So what do you do when a recipe calls
for chicken stock/broth and you do no have any on the shelf or frozen
in the freezer. Well if you are like me, you have powered bullion of
one type or another in your pantry. Yes, I admit it, I have three
different types currently in my pantry and they are all Knorr brand:
chicken, beef, and tomato & chipotle flavor. I use the Knorr
brand simply because that is what is most readily available at the
supermarket in which we shop.
There is no doubt that using a good
homemade stock in your recipes instead of a commercially prepared one
you will definitely give your food a depth of flavor and mouth feel
that is unmatched. However, in the real world sometimes life just
gets in the way and the need to use a powered or granulated bullion
product is a necessity.
I often use these powdered bullion products when
making recipes such as my homemade Rice-A-Roni and Hamburger Helper
mixes. In addition I use them when needed to supplement the flavor of
soups and stews, and on occasion even to fortify weaker chicken of
beef stock. Yes, I know there may be several reasons why you might
object to using such powered and paste mixes in your kitchen, but
just to let you in on a little secret, most restaurants use these
stock mixes in one form or another. That’s right, rarely do
restaurants make their own stock from beef or lamb bones in the
traditional way as I was taught, quite frankly, it is to time
consuming and expensive. Now, I am not saying there are not some
restaurants that make their own stock, but they are few are far in
between.
For the homemaker, granulated bullion is 1) cost effective, 2) shelf stable, and 3) convenient to use. If
you do not have the time to make stock from scratch (I will show you
how I do this in another post on the blog), just add 1 to 2 teaspoons
of powdered bullion to water to taste or add a small amount to your
soups and stews for a flavor boost. On of the major things you must
consider when using such products is that they tend to be very high
in sodium, so may will need to adjust the amount of salt in your
recipe when using them.
So if you are going to use these mixes
when cooking for your family, and you have concerns regarding their
safety, a through understanding of exactly what goes into each of
these products will help you make the decision on whether you wish to
use them or not. I for one use them on a regular basis as do most
cooks; however I opt for fresh homemade whenever possible.
Knorr Chicken
Bullion
Ingredients:
Salt, Sugar, Corn Starch, Monosodium Glutamate, Beef Fat, Hydrolyzed
Corn Protein, Dried Chicken Meat, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Chicken
Fat, Water, Parsley, Disodium Inosinate, Citric Acid, Onion Powder,
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Whey (From Milk), Sodium
Caseinate (From Milk), Natural Flavors, Colors (Yellow 5, Annatto,
Yellow 6).
Wylers Chicken
Bullion
Ingredients:
Salt, Sugar, Corn Maltodextrin, Water, Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten
Protein, Monosodium Glutamate, Chicken Fat, Onion Powder, Cooked
Chicken Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Turmeric, Natural Chicken
Flavor, Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate, Gelatin, Garlic
Powder, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural Flavors, Celery Seed, Modified
Corn Starch, Hydrolyzed Soy Gluten Protein, Partially Hydrogenated
Soybean And Cottonseed Oils, Soybean Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Tbhq
(Preservative), Artificial Flavor, Alpha Tocopherol (Antioxidant),
BHA (Preservative), Propyl Gallate, Citric Acid, Butter Oil. Contains
Soybeans, Milk. Processed On Equipment That Also Processes Wheat,
Soybeans, Milk, Egg.
Knorr Beef
Bullion
Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Beef Fat,
Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Sugar, Dried Beef, Water, Corn
Starch (Sulfur Dioxide Used To Protect Quality), Water, Hydrolyzed
Corn Protein, Maltodextrin, Caramel Color, Autolyzed Yeast Extract,
Garlic Powder, Natural Flavors (Milk), Dried Parsley, Onion Powder,
Turmeric, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Citric Acid,
Spices.
Wylers Beef
Bullion
Salt, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sodium
Bicarbonate, Monosodium Glutamate, Sugar, Beef Fat, Water, Cooked
Beef, Onion Powder, Dextrose, Corn Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Corn
Gluten Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy And Wheat
Gluten Protein, Calcium Silicate, Disodium Inosinate And Disodium
Guanylate, Dextrose, Hydrolyzed Torula And Brewers Yeast Protein,
Caramel Color, Lactic Acid, Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten, Soybean Oil,
Natural Flavor, Silicon Dioxide, Artificial Flavor, Soy Lecithin,
Tricalcium Phosphate, Propyl Gallate, FD&C Red 40, Alpha
Tocopherol (Antioxidant), BHA (Preservative), Corn Oil, BHT
(Preservative), Citric Acid.
