Boullion powders and cubes

[heidih]

I have used them since I started cooking. I love homemade stocks but it does not always happen and sometimes you need that extra oomph. I used leftover Costco rotisserie bones today to make a small batch for dinner but Knorr Caldo Con Sabor de Pollo will probably sneak in.  (along with nuoc mam). I have seen the trick of adding unflavored gelatin to get that"lip smack" but not tried it yet. Serious Eats did a piece today on the history of the cubes and powder. Interesting.  Do ya use them? and your go to ones? https://www.seriouseats.com/2020/07/bouillon-cube-history.html

[btbyrd]

I keep Minor's chicken and beef bases on hand at all times, along with a chicken and beef stock/glace from More Than Gourmet. Powders and cubes can't compare.

[Darienne]

Ed really favors a base called Better Than Bouillon for chicken, beef and vegetable stocks.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I use Knorr stock gels.    for instance,

When I really want to get down and dirty, I use Maggi Fond de Veau that I suitcase home from France.    It is available domestically at obscene prices.    It is around 3€ in France.

[Miriravan]

I have several jars of what I think of as 'stock paste' in my fridge, mostly Penzey's (vegetable, ham, seafood), and a couple Better than Boullion (chicken, vegetable), and I also have a box of Knorr's beef cubes and a couple of the double size Knorr's chicken cubes.  I always mean to make stock, but then I never have any place to store it, and for my purposes, the bases/cubes work just fine if I don't happen to have canned broth on hand.

 

[Smithy]

I'm another fan of Better Than Bouillion, although I still have part of a jar of Wyler's bouilion cubes taking up space in the cupboard. I like the convenience of scooping out a spoonful of the Better Than Bouillion when I realize I need it; the Wyler's requires enough foresight for me to boil water to dissolve the cube!  

[kayb]

I like Better than Bouillon as well, although I'm a fan of making one's stock in the IP, then, with the lid off, running it through two or three saute cycles to concentrate it, and then freezing in ice cube trays or other small portions for future use. Water is simple enough to add back in. Of course, your house smells like stock for two or three days after you do the lid-off concentrating.

 

The best move I ever made with making stock was to make hambone stock. That stuff with Rancho Gordo beans is the stuff of magic.

 

[heidih]

25 minutes ago, kayb said:

 Of course, your house smells like stock for two or three days after you do the lid-off concentrating.

 

I used to do it in the crockpot overnight with minimal water. The dog paced all night in anticipation cuz I let him lick the cooled off bowl and crock. .

[blue_dolphin]

On 7/20/2020 at 2:08 PM, btbyrd said:

I keep Minor's chicken and beef bases on hand at all times, along with a chicken and beef stock/glace from More Than Gourmet. Powders and cubes can't compare.

 

I'm another fan of the More Than Gourmet products. Better Than Bouillion is indeed better than cubes but still adds more salt than actual flavor. 

[liuzhou]

I seriously doubt that there is a kitchen in China, domestic or professional, that doesn't have some of this.

 

 

Although I usually make my own stocks, I too keep a jar of this for emergencies. Despite the strange list of ingredients, it is actually very good, considering.

 

Ingredients: MSG, salt, rice, sugar, chicken, food additives (5-taste nucleotides, Sodium, Riboflavin, egg, flavoring, curry powder, shallots, garlic.

Allergin Tips: Contains eggs, soy products. Can contain celery, sesame oil, clams, scallops, dairy products.

[heidih]

8 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

I seriously doubt that there is a kitchen in China, domestic or professional, that doesn't have some of this.

 

 

 

Although I usually make my own stocks, I too keep a jar of this for emergencies. Despite the strange list of ingredients, it is actually very good, considering.

 

Ingredients: MSG, salt, rice, sugar, chicken, food additives (5-taste nucleotides, Sodium, Riboflavin, egg, flavoring, curry powder, shallots, garlic.

Allergin Tips: Contains eggs, soy products. Can contain celery, sesame oil, clams, scallops, dairy products.

 

Interesting cultural intersections. This is the Knorr product I mentioned in first post - seen in almost every Mexican kitchen I have been in

SALT, SUGAR, CORN STARCH, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, BEEF FAT*, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, POWDERED COOKED CHICKEN*, YEAST EXTRACT (BARLEY), CHICKEN FAT*, NATURAL FLAVOR, MALTODEXTRIN, SILICON DIOXIDE (PREVENTS CAKING), DEHYDRATED PARSLEY, DISODIUM INOSINATE, CITRIC ACID, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6, ANNATTO (COLOR).

