The One Ingredient Upgrade You Should Be Adding To Store-Bought Stock

A dash of store-bought stock is perfect for boosting the depth and complexity of homemade ragus, pasta sauces, and gumbo. However, it's also a great shortcut solution to lending rice-based dishes, like risotto and pilaf, heaps of instant savory flavor. While preparing your own broth is better in terms of freshness, it takes prep work and you'll likely need to set aside a few hours for it to bubble away at the stove to produce a rich and silky result. The good news is that many grocery stores sell stock made with high quality ingredients that taste almost as good as a homespun batch. Better yet, there's nothing stopping you from boosting it's character with your own additions. One such pantry staple that's ideal for upgrading store-bought stock is a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

A pungent combination of vinegar, molasses, anchovies, tamarind extract, and spices, Worcestershire sauce is a concentrated condiment that deepens the umami notes of anything it's introduced to in just a few magical drops. While it's called a sauce, it doesn't have a thick texture that would coat the back of a spoon, like barbecue sauce. Rather, it's closer to the consistency of soy or tabasco. The fermented anchovies used in the recipe imbue it with a rich savoriness, the molasses with sweetness, and the tamarind extract with an almost fruity tanginess. It touches base on every taste bud, which is why it marvelously elevates a basic stock and transforms it into an umami elixir.

If you're making a chicken soup, pho, or ramen, simply add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce to your stock and give it a stir before tossing in your protein, veggies and additional seasonings. The sauce will quickly permeate the stock, imbuing it with a salty, savory twang and distinct aroma. In fact, Worcestershire sauce is a great addition to soups because it suffuses even the lightest bisque or chowder with a tangy, rounded quality. Plus, its light texture means you can also splash it into your stock at virtually any point during the cook time, much like coconut aminos or hot sauce. Just be aware that it does contain salt, so you may want to hold back on adding extra ingredients that feature sodium, such as soy. The key is to taste as you go to create a balanced persona, while bearing in mind that the flavors will deepen once you add your stock to the existing ingredients in your stew or sauce. Feel free to add it to beef or chicken stock, however, take note that if you're using a vegetable broth, the anchovies in the sauce mean your final dish won't be veggie or vegan-friendly.

Other ways to use Worcestershire sauce to elevate your meals include adding it to burger meat or mixing it into salad dressings. One of the most typical ways to use this English condiment is to sprinkle it into a cheesy Welsh rarebit.