Donna, is it this...

Here is a link that might be useful: Better Than Bouillon

Donna, could you be looking for beef or chicken base? The groceries around here carry "Better than Bouillon" and I have that in beef. Also, Penzeys has their soup base and I have the chicken and turkey. This stuff is like a paste and doesn't have as much salt.

I'm thinking it could be demi glace. I've been making my own for several year now....love it! I've got a link to a recipe but it is a labor of love as it takes a long time. I found this doing a google search.

David

Here is a link that might be useful: Demi Glace

I used to use Kitchen Bouquet, which I can't find any longer, that was a thick, brown syrupy type of beef flavoring, but it was a little salty. Then I used Bovril, which I loved but can no longer find - very similar to Kit. Bouquet in also being a thick liquid, but better flavor. I now buy from Smart and Final "Beef Base" - it comes in a round, squatty-shaped jar that is filled with a very thick brown paste. It does have a nice flavor but it also (as I think they most all do) has a salty flavor to it. It lasts for over a year in my fridge after opening - you just use a tsp. - a tbls. at a time. But, when I add it to soups or sauces, I use an am't that's appropriate to the qty. I'm preparing and hold off on any salt till almost finished, to compensate for the added salt. Of course, if you were REALLY concerned about the add'l salt, you could make the "Rolls Royce" of flavor enhancers and prepare brown stock. It's a multi-hour process but there's nothing like it and similar recipes are all over the internet. It's what most all professional chefs use. On the few occasions I've made it, it's frozen in styro containers and lasts for a very long time.

arline

Sounds like demi-glace to me, too.

There is a place that sells Minor's bases, the same soup bases a lot or restaurants use. They containers are pretty large because they are meant for restaurants, but the bases keep for a long time. Minor's does make low-sodium versions. I admit to using them a lot because I don't have the freezer space to store stock. We also bought from them for the store. Good people. And they send recipe books on request with the orders.

Here is a link that might be useful: SoupBase

demi glace! That's what I was thinking of David. I usually have some, but it's expensive from the Fresh Market where I get it.

Wow, it's not possible to come here every day and not learn something new! Way too cool! Al

I buy soup bases at my local restaurant supply. They actually come in a reasonably sized container - 16 oz.
If that was too large, I think you could scoop out tablespoons and freeze it for longer keeping.

Way less salty and better flavor in my opinion. My only complaint is that the chicken one is really, REALLY yellow.
I don't even wanna know what's in there! LOL
I don't use them very often, but when something needs a flavor boost, they're great.

Deanna

There is also a product called Marmite.

It's a yeast extraact product, often used by vegetarians as a replacement for beef extracts.

It is a very thick paste, dark brown in color, adds lots of flavor to soups & stews, also can be used as a spread on bread. Or so I am told. I've used it in cooking, never tried it as a spread.

Rusty

Deanna, I think it's carrot that makes the chicken so yellow. It is rather neon, isn't it?

Mustangs, thank you! Yes, it was Better than Bouillon. And Beanthere, I think I bought Minor's Base once as well. Both were exactly what I was talking about. I signed up at Minor's to get a pdf catalog. And now that I know what I am looking for I can sensibly ask store personnel.

Thanks again.

Wow, that demi glace has a hefty price, doesn't it?

Better than Bouillon is wonderful. However, it's a bit pricey. I have found that Glory Foods makes a very acceptable product (both chicken & beef base) and it's much less expensive. Our local Publix carries it. I have tried Minor's products and did not care for them. Penzey's makes acceptable bases and I have, in a pinch, used the Tone's brand from Sam's club.

Pat, I also have been using Glory Foods for about a year since someone here recommended it.

organic, low sodium Better than Boullion, at my local Costco

I don't care for most soup bases because they taste too salty for me as a general rule.

I haven't tried Better than Bouillion, I've never seen it around here, but I have tried the Penzey's and it's by far the most acceptable I've used. Not good enough that I want to pay that price for it, but not horrible.

