Which statement describes stock versus broth most accurately?

• A. Stock is meat-forward
• B. Stock is bone-based and yields gelatin
• C. Stock is always seasoned for direct serving
• D. Stock is made from vegetables only

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is the ingredient base and the texture they create. Stock is built from bones (often with a little meat) and simmered long enough for the collagen in those bones to break down into gelatin. That gelatin gives stock body and a silky mouthfeel, and it’s typically used as a base rather than served straight up with strong seasoning. This bone-and-gelatin characteristic is what sets stock apart from broth.

That’s why the best description is that stock is bone-based and yields gelatin. The other statements don’t fit as well: stock isn’t primarily meat-forward, and it isn’t normally seasoned for direct serving (that’s more typical of broth). And while you can make stock with vegetables, saying stock is made from vegetables only is inaccurate for the traditional definition.