Can you mix chicken broth with meat broth?

A good bowl of broth is rich in flavor and should provide you with all the nourishment you need. Although it may seem mundane, we believe that there is something magical about it.

Think of it like this: You are transforming a simple bowl of water into a pot full of flavor. The process is quite simple: infuse the water with the flavors of the ingredients you want. These can include meats, bones, and vegetables. Starting with a rudimentary cooking procedure, you can get something really wonderful.

Broths have different shapes. Perhaps none is as popular and used as chicken and beef broths.

That being said, one of the most frequently asked questions arises: can you mix chicken and beef broth?

The short answer is yes. The flavorful yet neutral flavor profile of chicken broth makes it perfectly fine to mix these broths together. The best way to do this is to use the chicken broth to complement the beef broth, not the other way around. This is because the beef broth can quickly overwhelm the mild flavors of the chicken.

To better explain it, we are going to take a closer look at these wines, their specific characteristics and what makes them special. Keep reading!

Beef broth vs. chicken broth

Chicken and beef are perhaps the most popular protein sources today. You can use them as ingredients in a virtually endless list of recipes.

They are arguably among the most versatile foods out there. That said, it’s not surprising that they are also commonly used as main ingredients in broths.

So, first of all, we have to take a closer look at how chicken and beef broths differ. This is so you can better contextualize things and keep them in perspective as we dig deeper into the matter at hand.

Cooking time

Chicken broth cooks much faster because chicken bones are much lighter and thinner than the incredibly thick bones of beef.

Instead of a 24-hour cook time, you can finish cooking the chicken broth in as little as 18 hours of rest.

During this time, the connective tissues and bones have broken down, releasing endless minerals and amino acids into the broth.

flavor profile

As a general rule of thumb, if you’re looking for a hearty, rich flavor for your broth , you should go for beef.

However, if you want a lighter flavor, chicken is your best bet. Of course, remember that you’ll get more depth and flavor to your broth if you roast the bones first for an hour.

Digestibility

The issue of digestibility becomes important when dealing with a weakened digestive system.

Although all types of broth are generally considered to be easily digestible, thanks to the long cooking and simmering time, chicken broth is much easier to digest than beef broth. This is because the strong flavors of beef can be too much if your stomach is weak.

nutrients

There are also differences regarding the nutritional content of these broths. For example, chicken bone broth is rich in healthy fatty acids like omega-6.

Chicken broth also has a significantly higher protein content than beef broth. This increases exponentially when you add chicken feet to the pot. Remember that chicken feet have a lot of collagen and connective tissues.

Once broken down, they will provide you with high levels of protein. On the other hand, beef broth has more energy-boosting minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and sulfur.

If done correctly, your broth should be full of flavor and nutrients. With each sip, you’ll receive loads of essential nutrients.

The longer you cook the broth, the more concentrated its nutrients will be. So don’t rush the process and let the broth simmer.

Mix the chicken and beef broth

Let’s go back to the original question: Can these broths be mixed? The answer is yes. For example, some home cooks even use chicken broths for dishes like onion soup and beef stew. This is so despite the fact that traditionally they are dishes based on meat broth.

So why would you want to do this? The answer comes in two distinct, but interrelated parts.

First, there is the question of taste. Chicken broth is widely used as a supplement or substitute for other types of broth for its light yet savory flavor profile. Unlike beef, pork, or fish, chicken has a neutral palette despite being flavorful and packed with umami. This means you can add flavor without overwhelming the dish.

That being said, the effectiveness of this blend only goes one way.

Chicken can complement beef, but not the other way around. Its light flavors serve to complement and further enhance the hearty flavors typically associated with beef.

However, attempting to do the same with beef in traditionally chicken-based dishes would be ill-advised. This is because the distinctive rich flavor of the beef broth will inevitably overwhelm the flavors of the chicken.

Second, there is the question of protein content. As already mentioned, one of the advantages of chicken broth over beef broth is its higher protein content. For example, most canned chicken broths have a 60-to-1 liquid-to-protein ratio. This is more than double the 135-to-1 ratio of store-bought beef broths.

Remember that the higher the protein level of your broth, the more intense its flavor will be.

Of course, there are other reasons you might want to mix these two broths aside from convenience and maximizing flavors.

For example, there is the question of your cultural upbringing, which will undoubtedly affect your food preferences. After all, although food is universal, flavors and tastes are partly determined by your environment. So while some foods may taste strange to you, to others it’s completely normal.

Benefits of homemade broth

At this point, it’s clear that one of the main reasons people choose to mix chicken and beef broths is because of a major problem with store-bought or canned broths.

To be more specific, we mean the general lack of flavor that these pre-packaged items have.

Despite being the most comfortable option, it goes without saying that this is a problem that could have been avoided entirely. After all, anyone can easily make broth far superior to those available in the store.

Making your own broth means having full control over its outcome. 

This represents an interesting opportunity for home cooks. It gives you the unique opportunity to make sure that your chicken or beef broth is perfectly suited to your tastes. You can make it as tasty or as rich as you want.

That said, you should also feel free to experiment with different ingredients until you’re happy with the results. You can even add all kinds of vegetables and spices to the broth to discover new and interesting flavors.

In addition to having a broth that tastes exactly the way you want it, making your own broth also allows you to keep a close eye on your nutrient intake.

For example, you may want to watch your sodium levels. Making your own broth allows you to do just that. You decide how much salt your broth contains.

After all, what is made at home will always be healthier and will taste better.

How to make chicken and beef bone broth

Although you can mix chicken and beef broths, you should remember that there is another popular and more effective way to bring together the flavors of beef and chicken in one pot. It’s all about making your own bone broth.

Bone broth is one of the most basic things you can make with your ingredients. Furthermore, it is a time-tested method of culinary art, which has been around for centuries with virtually endless variations from different cultures around the world.

It is a slow-cooked mixture with a delicate and tasty flavor that brings together all the nutrients, amino acids and minerals of your ingredients.

Keep in mind that the best bone broths often contain a mix of different bones, meats, and vegetables.

With that being said, you can take your big thick beef bones and mix them in with some chicken legs, wings, and thighs. Cook them for 18-24 hours and you’ll end up with a broth that’s not only rich in nutrients and energy properties, but also flavorful and packed with high levels of protein.

Mixing chicken and beef broths may seem like an interesting idea, but a strange one. However, upon closer examination of their respective properties, it becomes clear why people would want to. There’s a lot of potential that can be explored here, especially with the neutral flavor profile you get from chicken.

It should also be noted that you are completely free to do so. It goes without saying that broadening your horizon is an important part of any culinary journey.