Stock is the foundation for soups, risotto, stews, and more. It can be made from almost any kind of meat, fish, vegetables, or other aromatics, but is usually based on chicken bones and simmered for hours to produce rich, gelatinous liquid that thickens when cooled. It’s the base of many of our favorite meals, and a great way to use up leftover bones, peels, and tops from previous recipes.
While broth can be used as a substitute for stock, the two are very different. Broth is a light, flavorful liquid that can be drunk straight and can be used to thin sauces, but it doesn’t have the structure of a stock. Traditional stocks are simmered for longer, and contain more gelatin from meat and vegetables. They are also seasoned with salt, while broth is not (and shouldn’t be).
A stock can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. It can be as easy as boiling up some meat and vegetables, or you can add things like spices and herbs to help bring out the flavors of the ingredients. You can even make vegetable stock by roasting your vegetables first, to give the liquid a little extra depth of flavor.
If you have a little more time, you can reduce your stock down to a more concentrated liquid and then freeze it in ice cube trays. This will let you easily store smaller portions of the stock in your freezer, which is especially helpful during busy times or if you’re cooking for only one or two people.
How to Pick a Stock
There are thousands of publicly-traded companies with shares that you can buy, or fractions of a share in those companies. Determining which stocks to buy is all about doing your research. You’ll want to look at a company’s earnings, how stable their profits are, and the quality of their management.
In addition to looking at a company’s financials, you should also check out their reputation and culture. A company with a good reputation for treating employees fairly is more likely to be a stable investment.
Stock Market Basics
In order to be traded, a company must be listed on a stock exchange, a licensed venue where buyers and sellers meet to trade shares. The major stock exchanges in the United States include the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq market.
Stock markets have evolved from a place where businesses raised funds to a central part of the economy and the lives of millions of Americans. In perilous times, they’ve been seen as places where people can turn to for protection against economic turmoil, and it’s become more important than ever for government and the Federal Reserve to step in when a company’s stock is at risk of collapse. The Securities and Exchange Commission and state regulators oversee the U.S. stock market.
