bouillon cubes

[franksolich]

I feel cheated.

So as to "enhance" vegetable beef soup (Campbell's, from the can), I got around to opening up a jar of beef bouillon cubes.  When glancing at the label, I felt kind of perturbed, because it said "beef flavored," but then decided it was okay, because probably it had at least a little bit of real beef in it.

I got done, dined upon the soup--trust me, I need the calories--and examined the bottle again.

The ingredients list no beef at all.

I guess next time I'll have to be more careful about reading labels.

Don't get me wrong; the soup was okay, pretty near excellent, but still, the next time I go to the grocery store, I'm going to look at the labels on bouillon products a little bit closer.

[Chris_]

Hm.  I'll have to check my jar of bullion cubes.

I prefer paste but its harder to find and doesn't have the same shelf life.

[LC EFA]

I still keep some of the bouillon cubes about for some things - but use the cartons of liquid "Real Stock" for most things.

[franksolich]

Hm.  I'll have to check my jar of bullion cubes.

I prefer paste but its harder to find and doesn't have the same shelf life.

It's great if you're doing canned soup, but like something a little heartier than watery soup.

In this case, the vegetable beef soup, I added six beef "flavor" bouillon cubes to the mix, and it worked well.

But next time I'm going to be sure to buy real beef bouillon.

I suppose adding chicken, or chicken "flavored" bouillon cubes to chicken noodle soup would work too, but it's been years since I've had chicken soup.

[chitownchica]

Frank, I hope you feel better soon.
I keep jars of better than bouillon (both beef and chicken) in the fridge. I think it is a lot better than the cubes.  
Here's a link if you are interested:

http://www.superiortouch.com/retail/products/better-than-bouillon

ETA:  I didn't realize there were so many products to choose from at the link.  I use the standard beef base and chicken base. 

[franksolich]

I keep jars of better than bouillon (both beef and chicken) in the fridge. I think it is a lot better than the cubes. 
Here's a link if you are interested:

http://www.superiortouch.com/retail/products/better-than-bouillon

I checked it out; the jar doesn't look familiar to me.

But the next time I go to the grocery store, I'll read the labels more carefully.

[Rugnuts]

i checked my bouillon cubes
not made from beef either

[marv]

I cook down left over beef bones that still have some meat on them. Let it cool and put it in useable quantities in sandwich ziplocks. Lay them flat, let them cool some more, and then freeze them. Freezer shelf life is about six months. I do the same with turkey, ham and chicken.

Real meat anytime you need stock.

[MrsSmith]

i put bouillon in all kinds of things, especially "No-Guilt Gravy."  It's made without the roux, so is low-fat.     I prefer using it to putting salt in most anything with enough liquid.

[franksolich]

i put bouillon in all kinds of things, especially "No-Guilt Gravy."  It's made without the roux, so is low-fat.     I prefer using it to putting salt in most anything with enough liquid.

Yeah, I will say if one uses bouillon cubes, one doesn't need to add a speck of salt to the meal.

Man, there's a lot of salt in them.

[shadeaux]

better than bouillon

That stuff is the best bouillon I've ever used.

In gumbo, soup, beans, stew.  You name it you can put some in.  The trick is to not use too much.  If you do, it will make your recipe sour.  Less is more when using this. I never cook without it.

[chitownchica]

That stuff is the best bouillon I've ever used.

In gumbo, soup, beans, stew.  You name it you can put some in.  The trick is to not use too much.  If you do, it will make your recipe sour.  Less is more when using this. I never cook without it.

Thanks for the tip.  I need to pay attention to the amounts recommended on the label, instead of just putting a big spoonful into what I'm cooking.

[Wineslob]

Yeah, I will say if one uses bouillon cubes, one doesn't need to add a speck of salt to the meal.

Man, there's a lot of salt in them.

Yup. When I do a Dutch Oven Roast I don't add any salt. Usually it's just one package of Onion Soup mix and one bullion cube. It's more than enough in a 8 qt (12 inch) "oven".

[BattleHymn]

Yeah, I will say if one uses bouillon cubes, one doesn't need to add a speck of salt to the meal.

Man, there's a lot of salt in them.

My mother used to have to hide the bullion cubes from me when I was growing up.  I loved to eat them.  To this day, I don't care much for sweet things, but I still love the taste of salt.  

[franksolich]

My mother used to have to hide the bullion cubes from me when I was growing up.  I loved to eat them.  To this day, I don't care much for sweet things, but I still love the taste of salt.

