Broth and stock are both liquids made by simmering meat, vegetables or bones, and the two words are often used interchangeably in the kitchen. Broth is the flavoured liquid left after simmering, and can form the base of a thin soup on its own, while stock refers to the same kind of liquid used as a base for other soups and sauces. Think of broth as something you could sip from a mug, and stock as the building block for a bigger dish.
The core difference
Broth is the flavoured liquid from simmering, often eaten as a light soup on its own, while stock is the same kind of liquid used mainly as a base for other dishes.
- broth — the flavoured liquid left over after meat, vegetables or bones have been simmered in water: Simmer the bones for a few hours to make a rich broth.
- broth — a thin soup made from broth plus other ingredients: He warmed up a bowl of vegetable broth for lunch.
- stock — a liquid made by simmering bones, meat or vegetables, used as a base for soups and sauces: Simmer the chicken bones to make a rich stock.
How to tell them apart
Both words describe the same basic process, simmering bones, meat or vegetables in water to draw out flavour, so the difference often comes down to how the liquid is used. Broth leans towards something finished and seasoned enough to eat as a light soup by itself, while stock leans towards a foundation ingredient, simmered to be used later in another dish.
The confusion is common because many recipes use the two words as if they were the same thing, and in everyday cooking they often are treated that way. Stock also has entirely unrelated meanings worth knowing, such as the goods a shop keeps for sale, or a share representing ownership in a company.
