If convenience were an ingredient, it would be bouillon. There was once a time when making broth or stock took the better part of a day. Bouillon changed that. Although the word actually just means "broth" in French, bouillon generally refers to the powders or cubes used to turn water into broth. It's a low-cost, convenient alternative to boxed broth and stock, so it's no wonder it's spread to kitchens all over the world. But what is bouillon? Let's break down this versatile ingredient.
What Is Bouillon?
Bouillon (pronounced bool-yaan) is the French word for broth. The terms bouillon and broth are often used interchangeably. Both refer to the translucent, flavorful liquid that is made by simmering beef, chicken, vegetables, and other ingredients. Colloquially, bouillon is often meant to describe the resulting broth from cubed and powdered forms of bouillon.
What Are Bouillon Cubes?
Made from dehydrated meat or vegetable broth, bouillon cubes are essentially evaporated, condensed bouillon in the shape of a cube that, when added to water, makes broth. The cubes are typically available in chicken, beef, or vegetable bouillon.
The FDA puts it this way: "Chicken bouillon cube or beef bouillon cube are appropriate names if the product is made from evaporated bouillon with sufficient chicken or beef extractives present to give definite characteristics, especially flavor, of the designated source. When dissolved in water according to directions the resulting product is bouillon."
Vegetable bouillon on the other hand contains no meat extractives. Popular brands of bouillon cubes include Knorr and Maggi.
What Are Bouillon Granules?
Granulated bouillon is just a dehydrated bouillon that remains in powdered form instead of being shaped into a cube. It tends to dissolve more quickly than the cubes, and it doesn't require as much packaging.
Better Than Bouillon ($9; amazon.com) is a food base (this can be chicken, beef, vegetable, fish, etc.), that's marketed as an alternative to the often over-salted bouillon cubes and powders. According to Summit Hill, the makers of Better Than Bouillon, it's essentially a concentrated form of stock made from cooked meat or vegetables that has been evaporated down into a thick paste. It can be dissolved in water to make instant stock or simply used to add concentrated flavor to dishes. It's said to impart a stronger flavor than powdered or cubed bouillon without all the salt (but don't be fooled, it's still quite high in sodium).
Other Types of Bouillon
There are a number of soups and stews that go by the same name, though they have no relation to bouillon cubes or powders.
In Haiti, bouillon is actually a type of soup made with some combination of beef, leafy greens, root vegetables, plantains, and more. It's traditionally served on Saturdays, and is usually made to feed a crowd.
In France, court-bouillon, which translates to "short broth," is an aromatic cooking liquid used for poaching fish. There is a Creole dish popular throughout Louisiana by the same name; here court-bouillon refers to a tomato-based seafood stew normally made with red snapper and shrimp.
How to Use Bouillon
In addition to dissolving bouillon in water to make broth, you can use it any number of ways to add salty, umami flavor to dishes. All that's needed to access the bouillon flavor is to add water, so you can dissolve them into curries, dips, dressings, marinades, sauces, soups, and stews. Try using beef bouillon to make a simple gravy. Chicken bouillon has become a staple in Mexican cuisine, including Mexican rice. It can also be used to add umami flavor to egg drop soup.
How to Store Bouillon
Bouillon cubes or granules will last up to two years when packaged tightly and stored in a cool dry place. This puts it at a major advantage over boxed broth, which, once opened, will only last about five days.
While chicken broth and stock can be store-bought or homemade, chicken bouillon is typically bought. Bouillon is made by removing the water from chicken broth, leaving all the flavor of the broth without the volume.
It is typically made from dehydrated vegetables or meat stock, a small portion of fat, MSG, salt, and seasonings, shaped into a small cube. Vegetarian and vegan types are also made. Bouillon is also available in granular, powdered, liquid, and paste forms.
Chicken bouillon is typically very high in sodium, with some types packing 42% of the recommended daily value (DV) in a single 1-cup (237-mL) serving ( 1 ). Consuming high amounts of sodium may increase water retention and blood pressure levels, especially in those who are more sensitive to the effects of salt ( 2 ).
