Stock comes from bones—usually roasted, sometimes raw, always with bits of meat and connective tissue hanging on. You simmer those bones for hours, sometimes a whole lazy Sunday afternoon.
Why so long? To pull out collagen, which turns into gelatin. That’s what gives stock that thick, almost wobbly texture when it’s cold. It’s also why your homemade chicken soup gets that silky mouthfeel that makes you swear you’re a chef.
Stock is not heavily seasoned. No salt, no pepper. Just bones, water, maybe a sad carrot or onion for company. You’re supposed to season it later, when you turn it into something else. It’s a blank canvas that costs you three hours of stove babysitting.
