Beef stock is an essential base for countless savory dishes. It provides rich, meaty flavor as well as body and depth to soups, stews, sauces, gravies, and more But making beef stock from scratch can be time consuming. Luckily, there’s an easy shortcut – using beef bouillon. With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you can make delicious homemade beef stock with beef bouillon cubes or powder
An Overview of Beef Bouillon
Bouillon is dehydrated concentrated broth formed into cubes or granules. It’s made by simmering beef bones, meat, and vegetables to extract their flavor and nutrients. The broth is then reduced down to intensify the taste and dried. This results in portable shelf-stable bouillon that can be easily reconstituted into rich meaty beef stock whenever you need it.
Beef bouillon is sold in cubes or powder/granules. The cubes need to be dissolved in hot liquid while the powder can be whisked into liquids cold or hot. Cubes are more concentrated so you generally need less compared to the powder.
When buying beef bouillon, opt for a brand without MSG or other additives you want to avoid. Good quality bouillon made with real beef will provide superior flavor compared to cheaper versions with more artificial ingredients.
How to Make Beef Stock with Beef Bouillon
Making beef stock with bouillon is simply a matter of dissolving the cubes or powder in water and letting them simmer. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Ingredients
- Beef bouillon cubes or powder
- Water
- Additional vegetables, herbs, and spices (optional)
Instructions
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Bring the desired amount of water to a boil in a large stock pot The amount of water depends on how much stock you need for your recipe A good general rule is 4 cups of water per bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon powder,
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Add the beef bouillon, stirring until fully dissolved. For a more intense stock, use 1.5 cubes or 1.5 teaspoons powder per 4 cups water.
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Add any extra flavorings like onions, carrots, celery, peppercorns, parsley, garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, etc. This is optional but will make the stock tastier.
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Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 45 minutes, partially covered. Longer simmering extracts more flavor and nutrients from the bouillon and vegetables.
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Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. You may want to add more bouillon for a stronger beef taste or salt to balance the flavors.
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Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve. Discard solids.
Your homemade beef stock made from bouillon is now ready to use! It will keep 5 days refrigerated or 6 months frozen.
Tips for the Best Beef Stock with Bouillon
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Sweat vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery first for added depth.
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Add acidic ingredients like tomatoes or wine to help draw out flavors.
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Skim off any foam that rises to the surface while simmering.
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Don’t let the stock boil, which can make it cloudy. Gentle simmer is best.
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Roast bones before making stock for deeper, richer flavor.
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For clearer stock, don’t agitate once strained and let settle before using.
Uses for Beef Stock Made with Bouillon
Homemade beef stock made with bouillon has endless uses in the kitchen. Here are some ideas:
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Bases for soups like beef stew, minestrone, vegetable
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Gravies and pan sauces for beef dishes
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Cooking grains like rice, quinoa or barley
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Deglazing pans to make savory sauces
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Braising and stewing tougher cuts of beef
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Adding rich flavor to chili, marinara sauce, curries
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Making risotto or mushroom stroganoff
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Moistening pot roasts and braised short ribs
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Reducing down further to make demi-glace sauce
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does beef stock made with bouillon last?
- Refrigerated: 5 to 7 days
- Frozen: 6 to 8 months
Can I use bouillon instead of stock in recipes?
Yes, bouillon dissolved in water makes a quick substitute for stock in nearly any savory recipe. You may need to adjust seasoning since bouillon can be quite salty.
What’s the ratio of bouillon to water?
As a general guideline, use 1 bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon powder per 1 cup of water. For richer stock, increase to 1.5 cubes or teaspoons per cup of water.
Is beef stock made with bouillon gluten-free?
Most bouillon products are gluten-free, but always check the label. Homemade beef stock made with bouillon cubes or powder is naturally gluten-free.
Can I use chicken bouillon instead of beef?
You can substitute chicken bouillon to make a chicken stock, but it won’t have the same rich, meaty beef flavor.
What about low-sodium or vegetarian options?
Yes, you can make vegetarian stock with vegetarian bouillon or low-sodium stock with low-sodium bouillon cubes or powder.
Do I have to strain the stock?
Straining is recommended for a clearer stock, but not required. The bouillon powder will dissolve into the stock if not strained out.
Can I use beef bouillon paste instead of cubes or powder?
Yes, beef bouillon paste can be whisked into hot water just like the granules or cubes to make quick beef stock.
Conclusion
With just beef bouillon, water, and a few simple ingredients, you can easily make your own flavorful beef stock at home. Simmer the bouillon to extract its savory essence into a tasty liquid base for all kinds of recipes. Beef stock made from bouillon saves time while still delivering mouthwatering flavor and richness. Keep some bouillon on hand and whip up homemade stock anytime you need it.
Bouillon for Broth
You can make broth with bouillon cubes or granules if you don’t have any other kind on hand. Mix 1 cube or 1 teaspoon of granules with 1 cup of boiling water until the bouillon dissolves. This will make the same amount of broth as 1 cup. Scale the recipe up to make as much as you need using these ratios.
Remember that bouillon is usually saltier than broth, so you may want to leave out or reduce the amount of salt that the recipe calls for. Also, don’t just sprinkle the bouillon granules into the recipe—the water is what turns the bouillon into broth.
One Broth for Another
Some broths are more interchangeable than others. Chicken broth doesn’t mix as well with beef or vegetable broth as vegetable broth does with chicken broth or beef broth. You can use beef broth instead of chicken broth if you need to in a hurry and the recipe calls for it. The dish will still turn out fine. The dish will have slight changes in color or taste when it’s done, but it will still taste great and be ready on time for dinner.