From creamy risottos to comforting sauces, broth, stock and bouillon are pantry staples for preparing some of our favourite cold-weather recipes. Beyond serving as a liquid base, these ingredients add a subtle element of flavour to your dish without overpowering your chosen seasonings. Given their similar culinary applications, you might wonder: are broth, stock and bouillon essentially all the same thing? Or is it better to choose one over the others when making a particular recipe?
Technically, a bouillon cube is a dehydrated cube or powder used to create an instant stock. You see a range of bouillon in stores, often available as vegetable, meat, or chicken bouillon. It is used to make quick, flavorful broth when cooking soups, stews, grains, risottos, curries, and the like.
What is the difference between bouillon and broth?
Let’s start with the simplest of the trio to distinguish: bouillon and broth. ‘Bouillon,’ which is the French word for ‘broth,’ is used to describe broth that has been dehydrated into a powder or 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. Bouillon can also be seasoned with a wide variety of spices and herbs.
One bouillon cube or a teaspoon of bouillon powder can be dissolved in one cup of boiling water to make one cup of broth. You can also melt bouillon cubes or powder directly into soups, stews, sauces and curries to enhance their flavour and create a thicker consistency. Some chefs also like to use bouillon powder (or grated bouillon cubes) as a seasoning salt, sprinkling it over foods to add a boost of umami-driven flavour.
What Are Bouillon Cubes? (15 Little Known Facts About This Popular Ingredient)
FAQ
Is bullion the same as broth?
What is a substitute for bouillon?
What is the meaning of bouillon in food?
What does bouillon taste like?
What is a bouillon cube?
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.
What is the difference between Bouillon and 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?
How do you use Bouillon in cooking?
The best way to include bouillon in your dishes is to start by making your own: avoid using bouillon cubes, which are high in sodium. It’s an all-day project, where you’ll simmer beef as well as celery, carrots, turnips, and onions. The flavor is well worth the effort.