Many have asked “can you substitute chicken broth for bouillon and vice versa?”
What exactly is the difference between chicken stock, chicken broth, and chicken bouillon?
Well, I researched this a bit and it’s hard to come up with an exact definition because there is a lot of variety in the information that I read. But from what I understand…
Stock is the liquid obtained from the simmering together of meat or bones with vegetables, seasonings, and water. It can be made easily in the slow cooker, actually, because it is best to simmer for many hours. Homemade stock can be frozen. Stock is the base of many recipes but would not be consumed on its own.
Broth is made with actual meat (not just the bones) and, so, has a richer flavor. It also usually has salt added to it, whereas stock does not…so the sodium content is higher. Broth could be consumed on its own because it is basically a soup.
Bouillon (cubes, granules or powders) are dehydrated broth that is formed into a cube or powder. Usually, they have a lot of sodium. There are a lot of different brands. I prefer Shirley J because you use half as much and the flavor doesn’t taste processed. I also like it because it dissolves very easily because it is a very fine powder. I know a lot of people use Better Than Bouillon, but I have yet to try it. When I use bouillon in the place of broth I don’t add any other salt in the recipe because bouillon already has a lot of salt in it. Then I salt to taste at the end.
So there you have it! If you have any other helpful information on this topic, please leave a comment.
Is chicken powder and Chicken stock powder same ? Or have any differences in taste and use ?
I think they are the same thing? But I’m not totally sure!
I am so glad you posted about this…I've always wondered. Whenever a recipe has called for stock, I have gotten broth because its so much cheeper…still, the food comes out WONDERFUL!!! THANKS so much for this post!!
I've always wondered if there's a difference. Thanks for doing the research for us! 🙂
Karen,
I LOVE Better than Bouillon. I have been using it for several years. I get the big jar of chicken flavor at BJs/Costco, the beef, veggie, and mushroom in normal sized jars in the regular grocery. I like it so much better than the powder stuff. Basically, I make my own stock when I have the bones to do it, but that doesn't happen very often. The Better Than lasts a while in the fridge, I don't have to worry about buying/storing cans or cartons, and I can always make just the amount I need. Highly recommended.