Soup, beef broth, cubed, dry

A dry beef bouillon cube is compressed, dehydrated beef stock, fat and salt meant to dissolve in boiling water and instantly produce a beef-flavored broth. Cooks crumble one into rice or pasta cooking water, stir it into gravies and pan sauces, or use it as the base liquid for soups, stews and risottos when there's no fresh stock on hand. It's also dropped into French onion soup, pot roast braising liquid, or a simple beef and barley soup to build savory depth without simmering bones for hours. It melts fastest when crumbled first and stirred into hot rather than cold water, since the compressed block can take longer to dissolve whole.

Keep cubes wrapped and stored in a dry pantry away from humidity, since moisture causes them to soften and clump together. Per 100 g, the dry cube concentrates 17.3g of protein, which is 35% of the Daily Value and its standout nutrient, alongside 12% DV each of iron and magnesium and 24,000mg of sodium, a level that reflects how salty a bouillon cube is meant to be, since only one small cube of about 4g gets dissolved into a full cup or more of water. Because of that concentration, it functions as a flavor and protein-boosting base for a larger pot of liquid rather than something eaten in quantity on its own.