Beef consommé is a refined beef broth made by simmering roasted beef bones and roasted vegetables in water for hours until a clear brown broth is produced.
Rich in flavors and collagen, this delightful consommé is a staple in French cuisine. It is used to give a rich and robust flavor to any dish and makes a delicious appetizer.
Yet, this dish involves a complicated preparation process that can be off-putting to many people. Hence, if you crave this broth or need to follow a recipe that calls for beef consommé while not having this ingredient on hand, we have your back.
So, without further ado, let’s learn about the replacement for beef consommé.
Overview Of Beef Consomme
Although beef consommé is simple to make, it does require practice and patience. There are many different ways to make beef consommé, but they all call for ground or minced beef, veggies, and seasonings to taste.
Before making your beef consommé, make sure that you have prepared some roasted beef bones, tomato puree, celery, carrots, onions, and some basic herbs and spices. Next, boil them for hours. During this lengthy process, all the flavors and nutrition of the ingredients will end up in the broth, making beef consommé incredibly delicious.
Afterward, the entire thing is then strained until the broth is clear.
The more common method to get the clear broth is by using egg white. After the long boiling process, the stock is slowly simmered with a mixture of barely whipped egg whites and lean ground meat, which congeals and floats to the surface to turn the rather hazy brown stock into clear consommé.
Consommé begins with a rich, full-flavored stock that is reduced with egg whites to remove the sediments and fat. Hence, it becomes a clear soup that is packed with flavors.
After the cooking process, what is left is a broth traditionally served hot as a soup or cold as aspic (a savory jelly with meat or fish particles), for consommé has a gelatinous consistency when cooled (because of the collagen content).
While the rich broth of beef consommé is an essential part of French cuisine, the cooled form is usually enjoyed as a delicacy.
When it comes to the flavor profile of this broth, it has the thickness in texture and flavor coming from roasted beef bones. It is created from roasted bones, which give the consommé its thickness and taste.
Consommé can be used in many ways. For example, it may act as the base for aspic or a side dish in casseroles, soups, and other recipes. Yet, when beef consomme is not around, you can still replace it with the substitute below.
12 Best Substitutes For Beef Consommé
1. Beef Stock
When you run out of beef consommé, beef stock is the most excellent substitute. You can buy it in the form of beef bouillon cubes, packaged cans, or prepare it yourself.
Homemade beef stock is much more flavorful and wholesome. All you have to do is roast two pounds of beef bones for at least thirty minutes, then add carrots, onions, celery, and herbs, as well as water to boil the roasted bone.
You should let it be cooked for eight to ten hours to produce a gelatinous texture and rich taste in the beef stock. If all this flavor description sounds familiar to you, just know that it is a similar flavor profile to beef consomme.
Beef stock is the first alternative for a beef consomme substitution.
2. Beef Broth
Another close substitution in this list is beef broth.
In most cases, beef stock and beef broth are interchangeable. Yet, you need to know that the two have different recipes and require different cooking techniques.
The main distinction between beef stock and beef broth is that beef broth takes substantially less time to cook. Nonetheless, beef broth still makes an excellent substitute for beef consommé.
The beef broth will have a meaty flavor, but it will be milder than usual. It is best to leave the soup to simmer for up to thirty minutes on a low heat setting.
The flavor of beef broth is enhanced by boiling the bones, meat, and veggies. Vegetables like carrots, onions, and celery are typically added to the beef broth to improve the flavor and replicate beef consomme. People also like to add pepper and parsley for even more flavor.
Since beef broth is boiled for a relatively short period, it is also a convenient substitute. Yet, its faster cooking process means it has a lower intensity than consomme, so, again, you may want to let the broth simmer for extra 15-30 minutes on low heat to produce a similar texture.
You can use beef broth as the replacement in the majority of recipes that call for beef consomme. It is available in canned and package form, but the flavor will be significantly improved if you make it yourself.
3. Vegetables Broth
This is a vegetarian choice of replacement for beef consommé. The veggie broth will give the dish a nice flavor.
The vegetable broth is prepared in the same way as beef broth (without meat, of course). You can add onions, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms to the vegetable broth for more flavors. Thus, you can prepare vegetable broth using various herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
Some people even add pepper to their broth to make it taste better. More seasoning can add a more pleasant flavor to your broth. Yet, do not overdo your seasoning to let the taste of vegetables shine.
Overall, vegetable broth complements casseroles, sauces, and soups well. Hence, in most cases, vegetable broth can be used in place of beef consommé. For every cup of beef consomme, substitute it with a cup of veggie broth.
4. Mushroom Broth
If you cannot get beef consommé, use mushroom broth instead. Since mushrooms also have an umami flavor that resembles meat, the difference will be slight. Thus, this broth is another excellent substitute for vegetarians.
All you have to do is boil mushrooms, sauteed onions, carrots, parsley sprigs, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns in water to make the mushroom broth.
You can use either button mushrooms or any type of mushrooms you can have your hand on. The broth will be ready when the vegetables soften; hence, make sure everything is cooked thoroughly, and you are good to go.
