I want to share with you an overview of the differences between Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth. There is quite a bit of confusion about these three types of nutritious liquids, so it is important to understand the differences and the role that each plays in the Traditional Foods Kitchen. I also include links to detailed videos to help you learn how to make each of the liquids.
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Table of Contents
- Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth
- What Are the Benefits of Broth?
- What Are the Benefits of Stock?
- Bone Broth—The Best of Both Worlds
- Get Bone In Meats from Shirttail Creek Farm
- Another Source for Beef Bones and More
- Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth Videos
- The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
- Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List
- The Modern Pioneer Pantry
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
- Kitchen Academy Videos
- Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth
To begin with, let’s go over the basics of each of these:
- Broth – Is primarily made with meaty bones.
- Stock – Is primarily made with bones that have little or no meat on them.
- Bone Broth – Is a combination of the two, meaty bones and bones with a little meat on them. Plus, Bone Broth includes high cartilage bones, which help to create the rich gelatin that’s associated with this liquid.
What Are the Benefits of Broth?
Broth contains high amounts of protein thanks to the significant amount of meat that’s used to make it. For example, to make Chicken Broth, the home cook will often use an entire chicken. Once you make this Broth, you can remove the meat from the chicken and use the chicken meat in a variety of recipes, including adding it to a soup that uses your newly created Broth. What a great combination!
When making Beef Broth, the same is true. You’ll use a generous amount of meat and little bone to make Broth. Shank bones are excellent beef bones for making Beef Broths.
In addition to its high protein content, another benefit of Broth is that you can make it in as little as 45 minutes, unlike bone broth, which can take much longer.
What Are the Benefits of Stock?
Stock doesn’t have the same high protein content as Broth, but it has a higher amount of gelatin. The bones used in Stock contain collagen, and once cooked, collagen creates gelatin. Although the amount of collagen is not as high as the amount of collagen in cartilage, stock bones contain enough collagen to produce a nutritious semi-gelatinous liquid that soothes our “gut” and nourishes our joints, skin, hair, and nails.
Generally, home cooks make Stock by browning bones, such as marrow bones in the case of making Beef Stock. The rich color and taste of Stock give gravies and sauces a wonderful flavor. And the best part? Stock can also be ready in a short amount of time—anywhere from as little as two hours, but no more than three hours.
Bone Broth—The Best of Both Worlds
The term “Bone Broth” can be confusing because many wonder…is it a stock or a broth? And that is completely understandable! The great news is that it is both.
What Bones Should I use for Beef Bone Broth?
Use the following bones to make Beef Bone Broth:
- Meaty bones, such as shanks,
- Non-meaty bones, such as marrows, and
- High-cartilage bones, such as oxtails, knuckles, and patellas. (This is the most important ingredient!)
Because of the variety of bones, this wonderful elixir contains high amounts of protein and gelatin. Thanks to the addition of the high-cartilage bones, we significantly increased the level of collagen in Bone Broth, as compared to the amount of collagen in Stock. (I also have a video that shows you the Best Bones for Making Beef Bone Broth.) This extra boost of collagen is what creates a very gelatin-rich Bone Broth, making it a superior choice for significantly nourishing our gut, joints, skin, hair, and nails, as opposed to Stock.
What Bones Should I use for Chicken Bone Broth?
When it comes to making Chicken Bone Broth, I recommend using the carcass of three chickens that will have some bits and bobs of meat left on them. You will also want to add in some high-cartilage bones, such as necks, backs, wingtips, or chicken feet (my favorite)! All of these high-cartilage bones will help you make a wonderfully gelatinous Bone Broth.
Is There a Downside to Making Bone Broth?
So what’s the downside to making Bone Broth? It takes more time to make Bone Broth than Broth or Stock. You could argue that it’s not really a downside considering the highly nutritious liquid that you are creating. However, that said, Chicken Bone Broth will take up to 6 hours to make, and Beef Bone Broth will take a full 12 hours to make.
Get Bone In Meats from Shirttail Creek Farm
I’d like to introduce you to Shirttail Creek Farm, located in Brenham, Texas. They offer a wide range of grass-fed and finished beef, pastured pork, chicken, and eggs, and lots more through their online store.
In addition to Bone-In Chuck Roasts and Pastured Stewing Hens, you can find lots of nutritious meats and products to help you make the most healthy and gelatinous beef bone broth:
Another Source for Beef Bones and More
If you can’t find organic beef bones or other beef, lamb, pork, poultry, or seafood products from your supermarket or farmer’s market, you can order these products online from US Wellness Meats. I’ve been a happy customer of theirs for many years, and in the video below, you’ll see how they pack their products with care to keep your items cold during shipping.
If you order from US Wellness Meats, be sure to use promocode MARYNEST and my link for a one-time savings of 15% off regular-priced items on your US Wellness Meats order.
Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth Videos
After viewing my video where I go over the difference between Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth, watch the videos below to learn how to make one of these nutritious liquids at home. By learning these essential kitchen skills, you’ll discover the benefits these liquids provide to help you prepare traditional “nutrient dense” meals!
- Beef Broth Videos
- Beef Stock Videos
- Beef Bone Broth Videos
- Chicken Bone Broth Videos
- Fish Bone Broth Videos
- Pork Bone Broth Videos
- Turkey Bone Broth Videos
You can enjoy these liquids in your cooking for making soups, stews, gravies, and sauces. They can also be a great substitute in place of water when cooking grains. But best of all, you can enjoy any one of these in a mug—just for sipping—with a pinch of sea salt.
Beef Broth Videos
Beef Stock Videos
- Also watch the How to Make Brown Beef Stock from Scratch video.
Beef Bone Broth Videos
Chicken Bone Broth Videos
Fish Bone Broth Videos
Pork Bone Broth Videos
Turkey Bone Broth Videos
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Seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and nourishing recipes. Over 85 traditional, from-scratch recipes! Discover for yourself how you can use simple ingredients and traditional techniques to cook the modern pioneer way.
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For an extensive list of the traditional foods you can make and purchase to stock your pantry, be sure to download my free 36-page Traditional Foods Pantry List. This comprehensive eBook is full of links to recipe videos, helpful articles, and more!
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Kitchen Academy Videos
Why We Should Incorporate Mackerel Into Our Diet
Easy and nourishing ways to enjoy mackerel into your meals.
The Gentle Power of Fermented Beverages—All Year Long
Learn how fermented beverages gently support digestion year-round, shifting with the seasons to nourish the gut through traditional, living drinks.
How to Make Oatmeal Higher in Protein (The Old-Fashioned Way)
Turn simple oats into a hearty, protein-rich porridge.
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Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Benefits of a Fat Separator
In many of my Bone Broth videos, you’ll see me using a Fat Separator to help remove all the fat from my Bone Broth so that I can decant a nicely clarified end product.
The Fat Separator is a clever design that you can fill with your liquid. After a few moments, the fat will rise to the top of the liquid, and you can press a lever that opens a hole on the bottom. This enables you to drain your de-fatted bone broth into the vessel of your choosing. (I use glass storage jars with plastic lids.) I love this device!
Favorite Bone Broth Making Supplies
- 7-Quart Slow-Cooker
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- 10-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator
- Stainless Steel Strainer
- Flour Sack Towels
- Two Cup Glass Storage Jars with Lids
- One Cup Glass Storage Jars with Lids
- Half Gallon Storage Jar
- Wide Mouth Plastic Storage Lids
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