Bouillon cube
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 large quantities of 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 inferior in taste to fresh broth because of its high salt content and flavors disrupted by the boiling process; however, it is convenient and cheap, and is widely used in British cooking to add flavor to a dish.
Common brands include Oxo, Knorr, Maggi, Hormel's Herb-Ox, and Goya.
Common flavors
- Beef
- Chicken
- Tomato (Mexican)
- Shrimp (Korean, Japanese and Mexican)
- Mushroom (Japanese and Mexican)
- 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)
- Fish (Mexican and all Asian)
- Duck (French and Swiss)
- Lamb (Welsh, Irish and Scotch?)