It is preferable to let the broth simmer for at least an hour to get the most outstanding flavor from all the ingredients. You can also add soy sauce, red wine, or miso paste for more flavor.
Read also: Mushroom Substitutes: A Complete Guide To Finding Great Options
5. Bone Broth
The liquid that comes out of the boiling bones in water is called bone broth. This liquid broth can be made from beef, hog, or poultry bones. The bones must be cooked for nearly a day until the tissues of the bones have broken down and the liquid has been filled.
It is commonly used in soups, sauces, and gravies. It makes an excellent beef consommé substitute, for the flavor profile of the two broths is pretty similar.
But, of course, the texture is different. The bone broth is not as thick as beef consommé. Yet, if you use it as a substitute in your cooking, the difference is barely noticeable.
6. Bouillon Cubes
Another option to replace beef consommé in your recipe is to use the packed bouillon cubes. Don’t worry; it is nothing fancy; bouillon cubes are basically bouillon concentrated into a cube and are also known as broth cubes or stock cubes.
The best way to use these cubes is to dissolve them in water and add it to the recipe as a replacement. For a cup of beef consomme, a bouillon cube can be used. Before using the cube in your recipe, dissolve it in boiling water.
Since these cubes are essentially stock that has been cubed, they can be used as a substitute in most recipes. Conveniently, it can be used in soups, stews, sauces, gravies, and casseroles.
On the other hand, the bouillon cubes are not suitable for vegetarians because they contain lipids and animal stock, as well as seasonings, vegetables, and salt. Yet, vegetarian variants with bouillon cubes are also available, so don’t worry.
You can find these little cubes in the seasoning aisle of any supermarket. If you store them properly, they can last for months. Hence, it can be handy to have these cubes around. Therefore, these cubes make a great substitute for beef consomme.
7. Soy Sauce
This common and readily available ingredient can also be used as a substitute for beef consommé, to your surprise. Soy sauce has a natural umami flavor that is quite similar to beef consommé. Hence, you only need to mix a tablespoon of soy sauce in water to replicate the taste of beef consommé.
8. Browning sauce
This is a combination of caramel color and vegetable concentrate, which produces a sweet and tart flavor similar to beef consommé. Hence, this sauce can be used as a beef consomme substitute in broth soups and stews.
You can also use this sauce in meat-based recipes to give the meat a richer texture and flavor. To turn the browning sauce into a copycat beef consommé, all you have to do is to combine one cup of water and one tablespoon of browning sauce.
9. Demi-glace
Demi-glace is a type of sauce used to substitute beef consomme in French cuisine. It is a versatile ingredient that can be used in soups, stews, and meat dishes. This sauce gives stock the brown color and a similar flavor with beef consommé. Demi-glace is often used to make brown stock and brown sauce for traditional French recipes.
10. Wine and Beer
They are not only beverages but can also be used to add lovely tones to your food. You may be surprised, but these two beverages can serve as a decent substitute for beef consomme.
Despite their slightly distinct texture, if you use them in stews, chili, and gravies, the difference will be insignificant. To replace beef consomme, use half wine or beer with water.
Since the alcohol must be metabolized thoroughly, be careful with heat while cooking so that you don’t have any alcohol-related mishaps.
11. Liquid Aminos
If you are a vegetarian looking for a beef consommé substitute, liquid aminos is an excellent option. This liquid will deliver the same umami as that of beef consommé to all your dishes.
The best way to replicate the flavor of beef consommé is to add liquid aminos to mushroom or vegetable broth. It can, however, be added to water and can work well in casseroles, stews, and sauces. Because liquid aminos have a greater amino acid level, it also comes with health benefits.
In terms of availability, it could be a little harder to come by, but you should look for it in organic stores.
12. Au Jus
This is a delicious, rich liquid that French people use in place of beef consomme. While beef consommé is the actual dish, au jus is the liquid extracted from the meat. Hence, the flavor can be pretty close.
Au jus is frequently utilized in the meat preparation process to make the meat exceedingly soft, juicy, and delectable. It can also be used as part of a dip for ribs, noodles, roasted chicken, and a variety of other dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s The Difference Between Beef Consomme And Beef Broth?
The distinction between beef broth and consomme is the thickness. Beef consomme has a thicker, richer texture than beef broth, which has a milder flavor and is more liquidy.
Is Bouillon The Same As Consomme?
They’re similar, but they’re not the same. A consomme is a transparent liquid produced with handmade stock and egg whites. Bouillon is used with broth, and a consomme is a clear liquid created with homemade stock and egg whites.
What Is The Process Of Clarification?
Protein from the meat is transferred into the water during the slow-cooking procedure. As a result, the liquid seems murky. This protein coagulates and accumulates at the top of the pan during clarification. The particles separate from the liquid by gently filtering it through cheesecloth, resulting in a clear stock.
Conclusion
Now you have got to know some highly recommended beef consomme substitutes. Since this list consists of various options, you should experiment one by one to pick the best that tailors to your taste.
Happy cooking and enjoying your dream meal even when you are short of beef consomme!
