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A stock is seasoned through the extraction of the flavors of the meat and bones as well as from the vegetables or aromatics used. Because stocks are used for so many culinary processes, they are almost never seasoned with salt and pepper. The long simmering process required for most stocks would cause these seasonings to become highly concentrated and mask the flavor of the base ingredients. The exception to this rule is vegetable stock, which is generally cooked for such a short period of time that the salt heightens the flavor of the vegetables rather than obscuring it.