Bouillon cubes are a popular culinary aid. Rich in flavour, they immediately add a little extra to the water used for cooking pasta or rice. And of course, they make it possible to sublimate all our simmered dishes, our sauces and our soups or stews. In view of the flavors they bring and their ease of use, it can be difficult to do without them. However, they are not without flaws. In addition to its sometimes expensive cost, the bouillon cube is also an ultra-processed ingredient and therefore far from being good for your health. In this article, we give you 4 delicious recipes to make your own bouillon cubes without a dehydrator. Something to enjoy in the kitchen!
Why make homemade bouillon cubes?
An intact taste pleasure
The first reason to concoct your own bouillon cubes is that it is generally inexpensive, very easy and quick to prepare. Moreover, one can very easily keep 3 months in the freezer. You just have to remember to label them with the date of preparation. And of course, like everything homemade (bread, spread, yogurt without yogurt maker…), these natural alternatives are also full of flavors. You can additionally adapt the chosen recipe to suit your tastes. This is indeed the main advantage of homemade.
A healthier composition
The biggest bonus is above all that the composition of commercial bouillon cubes often leaves something to be desired. Indeed, there is a lot of salt in it, which can be dangerous for your health, especially in the case of high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease. With nearly 5.2 g of salt on average for two small cubes, we exceed the 5 g of salt per day recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, bouillon cubes contain a myriad of additives of all kinds: sugars, flavor enhancers, hydrogenated fats, dyes, thickeners. This won’t be a problem with the homemade recipe since you control the quantities.
Bouillon cubes more in keeping with the environment
Last advantage (and not least!): your bouillon cubes will not contain no palm oil which we know has a disastrous impact on the planet. Additionally, you can say goodbye to packaging that protect your retail products. What reduce your waste without compromising on the quality of your dishes.
On to the recipes!
Recipe for chicken bouillon cubes
Ingredients :
(For about 10/12 cubes)
-1 poultry carcass (chicken or duck)
-2 carrots
-2 onions (large caliber)
-1 leek
-1 turnip
-A stalk of celery
-A bouquet garni (with chives, parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, tarragon…)
-Salt and pepper (a pinch of each)
For meat stock cubes, replace the carcass with pieces of beef or lamb.
Steps :
1) First, peel and slice the onions.
2) Next, wash your herbs and vegetables, and cut them into pieces.
3) Slide these ingredients into a large saucepan and pour 1.5 liters of cold water over them. You can then salt and pepper your preparation.
4) Put a lid on the pan and bring everything to a boil. You can then lower the heat and simmer for an hour. This long and gentle cooking will allow the water to infuse well.
5) Filter the liquid thus obtained with a fine sieve and leave to cool. Once cooled, remove the thin film of fat on the surface of the broth.
6) Finally, transfer the broth to an ice cube tray and freeze it.
The recipe for vegetable bouillon cubes
Ingredients :
(For about 10/12 cubes)
-2 carrots
-2 large onions
-1 leek
-3 cloves of garlic
-3 stalks of celery
-1 bunch of small parsley (or another herb)
-1 bay leaf
-And 1 tablespoon of olive oil
-Salt and pepper (a pinch of each)
Steps :
1) To start, remove the skin from the onions and garlic, then chop them.
2) Don’t forget to wash your herbs and vegetables thoroughly. Then you can cut them into small pieces.
3) Slip all your ingredients into a large saucepan in which you will have previously boiled a liter of water.
4) Bring everything to a boil briefly, then leave to infuse over low heat for one hour. To improve the taste of the infusion, you can occasionally use a potato masher or a ladle to press the vegetables and squeeze out the juice.
5) After an hour of cooking, you can turn off the heat and let cool. It will then be time to filter with a fine strainer!
6) Finally, transfer the liquid into an ice cube tray, heading for the freezer. And especially, do not throw away harvested vegetables when filtering. Save them for a soup, a stew, a hotpot or even a mash.
The recipe for bouillon cubes with herbs
Ingredients :
(For about 10/12 cubes)
-1 large onion
-3 cloves of garlic
-1 red or green pepper
-1 bouquet topped with herbs of your choice: parsley, basil, thyme, tarragon, bay leaf, chives… You can also use less common plants like lemon balm, wild garlic leaves, coriander, dill or even nettle to garnish your bouquet!
-2 tablespoons of olive oil
-1 tablespoon of white vinegar
-1 pinch of salt
Steps :
1) Before finely slicing your garlic and onions, take care to peel them well.
2) Then, wash your aromatic herbs and wrap them with a suitable string.
3) Now take care of the pepper by removing the heart and the white parts before cutting it into small pieces.
4) You can then put a liter of water to boil in a large pot and add all the ingredients. You can then lower the heat, then cook over low heat for 1h30.
5) Finally, let cool and filter the liquid obtained with a fine strainer. All you have to do is freeze the broth in an ice cube tray.
The recipe for fish bouillon cubes
Ingredients :
(For about 10/12 cubes)
-1.5 kg of leftover fish and/or shellfish (use the heads, bones, shells, tails, etc.)
-2 carrots
-2 shallots
-3 cloves of garlic
-1 large onion
-50g unsalted butter
-20 cl of white wine
-1 bouquet garni
-Salt and pepper (a pinch of each)
Steps :
1) Before finely slicing your garlic, shallots and onions, peel them. Also remember to wash your carrots and cut them into small pieces, then rinse the leftover fish and/or shellfish before draining well.
2) Next, sweat your garlic, onion and shallots in a pan with butter.
3) In a saucepan, slip your leftover fish and/or shellfish, cover with 2.5 liters of cold water, then salt and pepper.
4) Bring everything to a boil and cook uncovered over medium heat for 5 minutes.
5) Then add the wine, the bouquet garni and the vegetables. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Think well remove the residue that rises to the surface during cooking using a skimmer.
6) Finally, filter the broth obtained with a fine strainer, let cool and freeze everything in an ice cube tray.
Remember to adapt these bouillon cube recipes according to your tastes!
If you are missing an ingredient or want to adapt the recipe, do not hesitate to replace it with an equivalent ingredient. You can also add more or less spices and aromatic plants according to your desires. Chilli, curry, cloves, ginger, turmeric…. There are endless possibilities. So have fun!