 

[Duvel]

On 7/21/2020 at 4:05 AM, Margaret Pilgrim said:

When I really want to get down and dirty, I use Maggi Fond de Veau that I suitcase home from France.    It is available domestically at obscene prices.    It is around 3€ in France.

This is actually a nice product. Their fish stock is also not bad - light, not salty. I mix it with dashi for a subtle basic fish stock.

[jmacnaughtan]

I'm a big fan of the Marigold vegetable stock powder from the UK, and bring it back when I'm over. 

 

I should try the Maggi fond de veau. It's probably stocked in the Monoprix down the street.

[weinoo]

I bought a caseload of More Than Gourmet at the beginning of the confinement.

 

And then just continued to make my own stocks, almost weekly; when the delivery comes in, I'll trim the vegetables and make a stock with that. A chicken and parts come in - stock gets made with trimmings, parts, etc.

 

I find that everything starts to taste, well, basically of More Than Gourmet when using More Than Gourmet - and certainly all of the powders and concentrates have their own tell-tale tastes. 

And @kayb - I really love ham bone stock. Try it with pea soup sometime!

 

 

[KennethT]

Lots of Thai and Vietnamese recipes call for adding "chicken powder" to a dish - not necessarily dissolved in water either...

[Margaret Pilgrim]

3 hours ago, weinoo said:

I

I find that everything starts to taste, well, basically of More Than Gourmet when using More Than Gourmet - and certainly all of the powders and concentrates have their own tell-tale tastes. 

 

This is true of all of these concentrates.   I use them as boosters to natural and pan juices rather than as the single source of protein flavor.    Used alone, your cooking starts to taste like diner food and frozen meals.   

[liuzhou]

36 minutes ago, KennethT said:

Lots of Thai and Vietnamese recipes call for adding "chicken powder" to a dish - not necessarily dissolved in water either...

 

Yes. And they often use the Chinese brand I mentioned.

[KennethT]

54 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

Yes. And they often use the Chinese brand I mentioned.

I wish I could find that brand here... all I can find are the cubes - not really helpful when you just need a pinch or two.

[liuzhou]

18 minutes ago, KennethT said:

I wish I could find that brand here... all I can find are the cubes - not really helpful when you just need a pinch or two.

 

It is available in the US - and from Amazon  - under the Totole brand name, a misconstruing of the Pinyin.

 

 

Edited July 23, 2020 by liuzhou (log)

[dtremit]

On 7/23/2020 at 11:27 AM, KennethT said:

I wish I could find that brand here... all I can find are the cubes - not really helpful when you just need a pinch or two.

 

Worth keeping an eye out for the Knorr (or Maggi) caldo de pollo mentioned upthread, as well, which usually comes granulated (and in smaller, more manageable containers).

[liuzhou]

Came across these a few days ago. Jellified clam stock cubes. Actually very good. I must see if they do any other types.

 

Edited July 25, 2020 by liuzhou (log)

[lemniscate]

Didn't have any T-day leftovers except for raw potatoes, carrots, and celery.   I had bought Saintours Clam Broth powder from Chef Rubber a couple years ago and it's been in the pantry waiting.

 

I decided to try it and make a powder flavored only clam chowder.   Wow, this really brings the clam flavor and it can be tailored to taste.   It does not taste fake.  I don't like my chowder thick and goopy, I like a more light cream soup texture.

 

I cubed the potatoes (6 small) carrots (4 medium) and 4 stalks of celery and some dehydrated onions into the Instant Pot.  I sauteed them a bit in some bacon fat, added ~1 cup of diced pork belly bacon.  I sprinkled about 2 tsp of the clam powder over the veg and added 1/8 cup of water and pressure cooked for 4 minutes and natural release.  Then added water to level desired, turned on the saute to heat and started adding clam powder again until I got to the taste I liked (+ lots of black pepper).  Added a can of Nestle Crema (also sitting in pantry) and that gave me the body I liked.   Now, there is no clam meat in this soup, I know, sacrilege, but it tastes as good to me as any (now without rubbery canned clams).  Had it for breakfast today.

 

I really like Manhattan style better, so that's the next experiment.

[lindag]

Anyone tried this stuff?

I just ordered some.

Edited May 15, 2023 by lindag (log)

[KennethT]

1 hour ago, lindag said:

Anyone tried this stuff?

I just ordered some.

I have it but never use it.  I much prefer the LKK "Premium Chicken Bouillon powder" and use it all the time.  It looks the same but the label is green instead of red.  I don't use much at a time - maybe 1/2 teaspoon, but you'd be surprised what it adds to vegetable stir fries.

[ElsieD]

4 hours ago, lindag said:

Anyone tried this stuff?

I just ordered some.

I have some.  I used it once and found it so heavy on the salt i haven't used it since.