Having homemade chicken bouillon powder as a pantry staple ensures I provide a better option for my family than store-bought bouillon. I know it’s full of homemade goodness without inferior ingredients degrading its nutritional value.
You can improve the taste of stews, gravies, vegetable soups, and more by making this chicken bouillon recipe with bone broth you make yourself.
How Is Chicken Bouillon Made? A Step-By-Step Guide
A lot of homes and restaurants keep chicken bouillon on hand. The tasty cubes or powders give soups, stews, sauces, rice dishes, vegetables, and more a depth of chicken flavor. But have you ever thought about how this versatile seasoning is made?
This guide will take you through the whole production process, from beginning to end. Knowing how chicken bouillon is made from raw ingredients to those handy cubes will help you understand how much work goes into making this kitchen must-have.
Sourcing the Chicken
Getting good chicken is the first thing you need to do to make chicken bouillon. Most companies that make bouillon use bones, skin, meat scraps, and extra fat that has been cut off of whole chickens. These parts are full of collagen, fat, and flavor, which is important for making a broth that tastes a lot like chicken.
Most of the time, the chickens come from poultry suppliers that raise birds only for food production. If you use younger chickens, the bones and meat will have more gelatin, fat, and protein. Older, tougher chickens don’t yield as much useable material.
Preparing the Ingredients
Once sourced, the chicken parts are thoroughly cleaned and rinsed to remove blood, feathers, and dirt. Excess fat and heavy skin or membrane may also be trimmed off.
The ingredients are chopped into smaller pieces to maximize the surface area. This allows flavors and gelatin to release more efficiently during cooking. The chicken may be chopped by hand with knives or fed through an industrial grinder or pulverizer machine.
Simmering the Broth
Now comes the simmering phase, which is critical for developing rich, concentrated flavor. The prepared chicken is placed into large vats along with water, and brought to a gentle boil.
The mixture simmers for anywhere from 4-12 hours. This extended cooking time breaks down collagen into luscious gelatin, extracts fat, and releases the chicken’s essence into the water. Meat scraps and bones may be strained out halfway through to concentrate the developing broth.
Clarifying and Filtering
Once simmered, the broth passes through filters to remove solids. A commercial centrifuge may also be used to spin out impurities and further clarify the liquid. Additional tools like press filters or chemical clarifying agents can produce an ultra-clear, pure chicken broth.
Concentrating the Broth
Now the broth enters the concentration phase, where water is removed to transform the broth into a thick, concentrated extract. Common methods include:
- Simmering uncovered to evaporate water
- Vacuum evaporation which boils off water at lower temperatures
- Spray drying, which turns broth into a fine powder via hot air
- Drum drying, where broth is spread on heated rollers
The resulting concentrated chicken extract is now ready for the final transformation into bouillon.
Adding Flavor Boosters
In this stage, the chicken extract is seasoned and enhanced to become bouillon. Salt is almost always added – both for flavor and as a preservative.
MSG, yeast extracts, or hydrolyzed vegetable proteins may be included to amplify the savory umami taste. Onion, garlic, celery, carrot powders contribute savory notes. Herbs like parsley, oregano, turmeric add complexity.
Fats such as hydrogenated oils can improve texture and prevent caking. Natural flavors or artificial flavorings also help round out the taste. The goal is an intensely chicken-y, savory product.
Drying and Forming Bouillon
The final step is drying the seasoned broth into bouillon. For cubed bouillon, the broth is poured into tray molds and dried. It naturally solidifies into cubes as the moisture evaporates.
For granulated bouillon, the broth is dried into a powder via spray drying or low heating. This powder is then pressed into granules or packaged as-is.
The finished bouillon is finally ready for packaging and shipping out to be used in kitchens everywhere.
Understanding the Process
As you can see, making chicken bouillon is a complex manufacturing process. Though the basic steps of simmering chicken parts, clarifying, concentrating, and drying remain consistent, individual companies have their own variations.
The ingredients, cooking times, drying methods, and flavorings can all differ depending on the manufacturer. Premium brands tend to use more actual chicken meat, whereas lower-cost options may rely heavily on artificial chicken flavor.
With this behind-the-scenes look, you can better understand and appreciate everything that goes into producing the chicken bouillon that elevates so many dishes. Next time you reach for one of those little cubes or granule-filled jars, think fondly of its fascinating creation journey.
Tips for Making Homemade Chicken Bouillon
Want to DIY your own chicken bouillon at home? Here are some tips:
- Use chicken bones, skin, and meat scraps for full flavor
- Simmer the chicken for at least 3-4 hours, up to 12
- Strain out solids, then simmer uncovered to reduce liquid
- Add salt, garlic, onion, herbs, and spices as desired
- Dehydrate broth into a paste, then spread thinly and bake at low temp until dried
- Blend dried paste into a powder and store in airtight container
With homemade chicken bouillon, you control the quality of ingredients and customize the flavor profile to your taste. Experiment with different seasonings to create unique blends.