Definition of Ingredients:
The following is a listing of the more
uncommonly known ingredients that you will find if one, both or
either Knorr and Wyler’s bullion products. I have tried to supply
you with the most accurate information regarding their definition as
possible. As this is simply for informational purposes, I have
decided to omit any informational claims as to each ingredients
safety or lack thereof.
Alpha Tocopherol – An antioxidant,
alpha tocopherol is the strongest of several forms of tocopherol
elements that scientists and nutritionists call “vitamin E”. They
are found naturally in a variety of foods including olives, spinach,
turnip greens, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, and some nuts and seeds.
Autolyzed Yeast Extract – Autolyzed
yeast extract results from the breakdown (lysis) of yeast cells which
releases amino acids, salts and carbohydrates. It naturally contains
free glutamic acid, or monosodium glutamate, and is often used as a
less expensive substitute for MSG.
Butylated
Hydroxyanisole (BHA) – Is a
potent synthetic antioxidant
that is used in many foods as a perservative. It can be found is:
cereals, gum, fast food, processed potatoes, drink mixes, shortening,
snack foods, and many others.
Butylated
Hydroxytoluene (BHT) – Is a
potent synthetic antioxidant
that is used in many foods as a preservative like it counterpart BHA.
It can be found is: cereals, gum, fast food, processed potatoes,
drink mixes, shortening, snack foods, and many others. It’s even
been certified Kosher by the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations
of America, and also certified Halal by the Islamic Food Nutrition
Council of America.
Disodium Inosinate - A naturally
occurring precursor to DNA and RNA, it is almost always derived from
animal origin; it is used as food enhancer and or intensifier in
conjunction with monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Disodium Guanylate (GMP) - Is the salt
of a nucleotide, which actually occurs naturally in the body. In
food, it is used as an additive which enhances or intensifies savory
flavors and is frequently used in combination with monosodium
glutamate (MSG) to make MSG more effective. GMP is commonly found in
the following foods: cured meats, salty snacks, instant noodle flavor
packets, and other foods prepared in many restaurants.
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein - Also known as
hydrolyzed corn or hydrolyzed corn gluten, is a corn gluten that has
undergone hydrolysis. Hydrolysis breaks down the corn proteins into
their component amino acids. Hydrolyzed corn protein is essentially
glutamic acid, which is a type of MSG.
Monosodium
Glutamate (MSG) – Also known as MSG, monosodium glutamate is the
sodium
salt of glutamic
acid, one of the most
abundant naturally-occurring non-essential
amino acids found in tomatoes,
potatoes,
mushrooms,
and other fruits and vegetables. It is used as a flavor enhancer that
intensifies the meaty, savory flavor of food, as naturally occurring
glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups.
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil –
Soybean oil that has been heated and had hydrogen bubbles through it
until it is a semi-solid (partially hydrogenated oil) that has
a consistency like butter, only it's a lot cheaper. It can then be
dried and used in it’s powdered from as a flavor or ‘mouth feel’
enhancer. In addition to its powdered form, and because it is cheap
it is a big favorite as a butter-substitute providing a richer flavor
and texture, but doesn't cost near as much as it would to add butter.
Propyl Gallate – Is an artificial
antioxidant that is generally used in conjunction with BHA as food
preservative. It can be found in many foods including: meat products,
microwaveable popcorn, soup mixes, chewing gum, mayonnaise, and
frozen meals.
Sodium Caseinate (From Milk) – A
protein found in milk, sodium caseinate is used as a food additive.
As a food source, casein supplies essential amino acids,
carbohydrates, sodium, calcium and phosphorus, although some people
may be allergic to it.
Tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) – Also
known as or tertiary butylhydroquinone, it is an aromatic organic
compound in the phenol family. Because of its antioxidant properties,
it is used as preservative in foods especially for unsaturated
vegetable oils as well as many other edible animal fats, and spice
mixes. TBHQ does not change the color, flavor or odor of the food to
which it is added, and is often used in combination with other food
preservatives.
Tricalcium Phosphate (TCP) – Is a
calcium rich salt of phosphoric acid also known as bone ash. It is
frequently used as a food additive in powdered spices, where it acts
as an anti-caking agent.
Conclusion
Many of the ingredients found in these
products may be controversial, and there are large numbers of
websites either extolling the virtues of such products or claiming
they cause terminal illness. As with most things in life, there is
probably a fine line in which both parties’claims have some
validity, but again, that is not our primary focus here at ‘Culinary
You’. Instead, we have supplied you with all the necessary
ingredients of each of these so that products so that you can do your
own research and make an informed decision regarding whether you want
to use them in your recipes. As for me, the 'Three Amigos' are a staple in my pantry and are at the ready whenever I need them.