Annie

For those of you that use the Minors beef and chicken base, and have a Gordon foods near you, try their house brand. Made by Minors and way cheaper....

I like Minor's better than Better than bouillion. Our local costco carries it in beef and chicken. It really adds flavor to soups and gravies.

Or you could make your own base by boiling 15lbs of beef bones, a pound of veal, and one old hen. Recipe I read in an ancient french cookbook. Someday I'm going to have to try it because it stuck in my head.

: )
lyra

LOL, Michael, I do make beef stock from beef bones, and chicken stock from "parts", and I can it, so I always have stock on hand when I need it.

I never thought of mixing chicken and beef, though I did use a mixture of duck parts and chicken parts for my last batch of "chicken" stock.

Annie

Once a Fall I spend several days making my own beef stock, from which I make Brown Sauce (one of the 4 original Mother Sauces), from which I make demi glace. I just love these few cooking days, they are so rewarding.

A few nights ago we had Beef Stroganoff, it was a snap to make because I already had the sauce. Same with Salisbury Steak, mushroom sauce for steaks or meatloaf, Steak Diane etc.

Pulling a lovely Brown Sauce out of your freezer makes it easy to turn out a wonderful dish that other wise might take too much time.

This year I skipped the demi glace and stopped at the brown sauce and I'm sorry I did. A spoonful or two of demi glace into any gravy/sauce takes it to a whole other level.

I ordered some Minor's low sodium chicken & beef stock base a few years ago on the recommendation from someone here on this forum. I've been pretty pleased with the chicken stock in particular. I've had it in my fridge for over two years now and am just getting ready to order it again. I just scoop out a teaspoon into a glass measuring cup of water and microwave. Once the water is heated, it takes a few moments of stirring to dissolve the paste.

I ordered some low sodium Better than Bouillon stock base too but found that its sodium content was much higher than the Minor's. For me, sodium content is a really important issue. I like the stock base pastes because they keep a long time and I can add a flavor boost to the lower sodium foods that I prepare.

Trader JoeÂs has an interesting broth product I really like, reduced sodium chicken and beef liquid concentrate packets. Each pouch contains enough flavoring to make 1 cup of broth with 360 mg. sodium per cup. The individual packets do not need refrigeration; thatÂs a real advantage. I think both flavors taste really good, but the salt content is a bit too high for me to use all the time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Minor's Low Sodium Chicken Base

I use both Minor's and BTB soup bases. My favorite flavors are Lobster and Mushroom, but I do like the BTB demi-glace, which I use instead of beef base. I use soup bases instead of salt, and so the sodium content remains the same as if I had used salt. I buy vegetable soup base (and usually mushroom) at Surfas, and their brand is very much better than BTB. For the lobster, I haven't noticed that much difference, but I only use very small quantities.

Lars

Dashi No Moto, or instant dashi, is a very popular Japanese powdered fish stock base which is available in any Asian grocery store. It is packed in small foil packets, so stays fresh practically forever. It has a mild flavor which will not dominate any dish but will add umami. I always have this on hand for use at a moments notice, even here in the land of the cod, where I should more often be turning fish trimmings into a truly splendid broth.

Jim

DD, thanks for the validation, I have had Jello Mousse Temptations on my list.

I agree with the Chillers!

Thanks for your recommendations for Minor Soup Base. And Peppi, thanks for your tip about GFS. I was going to get some when I come up your way but on a trip to St Petersburg yesterday, we passed a GFS! Turns out they recently took over the Smart & Final stores. I screamed and DH thought he ran over an animal! No, just do a u-turn and take me to GFS; yes I know that we are in the middle of the MLK parade route. He was not happy that this accident wait to happen was for soup base! You would think he would know by now that that's the way it is.

To explain my confusing post above, between phone calls, door bell, and kitty on the keyboard, I was posting to this and the New Foods thread lost focus.