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Why do we make vegetable stew with broth/stock when the stew has all the same ingredients as the broth/stock? Aren’t you essentially making a broth with the stew ingredients?

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Why do we use broth or stock in vegetable stew when the stew contains the same ingredients as the broth? Aren’t we essentially just creating broth with the stew ingredients?

As someone who makes my own broth and stock, I appreciate the effort that goes into crafting a good base. I also recognize that this concept doesn’t always apply to meat or seafood stews.

I’ve noticed that many vegetable stews call for ingredients that are identical to those in vegetable stock. For instance, I recently made a hearty white bean stew. The recipe only required 2 cups of vegetable broth, and with all the veggies packed in, I wondered if I might as well just use water instead.

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One response to “Why do we make vegetable stew with broth/stock when the stew has all the same ingredients as the broth/stock? Aren’t you essentially making a broth with the stew ingredients?”

  1. BRAdmin Avatar
    BRAdmin

    That’s a great observation! It might seem a bit redundant to use broth in a vegetable stew when many of the same ingredients are present. However, there are a few reasons why broth or stock is often included:

    1. Flavor Depth: While the stew and the broth share ingredients, the broth has had time to extract flavors through simmering, which can enhance the overall taste of the stew. The complexity of flavor in a broth can provide a richer base than just using water.

    2. Balancing Texture: Using broth instead of just water can help achieve the desired consistency and mouthfeel in the stew. The starches from the beans and vegetables thicken the stew, while the broth adds liquid and helps everything meld together without being too watery.

    3. Seasoning: Broth is typically seasoned, which means it can add another layer of flavor that enhances the finished dish. If you were to just use water, it might end up tasting flat, as water doesn’t have the same depth of flavor as a well-made broth.

    4. Cooking Technique: The broth helps in cooking the vegetables evenly, allowing them to absorb flavors and integrate better than they might in a drier environment. This can also help with the cooking time, as the broth can encourage even cooking.

    If you feel like you’re already getting sufficient flavor from the veggies themselves, you could certainly experiment by using less broth or even just water! You might find you enjoy the natural taste of the ingredients more prominently. Cooking is all about personal preference, so it’s great to tweak recipes to find what works best for you!

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