Difference Between Broth and Broth
Broth and broth are very similar liquids and can be used interchangeably in many recipes without any problem. However, there are several key differences between the two, the main one being bones .
In its simplest form, broth is liquid meat in which liquid meat has been cooked. There are vegetarian variations on this theme, such as vegetable and bean broth, which are simply the liquid in which some vegetables or beans have been cooked, although some people may argue that these are not technically broth due to the lack of meat. (I’m not that kind of pedant, but you know they are.)
Broth, on the other hand, implies bones – bones that have been simmered for hours to extract collagen (which converts to gelatin) from the broth, which gives the broth a rich consistency and causes it to gel when cooled. Thesehighly prized bones are traditionally boiled with carrots, onions and celery, but not seasoned. (Full disclosure: I add salt to my broth, dammit.) Pre-frying the bones can give your broth a little more flavor and a richer color, but you can make the broth from unroasted bones if you like.
I’m sure you’ve seen vegetable “broth” on the market, but this product is “stock” in the sense that almond milk is “milk” – a convenient way to tell the home cook what the product should be. are used in their kitchen because vegetables are boneless. (Technically, the molluscs them either, but I like to cook their exoskeletons on a slow fire , and call it a “reserve”; it suits me mainly because the shells of shrimp contains little collagen .)
Anyway. The broth is also a more cooked product, while the stock is for cooking with. Of course, you can cook in broth – nothing bad will happen to you – but it will not have the mass that you get from the broth, and the broth is always seasoned; You should be able to drink it and have fun, or throw some noodles into it, let’s call it soup. It is also lighter in body and color and generally does not gel on refrigeration due to shorter cooking times and / or lack of bones. (Broth can contain bones if meat is attached to them, but it can also be made with boneless meat, such as chicken breasts.)
While “broth” technically refers to any liquid in which a piece of meat has been cooked, my favorite way to make chicken broth is to boil a whole chicken using the A. A. Newton method . I put the chicken in a saucepan and submerge it in water, keeping the cavity submerged, and add chopped ginger, garlic, green onions, sugar, and salt. Then I bring it to a boil, let it simmer for about half an hour, then turn off the heat, cover it and let it brew for at least two hours, and sometimes longer. The result of this process is not only tender, juicy and aromatic poultry, but also an amazing broth that – after it has cooled down enough – is practically usable. After eating the chicken, I toss the bones into my Instant Pot along with vegetable scraps, bay leaves, and a little apple cider vinegar to help extract collagen, and cook it all under high pressure for an hour. (You can also cook on the stove for several hours to achieve the same results.)
But what about bone broth? What the heck is that?
“Bone broth” is basically a marketing term for an expensive, flavored broth meant to be sipped. The main difference between “regular” traditional broth and bougie bone broth is taste: like any broth, bone broth is a finished product that needs to be sipped, which means someone has taken the time to add salt, pepper, herbs and / or aromatic roots and powders to make the taste pleasant enough to drink. But still stock.
To be honest, what I do and call “broth” probably falls into this hybrid category: I like seasoning my broth because I think it lays a more flavorful base on which to build gravies and sauces. Traditional? No. Yummy? Yes. (Once you understand the rules, you will feel the courage to break or break them.) Just don’t let anyone tell you that bone water or meat water has magical healing properties. Both broth and broth can certainly be restorative, as any good food can make you feel good, but bones can only do a lot.