Bouillon cube

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A bouillon cube (US) or stock cube (UK) is dehydrated broth (bouillon in French) or stock formed into a small cube (about 15 mm on a side). It is made by dehydrating vegetables, meat stock, a small portion of solid fat (such as hydrogenated oil), and seasonings (usually including salt and monosodium glutamate) and shaping them into a small cube. Dehydrated broth is also available in granular form.

Broth made from rehydrated cubes is different in taste to fresh broth because of its higher salt content and flavors changed by the boiling process. Bouillon cubes are convenient and cheap. The cubes are widely used in British cooking to add flavor.

Common brands include Oxo, Knorr, Maggi, Hormel's Herb-Ox, Wyler's, Goya and the organic brand Kallo.

[edit] Common flavors

Beef
Chicken
Duck (French and Swiss)
Fish (Mexican and all Asian)
Hamburger (this is an unusual Japanese variety and has savory and sweet ingredients added that make it taste like an onion, tomato and beef burger)
Lamb (Welsh, Irish and Scottish)
Mushroom (Japanese and Mexican)
Shrimp (Japanese, Korean and Mexican)
Tomato (Mexican)
Vegetable
Turkey