Storing and Shelf Life
Properly stored, commercially made chicken bouillon will last 1-2 years in the pantry. Check package dates for expiry.
Once a bouillon package is opened, transfer contents to an airtight container. Humidity causes clumping.
Homemade bouillon powders will keep 6 months in the freezer, 2-3 months in the fridge. Cubes or granules keep 1 year at room temperature.
Usage Tips
Chicken bouillon is highly versatile. Here are some serving ideas:
- Add to soups, stews, chilis
- Mix into rice or quinoa cooking liquid
- Use when braising vegetables
- Whisk into pan sauces and gravies
- Make into broth by dissolving in hot water
- Use in place of water for more flavor in recipes
- Make quick chicken noodle soup with bouillon, veggies and noodles
- Combine with oil and vinegar for a tasty roasted veggie drizzle
- Sprinkle on popcorn along with Parmesan cheese
- Add to bread or pizza dough for extra flavor
With such convenience, versatility and long shelf life, it’s easy to see why chicken bouillon is a pantry essential for home cooks and restaurants alike. Understanding how it’s made will give you a whole new appreciation whenever you reach for a cube or shake in some powder.
How to Store Bouillon
- Bouillon that has been dried out should be kept in a clean glass jar with a lid that fits tightly for 6 to 12 months. Put on a shelf somewhere cool and dry, out of direct sunlight, until you need it. Write the date and the name of the food on the label so you can find it again.
- Soups that are freeze-dried: You can put freeze-dried soups in a clean glass jar with an oxygen absorber. To store something for a long time, use a jar sealer to get rid of as much oxygen as possible. If you store freeze-dried bouillon on a cool shelf away from light and moisture, it will last up to 25 years longer. Write the date and the name of the food on the label so you can find it again.
What is Chicken Bouillon?
Chicken bouillon is a dehydrated or freeze dried version of reduced bone broth. It tastes great and is easy to make. Just add hot water for a quick cup to drink or use it to season soups and stews. You’ll never go back to purchasing bouillon at the store again!.
Be aware that some gluten-free chicken bouillon substitute recipes call for nutritional yeast and seasonings of herbs and black pepper for enhanced flavor. This recipe is not one of them and is true bouillon made with genuine homemade chicken broth.
- Ladle—A large spoon or ladle works well to remove any foam that forms on top of the chicken broth.
- Strainer – A strainer works well to strain your broth.
- Dehydrator—A dehydrator is needed for one way to make chicken bouillon. We’ve used the Excalibur for many years and love it.
- Freeze Dryer: Freeze drying is another way to make this chicken bouillon recipe. I have great results with the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer when I use it for different freeze drying recipes.
- Paper for Trays—If you use the freeze-dry method, the broth will not stick to the trays if you use parchment paper. Homesteading Tip: Harvest Right makes silicone mats that can be used more than once and work well.
- Food Processor: To turn the dried chicken broth into a fine powder, you’ll need a food processor or a blender.
- Jars and containers for storage: Clean glass jars with lids that fit tightly work best. For the best results, store your bouillon in a jar sealer and reseal it every time you use it.
- Labels and a pen: For future reference, I suggest that you put the date and type of food on all of your preserved foods.
- Homemade chicken bone broth—You shouldn’t use store-bought chicken broth if you want to follow this tutorial. If you want to boost your immune system, try my Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth or Homemade Chicken Bone Broth instead.
How Chicken Bouillon Powder Is Made I Chicken Bouillon Powder Factory Process
FAQ
Is chicken bouillon made out of real chicken?
Chicken bouillon is a concentrated flavor enhancer available in both powdered and cube form. Think of it as chicken stock condensed into a convenient package. Chicken bouillon is made by dehydrating chicken stock. It gives you a concentrated product that can be easily stored and used when needed. Aug 3, 2023.
Are chicken broth and bouillon the same?
No, chicken broth and bouillon are not exactly the same, though they are often used interchangeably.
What is the main ingredient in bouillon?
It is typically made from dehydrated vegetables or meat stock, a small portion of fat, MSG, salt, and seasonings, shaped into a small cube.
What is chicken bouillon?
You’ve likely seen the cubes or powder but might be unaware of how it compares to stock or broth. When chicken, vegetables, and seasonings are simmered together, they make a concentrated broth that is then dried out and turned into a powder. This makes it a shelf-stable staple that creates a keen replacement for broth when added to water.
Where does Bouillon come from?
Bouillon comes from a 17th-century French word that means “liquid in which something has been boiled. ” It is a common base for soups and stocks. Real cooks may turn up their noses, but if you don’t have time to make your own, you can always use bouillon cubes when making soups and sauces.
What is chicken bouillon made of?
Chicken, beef and lamb bouillon are made from dehydrated meat from the respective animal, often along with dehydrated vegetables, spices and MSG. When making vegetable bouillon, no animal proteins are used. Instead, vegetables like celery, onions, and carrots are used.