Best Commercial Broth?

I'd like to hear what you think is the best commercial broth. Thanks.

Bob

From the Cooks illustrated web site:

We tasted 15 widely available commercial chicken broths, and few came close to the full-bodied consistency of a successful homemade stock. Many lacked even a hint of chicken flavor. Overall, though, mass-produced chicken broths with flavor enhancers beat out simpler, more natural products. And the top four broths were all products of the Campbell Soup Company, of which Swanson is a subsidiary. In order, they were Swanson Chicken Broth, Campbell's Chicken Broth, Swanson Natural Goodness Chicken Broth (with 33 percent less sodium than regular Swanson chicken broth), and Campbell's Healthy Request Chicken Broth (with 30 percent less sodium than regular Campbell's chicken broth.) The remaining broths were decidedly inferior.

If I don't make my own, I use Swanson's after seeing this article in Cooks illustrated.

Thank you! I knew I'd seen an article on that sujbect but couldn't remember where.

I believe that Cook's also said, and I can personally confirm, that the Swanson chicken broth in the asceptic package (think big juice box) tastes better than the version in an actual can.

-ramon

Ramon wrote:Swanson chicken broth in the asceptic package (think big juice box) tastes better than the version in an actual can.

Unfortunately, that format is both harder to find and typically more expensive than cans.

While I agree that, tasted straight-up, Swanson's is the best canned chicken broth, the significance of the differences in broths depends a great deal on what you're doing with them. If the broth is just a base to which a lot of other flavors are going to be added, or a small component in a recipe, the differences from brand to brand aren't that important, especially if you aren't cooking it down very much.

In simple recipes where the flavor of the broth is critical (e.g. matzo-ball soup), or where you're going to be reducing it considerably, it's really worthwhile to make your own broth from scratch. I usually make it in quantity and freeze it.

That said, you can perk up the flavor of a commercial chicken broth a great deal by simmering some chicken (even frozen wings) and veggies in it for as little as 30 minutes.

LAZ wrote:Unfortunately, that format is both harder to find and typically more expensive than cans.

Since it is carried in nearly every Jewel, it's not really that hard to find. Also, good ingredients tend to cost more. I will agree with LAZ that canned/store bought broth has no place in a recipe for chicken soup, though.

stevez wrote:Since it is carried in nearly every Jewel, it's not really that hard to find. Also, good ingredients tend to cost more.

I rarely shop at Jewel, but Swanson in cans is available at nearly all of the groceries I frequent, as well as by the case at Costco. No question -- the best ingredients do cost more. I'm saying that, depending on your uses, the slight difference in broth quality may not be worth the additional cost/trouble.

Even the best commercial broth doesn't come close to homemade, so if quality really matters, make your own.

I agree, make your own broth.

I personally love to do this in winter when I can set the strained pot of hot fatty broth outside to get the fat to freeze overnight. Tied up so the critters can't get it of course.

Then I can it, I have a pressure canner which I think was well worth it, even just for broth.

It's nice having canned broth on hand rather than frozen. You don't have to thaw it and you don't have to fill up your freezer.

Hint, pressure cookers are nice for making broth too - SO much quicker. But my pressure canner was cheap and the metal seems crappy, so I have a separate smaller pressure cooker for making broth.

Another hint - you can make meat glace in a day if you use the pressure cooker. Don't cook all your meat at once, just put one layer in the cooker, cover it barely with water, then for the rest of the meat, use the previous strained results. Do 4-6 times. Then strain and reduce till it covers the back of a spoon. Without the pressure cooker you can still do this but it'll take a few days.

And of course, roast your meat before you make broth out of it if you want a nice rich broth. Try to carmelize those juices.

Nancy

While I appreciate cooks tenacious reviewing process, I think at times it tends to reward the middle of the road or the average of tastes at times. I think quirky or interesting variations tend to get pushed down in their ratings. That being said, having tried many commercial broths, I would say that I do like the richness and veggie herby quality of imagine and pacific brands. Cooks doesn't have much good to say about them.

I have nothing against Swanson's and think it is very good. I just think the other two hold up as well, and maybe offer a nice variation.

Tell you what, I think that "Better Than Bouillon", diluted as recommended, plus a briefly simmered bit o' chicken carcass, gives a broth observably tastier--and realer--than anything commercial from a can or paperpak.

BTW, Nancy, I *really* appreciate the pressure cooker tip! Gotta give that a whirly soonest.

Geo

And just to follow up a bit on my "Better than Bouillon" remark, you might want to check out this website:

http://www.superiortouch.com/categories.php

There's lots of neat stuff I'll need to buy now... Oh well. Someone's got to do it!

Geo