How to Make Stock and Broth from Scratch

French culinary tradition called stock the "fond" — the foundation. That's exactly right. Homemade chicken stock transforms a simple pan sauce from flat to magnificent. It turns a basic soup into something you want to eat again immediately. Stock is the secret of restaurant-quality cooking at home.

Stock vs. Broth: What's the Difference?

These terms are often used interchangeably, but there's a technical difference:

• Stock is made primarily from bones, which release gelatin as they cook. Stock has a richer body and, when chilled, will partially gel. It's generally unseasoned (you season the dish it goes into).
• Broth is made primarily from meat and is seasoned. It's meant to be consumed as-is, like a soup. Broth is lighter in body.

For cooking purposes, stock's richness makes it superior. For sipping or light soups, broth works better. Most home cooks use the terms interchangeably — and that's fine.

Basic Chicken Stock

Chicken stock is the most versatile and useful stock you can make. Save chicken carcasses and bones in your freezer until you have 2-3 pounds, then make stock.

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs chicken bones (carcass, backs, necks, feet if available)
• 1 large onion, halved
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• A few sprigs of thyme and parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• Cold water to cover (about 3-4 quarts)

Method

1. Optional roasting: For darker, richer stock, roast bones at 425°F for 30-45 minutes until browned. This creates brown (or "dark") stock vs. white stock from unroasted bones.
2. Place bones in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water (cold water = clearer stock).
3. Bring to a boil, skimming the gray foam that rises. This is coagulated protein — skim it for a cleaner stock.
4. Once foaming subsides, add vegetables and aromatics. Reduce to a bare simmer.
5. Simmer uncovered for 3-6 hours (longer = more gelatin and flavor).
6. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Discard solids.
7. Cool, then refrigerate. The fat will solidify on top — skim it off if desired.

Vegetable Stock

Vegetable stock is faster (30-60 minutes vs. hours) and can be made from vegetable scraps. Keep a bag in your freezer for onion skins, carrot peels, celery tops, leek greens, and mushroom stems.

Key tip: Avoid starchy vegetables (potatoes make stock cloudy), brassicas like broccoli (they make it bitter), and beets (they turn everything red). Onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, leek tops, parsley stems, and tomatoes are perfect.

Storing Stock

• Refrigerator: 5-7 days
• Freezer: 3-6 months. Freeze in ice cube trays, then transfer to bags — perfect for adding a few tablespoons to sauces.
• Reduced stock (demi-glace): Reduce stock by 75-80% until syrupy. A tablespoon adds extraordinary richness to pan sauces. Store in the freezer in an ice cube tray.

Using Stock in Cooking

• Pan sauces: After searing meat, deglaze with stock and reduce. The best 5-minute sauce possible.
• Risotto: Add warm stock ladleful by ladleful — the gelatin creates the characteristic creamy texture.
• Braising liquid: Braise tough cuts in stock for fork-tender results.
• Cooking grains: Cook rice, farro, or quinoa in stock instead of water for dramatically more flavor.
• Soup base: Every soup starts with stock.