Better Than Bouillon Soup Bases - Thoughts?

OhioTom76

OhioTom76

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I picked up a couple of these the other day, the Chicken and the Beef ones, after reading some reviews from bloggers who liked them. I haven't bought bouillon cubes in decades, because I always hated the harsh salty artificial taste of them, and all the food dye they throw into them.

This stuff is supposedly much higher quality, with the actual meat and vegetables listed as the first ingredients. It's also supposed to be MSG free.

The biggest selling point for me with these however, is how much money you can save with them and how little space they take up - not to mention they will last for well over a year in your fridge (the site says two years).

I would say, the flavor is definitely better than your standard bouillon cubes. It's good enough, but not better than box stocks. Though it says there is no MSG, the bases do contain stuff like yeast extract, which chemically is practically the same thing and has the same effects. Though it claims it is lower in salt as well, the broth made at the recommended amounts is still pretty salty. That's easy to take care of though, just add more water to it. There are also some color enhancers in the form of turmeric in the chicken base, and perhaps some in the beef base.

Considering you can make about 9 quarts of stock from one jar, and a single jar at WalMart runs about $4, which is what you would pay for one quart of boxed stock, it's certainly a good deal.

Also, if you use fresh ingredients in your soups or other recipes, the processed taste of the stock becomes less of an issue.
 
Now that you mention about bouillon cubes, I remember that have read that one can make our own and then freeze it using ice cubes, so whenever you need to add flavor to your meals, you can use this naturally-made cubes.

I used to do my own bouillon and other bases for my meals, but I don't longer have enough time for this having to find better alternatives to save money buying this kind of stuff, not at Walmart of similar sites, but at the wholesale market in my city.
 
I quite like bouillon cubes, they make soup preparation so much easier and faster. I rarely prepare a soup and it would be even more rare if these things didn't exist.
 
I've always been a bouillon cube user. When I was a kid, we used to dare each other to suck on them and see who could last the longest. Knowing how they used to taste, I have to agree that the flavor is far better now (it seems) and less salty.

I've made my own chicken stock a few times, never made beef stock. I don't know. When it comes down to it, I like bouillon cubes just fine. They are easy, cheap, and like you said, take up very little space in the pantry.
 
I have never tried Better Than Bouillon Soup Bases. I use vegetarian bouillon cubes to make soups. They can be a bit too salty for my taste so I always double to the water. Adding the extra water makes the flavor perfect.
 
Thanks for the tip. I will definitely look for them on my next shopping trip. One thing I know about myself is that when I run out of canned or carton stock, I always reach for the cubes. I will be in the middle of cooking and forgot the can of chicken broth. Having the backup of cubes has proven to be a life-saver so many times! I'm almost out of them now because I do this often. Thanks for reminding me...especially so close to the holidays.
 
niteowlz said:
Thanks for the tip. I will definitely look for them on my next shopping trip. One thing I know about myself is that when I run out of canned or carton stock, I always reach for the cubes. I will be in the middle of cooking and forgot the can of chicken broth. Having the backup of cubes has proven to be a life-saver so many times! I'm almost out of them now because I do this often. Thanks for reminding me...especially so close to the holidays.
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I've since bought some of the other flavors, but my favorite so far is still their chicken one which I just used to make gravy yesterday. A little corn starch in with the broth and a bit of cracked black pepper and it came out great. Much cheaper than buying jars of gravy at the store.

I've also used it in a quick spanish rice. I just swap out the liquid for half of the chicken broth and half of it with a can of El Pato spicy tomato sauce, along with a little lime juice and cumin - and some minute rice. 6 minutes in the microwave and it's done.
 
:thumbsup:

I like it better than both bouillon cubes and the boxed/canned broths. I keep the beef, chicken, vegetable and lobster base on hand.

I usually have beef and chicken stock in the freezer. When I make soup, stew or gumbo I add base for an extra depth of flavor. Kick it up a notch. I look for the low sodium and do not salt my dish until the end. I don't make seafood stock and use the lobster base when cooking fish and shrimp. I frequently steam veggies in the microwave and add just a tad of the veggie base with a very little bit of water and butter. There is always an open jar of each in the refrigerator and a spare in the pantry.
 
ElizabethB said:
:thumbsup:

I like it better than both bouillon cubes and the boxed/canned broths. I keep the beef, chicken, vegetable and lobster base on hand.

I usually have beef and chicken stock in the freezer. When I make soup, stew or gumbo I add base for an extra depth of flavor. Kick it up a notch. I look for the low sodium and do not salt my dish until the end. I don't make seafood stock and use the lobster base when cooking fish and shrimp. I frequently steam veggies in the microwave and add just a tad of the veggie base with a very little bit of water and butter. There is always an open jar of each in the refrigerator and a spare in the pantry.
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Gosh! This is a very old thread you have resurrected @ElizabethB - long before I joined the Forum so I'd never read it. And I'm not certain what we are talking about. Is this a brand name?
 
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