Granulated bouillon is just a dehydrated bouillon that remains in powdered form instead of being shaped into a cube.

Bouillon cubes have been around for over 100 years, flavoring soups, sauces, casseroles and any other dish that benefits from a savory, umami-rich blast of spice. Beef broth may be one of the main ingredients for countless meals and a kitchen staple, but there are many substitutes for beef broth available. In the mid-19th century, German chemist Justus von Liebig developed meat extract, but it was more expensive than bouillon cubes. It usually uses egg whites or something similar to help remove impurities from the liquid, so it’s clearer.

Pour in a little water and use a spoon/spatula to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Granules made for convenience were first introduced in the late 1800s, and cubes followed shortly afterwards in the early 1900s. Unfortunately, since it can contain anchovies or fish soup, it is not a vegetarian or vegan substitute.

Three might be new to you, but will so change the way you season food that I think it’s worth them becoming pantry staples. If you are looking up bouillon recipes, avoid confusing the term with the word "bullion," which refers to "uncoined gold or silver in bars or ingots," according to Merriam-Webster. Various French cooks in the early 19th century (Lefesse, Massué, and Martin) tried to patent bouillon cubes and tablets, but were turned down for lack of originality. The seasonings depend on what company is making the bouillon cubes, and the top providers include Maggi, Knorr and OXO, which all started the trend of bouillon cubes in the early 1900s.What you probably won’t think of is a type of beef broth that has been a staple in kitchens for hundreds of years. Made from dehydrated meat or vegetable broth, bouillon cubes are essentially evaporated, condensed bouillon in the shape of a cube that, when added to water, makes broth. The recipe takes about 5 minutes to put all the ingredients into my blender and blitz it up, so for me, that’s very simple and not a lot of work at all. If you fancy putting your slow cooker to good use, try our slow cooker beef bourguignon for a no-oven alternative.

A bunch of us here at Simply Recipes are fans of Better than Bouillon, which is a paste concentrate sold in jars.My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress.