- The word bouillon comes from the French verb bouillir which means "to boil." The reference comes from how chicken bouillon is made, by simmering a combination of chicken, vegetables, spices and water over a low heat until the liquid condenses into a flavorful broth. There is no one recipe for bouillon;, many cooks simply use chicken bones and a combination of vegetable scraps and spices to make their bouillon.
- Bouillon has a number of uses in both commercial and home kitchens. It's used mainly as a beginning stock for soup; but also an be used to flavor rice and pasta dishes, or as a base for sauces.
- While chicken bouillon is popular, other flavors are widely used. Beef, fish, pork, veal, and vegetable bouillons complement specific dishes. These are all made in the same fashion; the only qualification as to what makes a bouillon is that it remains a clear broth.
- There are many brands of dehydrated bouillon on the market. They can be found in cubed or granule form and are popular among some cooks because they are inexpensive and can be stored for several years. Dried chicken bouillon generally contains meat products, vegetables and spices; but it tends to have high sodium content and often MSG as a flavor enhancer.
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A simple bouillon recipe would be to sauté one diced onion in a little fat or oil in a large saucepan or stockpot. Place the bones and scraps of one chicken in the pot along with whole or large diced carrots, potatoes, turnips or other root vegetables. Add one head of garlic, salt, pepper and an herb of your choice, either dried or fresh. Pour water into the pot until it covers all ingredients. Bring the contents to a low boil and cover the pot. Simmer for at least one hour. The longer the bouillon cooks, the stronger its taste. Strain out the meat and vegetables, and use the bouillon whenever stock or broth is called for in recipes.
Bouillon freezes well, and some cooks like to freeze it in an ice cube tray to have individual cubes available.