Worcestershire Sauce. Worcestershire sauce is basically concentrated umami and salt in a bottle, which means that it works really well as a bouillon replacement. A tablespoon or so of Worcestershire sauce replaces 1 tablespoon of bouillon paste or 1 bouillon cube.
Bouillon is typically used as a time-saving substitute for a made-from-scratch liquid broth. The flavour of bouillon can vary significantly depending on the composition of its dehydrated base, which can include meats like chicken, beef or lamb as well as veggies.
In the UK "bouillon" is a word mostly used by chefs. It's really a French loanword, but it means the same as "stock". Ordinary people (who are not chefs) just call it "stock". "Broth" can mean the same, but it can also be used for a specific kind of soup, with vegetables and/or meat, plus a thin/clear stock base.
Thanks to its relatively low cost, ease and speed of use, and intense flavor, bouillon is a popular ingredient in kitchens on virtually every continent, where powders and cubes are used to season soups and stews, and in some cases, are even sprinkled directly over cooked plates of food.
Traditional bouillon cubes and powders are packed with salt and don't bring much flavor to a recipe; Better than Bouillon flips this. Made from meat, vegetables, and spices, it brings flavor and just enough salt to enhance a dish without tipping it into over-salted territory.
Your main concern would be the amount of sodium you're potentially consuming.
One cube contains around 900 mg of sodium, and the recommended daily amount of sodium to not exceed is 2300, or even less if someone has a heart condition or high blood pressure.
Some studies suggest that bone broth can help reduce inflammation. Chronic inflammation is associated with a host of conditions, including arthritis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. The amino acids in bone broth may work to counteract inflammation-causing compounds in your body.
“Better Than Bouillon concentrated bases are made from meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables. This gives them a richer, more robust flavor than ordinary bouillons. No added MSG, low or no fat, lower sodium: Better Than Bouillon bases have 1/3 less salt than ordinary bouillons.”
Bone broth also uses a lot of meat and/or bones. Bouillon cubes, on the other hand, are prepared from dehydrated stock or meat and can be turned into a meaty and flavorful broth in the amount of time it takes to boil water.
When a dish already has a lot going on, like a mixture of onions, garlic, ginger, and chiles cooked long and hard, agrees Baraghani, water can easily replace stock. If you don't keep stock on hand but you don't want to lose out on flavor, McKinnon suggests dissolving bouillon cubes in water.
Knorr Pork Bouillon Cube 6 Cubes 2.54 oz Box Expiration Date Always Fresh Knorr Flavor Bouillon adds the right amount of seasoning to your favorite dishes. To enhance the flavor of any recipe, just mix one Knorr Flavor Bouillon cube. Naturally & artificially flavored. 15 calories per 1/2 cube.
Per its name, stock is made with bones, while broth is made with meat or cooked vegetables. Better Than Bouillon is a concentrated paste made of cooked meat or vegetables that you dilute with boiling water in whatever quantity you'd like, and it can stay good for months in the fridge.
If you don't keep stock on hand but you don't want to lose out on flavor, McKinnon suggests dissolving bouillon cubes in water. Bouillon powder (which, like cubes, is made of dehydrated veggies and seasoning) is another easy way to add flavor to your vegetarian cooking.
Despite the time and amount of food it takes to make bone broth, it's made with fewer ingredients than bouillon cubes, which are made with MSG and spices and tend to be very salty.
Address: 569 Waelchi Ports, South Blainebury, LA 11589
Phone: +9958996486049
Job: Sales Manager
Hobby: Web surfing, Scuba diving, Mountaineering, Writing, Sailing, Dance, Blacksmithing
Introduction: My name is Prof. Nancy Dach, I am a lively, joyous, courageous, lovely, tender, charming, open person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-532041226_-vikif-15c1f2c6a0504ce6b98c032fa11e0fb0.jpg "What Is Bouillon? (1)")
