Beef Paste/Base???


 
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JimT

TVWBB Pro
In the thread for his No. 5 Sauce, Steve mentions using beef paste as an alternative to meat drippings. In the next sentance, he mentions beef base.

Since the wife was going shopping yesterday, I asked her to look for beef paste. What she came home with was "soup base", "beef flavored." That's all she could find.

Are these items all one in the same? Should I be looking for something different?

Thanks in advance for any clarification you can give me,

JimT
 
They are the same.

What is different are items marked beef 'flavored' and those made from beef stock reduced to a paste (base) which are more expensive.

When using either one, if the amount is small relative to the rest of the ingredients in whatever the base is going into, the base is fine to use alone. If the base will be a larger component--if, e.g., the base will be used to make a stock for soup or flavor the liquid components of, say, a mix being used for an injection--then I recommend using both beef base and chicken, 50-50, or skewed in favor of the chicken 25-75. This allows for beef flavor but is less likely to result in odd or off flavors, common to beef bases and even canned beef broth. (In the case of canned, I recommend the same sort of blending.) Homemade beef stock or base can often be used by itself.
 
I agree about mixing beef and chicken. I vary the ratio too. There is something about having both flavors in most things I cook.

These bases can often be used in place of salt in a recipe. Much more flavor....
 
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