DIY ESSENTIALS: BEEF BOUILLON POWDER

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. For this recipe you will need a good blender. If you have a Vitamix, use it. I believe that thing could blend a brick.
• 3. Getting stock from store-bought cubes is a very common thing; You see them in most grocery stores. They come in cubes, granules, and even in a thick goopy liquid. The problem is that there is a whole lot more in those concentrated bits than just stock. Commercial bouillon cubes are more salt than flavor, and a lot of them have the dreaded MSG as an ingredient. Also, unless you are careful you just may end up with little salty clumps in your finished product, and I hate it when that happens. Here are some of the ingredients in a typical bouillon cube: • Salt • Sugar • Partially hydrogenated palm oil • Monosodium glutamate (MSG) • Cornstarch • Less than 2% onion powder • Beef fat and meat by products • Garlic powder • Turmeric (for color) • Disodium inosinate • TBHQ (preservative) This product is made on equipment that also processes wheat, milk, eggs, soy, shrimp, and fish. Does that not sound just scrummy?
• 4. What is nutritional yeast? Of all the ingredients, I use in my recipes, nutritional yeast garners the most questions. It is a deactivated yeast product, which is grown, harvested, washed, and then dried with heat that deactivates or "kills" it. That means it does not have the leavening ability of baker's yeast. Therefore, it is a purely vegan food additive. It is a great source of vitamin B12, and does not contain any whey or animal products. It is low in fat, and gluten free. The primary reason most people use nutritional yeast is for its amazing flavor. It has been described as cheesy, nutty, savory, and umami. It can enhance soups, gravies, and when you use larger amounts it creates great cheese sauces. If you use an egg substitute, just a small amount can make those eggs taste cheesy, and eggy. And one more thing... IT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY MSG. And now you know the rest of the story.
• 5. I like using dehydrated onions, because they give a deeper/richer onion flavor than onion powder, or onion salt. Full Stop.
• 6. Mushroom Powder: There are two ways that you can get mushroom powder. 1. Purchase it at your local store, just make sure that it is organic, and the only thing it contains are mushrooms. 2. Get some dehydrated mushrooms, and grind them into a powder (my preferred method). The mushroom powder is essential, because it gives the broth its "meaty" flavor. If you are going with dehydrated mushroom go with a blend, and start with shitake... they have a very beefy flavor to them If you are going store-bought, this is my favorite brand: Four Sigmatic 10 Mushroom Blend Mix... good stuff.
• 7. Bouillon can be defined by two things: lots of salt, and MSG. We have eliminated the MSG, and reduced the salt to a minimum. You can even leave the salt out if you choose. However, in my opinion, you need a bit of salt to help bring out the flavors of the Bouillon.
• 8. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• 9. Place all the ingredients into a good blender, blend, blend, blend, until you have a fine powder.
• 10. Place into a tightly sealed container, and store in a cool place, away from sunlight.
• 11. PLATE/PRESENT
• 12. Use in any recipe that calls for beef bouillon. Enjoy.
• 13. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.