Same here.

You should see the stares of people at the local bar, when I pick up an order of hamburger and french fries, as I stand there at the counter, pouring salt on the fries before the cook puts them into the bag.

"Too much" salt is not good for one, of course.

But on the other hand, I suspect my "intake" of salt is less than average (for the American diet), because I avoid processed foods and chemical foods and preserved foods, sticking with the plain and ordinary and real.

[thundley4]

My mother used to have to hide the bullion cubes from me when I was growing up.  I loved to eat them.  To this day, I don't care much for sweet things, but I still love the taste of salt.  

I sometimes put a half cube in a hot cup of water and drink it during the winter.

[franksolich]

I sometimes put a half cube in a hot cup of water and drink it during the winter.

Yeah, some people do that.

But I've never known why.

I guess I should try it, but I'm not going to try it with fake "beef" bouillon; I'll wait until I get some of the real stuff first.

[BattleHymn]

I sometimes put a half cube in a hot cup of water and drink it during the winter.

That sounds good.  I'll have to try that (it sounds like a thinner version of Bovril). 


Frank, you'd probably enjoy Bovril.  

[franksolich]

Frank, you'd probably enjoy Bovril.

You know, sir, I had to nadin that.  "Bovril"'s a name of something I've seen before, but I didn't pay attention.

Bovril is the trademarked name of a thick, salty meat extract, developed in the 1870s by John Lawson Johnston and sold in a distinctive, bulbous jar. It is made in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, owned and distributed by Unilever UK.

Bovril can be made into a drink by diluting with hot water, or less commonly with milk. It can also be used as a flavouring for soups, stews or porridge, or spread on bread, especially toast, rather like Marmite.

[debk]

I have used Wyler's bouillon for years, but I usually use the granules instead of the cubes. Since I don't measure, I shake in what looks like enough and it's easy to add more. If I'm going to be using bouillon, I don't add any salt until after I've added in all the bouillon I will be using. Learned that the hard way! 

Peeling a bunch of cubes is a pain when I'm trying to do two or three different things at once.

[vesta111]

I have used Wyler's bouillon for years, but I usually use the granules instead of the cubes. Since I don't measure, I shake in what looks like enough and it's easy to add more. If I'm going to be using bouillon, I don't add any salt until after I've added in all the bouillon I will be using. Learned that the hard way! 

Peeling a bunch of cubes is a pain when I'm trying to do two or three different things at once.

Cold weather outside we need to add heat to the body -----I got this idea from the Antarctica scientists years ago.

Hot soup, any kind add a pat of butter.   The butter [real unsalted] sends a jolt of heat to the body. 

Never tried bouillon cubes to water but I bet the butter added will work as well as any other kind of soup.

[franksolich]

Okay, today at the grocery store I picked up an 8-ounce jar (cost about $4.49, if I remember correctly), allegedly "38 servings," of "Superior Touch" "Better Than Bouillon" "Beef Base."

I was hoping to find cubes, but all the cubes were beef "flavored," which isn't what I wanted; I got plenty of the flavored stuff.

The main ingredient in this is "roasted beef with concentrated beef stock."

I'm not trying it right now, but we'll see how the real stuff compares with the chemical stuff.

[MrsSmith]

Okay, today at the grocery store I picked up an 8-ounce jar (cost about $4.49, if I remember correctly), allegedly "38 servings," of "Superior Touch" "Better Than Bouillon" "Beef Base."

I was hoping to find cubes, but all the cubes were beef "flavored," which isn't what I wanted; I got plenty of the flavored stuff.

The main ingredient in this is "roasted beef with concentrated beef stock."

I'm not trying it right now, but we'll see how the real stuff compares with the chemical stuff.

I don't think the "Better Than Bouillon" comes in cubes...at least, I've never seen it in cubes.

[JLO]

Same here.

You should see the stares of people at the local bar, when I pick up an order of hamburger and french fries, as I stand there at the counter, pouring salt on the fries before the cook puts them into the bag.

"Too much" salt is not good for one, of course.

But on the other hand, I suspect my "intake" of salt is less than average (for the American diet), because I avoid processed foods and chemical foods and preserved foods, sticking with the plain and ordinary and real.

Funny that - my guy's doctor told him to use MORE salt , yet he already uses alot more salt than I do.     He also has a copper deficiency.

I take daily vitamins with minerals - he does not.  Maybe that's it.