How To Doctor Up Your Store-Bought Broth To Give It That Homemade Taste

Store-bought broth takes a lot of heat for tasting pretty flavorless, especially when compared to homemade broth or stock (it's true – the homemade kind just can't be beat). However, not everyone has the time, or inclination, to roast chicken bones or simmer liquid in a big stock pot for hours. If this sounds like you, Food Republic spoke with Sarah Hill, recipe developer and food blogger of Real Food With Sarah, to get her expert opinion on how to make store-bought broth taste more like it took hours to make. "The easiest way to boost store-bought broth is by simmering it with garlic, onion, and herbs like thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves to enhance the complexity," she told us. This is also handy info if you want to swap water for broth, too, to give your base a broth-like quality.

Choose what herbs and aromatics based on the type of dish you're preparing; rosemary can be quite strong, so if you'd prefer to leave it out of your bundle, by all means. Try fresh sage for its savory, almost meaty flavor, or give your broth an Asian twist with some light, citrusy lemongrass. You might opt for whole garlic cloves or a nub of ginger; if all you have on hand are scallions or shallot, instead of onion, use them up. It's really all about using what you like, and what you have in your kitchen.

The fifth flavor profile — umami — can absolutely go to work in your store-bought broth, adding richness and depth where before there was none (or, very little). "Adding a splash of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or fish sauce adds a nice umami kick," said Sarah Hill. She also suggested dried mushrooms (which you can typically find for the best price in small Asian grocery stores), anchovy paste, or even tomato paste, which is particularly good in one-pot chicken-and-rice dishes.

But let us not also forget the brightening qualities of acid; Hill suggested apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, which works beautifully with beef broth and chicken broth, respectively. You could also uncork a bottle of red or white wine and add a glug of it, which is particularly useful when the recipe you're using the broth for calls for a reduction, as in sauce-making. One thing you want to be careful with, though, is using too much of an acidic ingredient; broth is a delicate liquid, and the store-bought stuff tends to be much lighter on flavor than homemade. Find a good balance and don't go overboard.

We asked Sarah Hill her preferred method for making broth-from-a-box (or can) taste better. "If I had to choose one technique it would be to [saute] onion or shallot and garlic for about five to seven minutes, then add to store-bought broth and allow it to simmer on low for 30 minutes before using," she said. "Cooking these aromatics beforehand brings out their natural sweetness, making the broth taste more complex." However, if you're pressed for time, you can forgo cooking everything first, and just plunk them into the broth for a simmer — it just won't taste as impactful without the boost from caramelization.

And if you don't have any herbs or aromatics to work with, you can try this trick instead: Pour your broth out into a shallow pan, bring it to a boil, and let the liquid reduce by two-thirds, to a half. What you're doing is concentrating the flavor that already exists, making it stronger and more pronounced. When you're done doing that, you could even employ Hill's aromatic simmering technique for an extra flavor boost.