Sure, homemade stock is always better than canned broth, but there isn’t always time to prepare it. When you don’t have the time or the inclination, give yourself a break and take the shortcut. When we use canned broth at Gourmet, we opt for a reduced-sodium variety and almost always water it down. Recipes made with undiluted broth can taste strangely overbrothy and leave a flavor reminiscent of airline food. When using broth for braised beef, I chase out the canned taste by reducing a bit of balsamic vinegar before adding the broth and water. Reducing a bit of wine when braising chicken helps, too. In Gourmet’s December issue, slow-cooked, caramelized onions enhance canned beef broth to produce a French onion soup that could satisfy even a food snob.
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