nutrient-dense. When the stock is cooled, you should have a layer of gelatin on top of your bone broth. Make sure you don’t remove it.
Bone broth may sound like it’s the same thing as stock, but bone broth cooks longer to ensure that the gelatin and nutrients are completely pulled from the ingredients.
Start with roasted bones. The best bones to use are those that have the most connective tissue like joints, marrow bones or feet. You can also add meatier bones like oxtail or short ribs.
Add the bones to a pot and cover them with water. You can add a touch of salt if you’d like. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cover and let that cook for as long as possible, but aim for 10-12 hours. The longer it cooks and the more reduced it becomes, the more flavorful your bone broth will be.
Be sure not to let your broth get over 212° F, since gelatin breaks down at that temperature.
Why Make Broth?
Sometimes, it’s nice to know exactly what goes into the foods we eat. By learning how to make broth at home, you can control what goes into it. Yes, it may be faster to stop by the store and pick up a carton of broth, but there are more reasons to learn to make it on your own.
Throughout the week, many of us throw away scraps, like bones that still have pieces of meat or fat on them, or vegetable pieces the kids don’t find appealing enough for lunchboxes. Instead of throwing them out, you can save them in a large, freezer-safe bag. Once you have enough scraps, you can use your leftovers to create your broth. It’s a great way to be more sustainable, and it gives you more bang for your buck with ingredients .
Because broth is so versatile, it’s a nice ingredient to have on hand. If you make it yourself, you can avoid quick trips to the store and instead just reach into your freezer.
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