Alright, so beef consommé. I’d seen those cans sitting on the shelf for ages. Looked kinda fancy, you know? Like something you’re supposed to use for super special dishes. For a while, I just walked past it. Thought it was probably just expensive salty water. But then, one day, I figured, what the heck, let’s give it a whirl. Grabbed a couple of cans, thinking I’d finally try my hand at something other than my usual go-to meals.
My First Go: Keeping it Simple (or so I thought)
First thing I did, I cracked open a can and decided to make a quick soup. Poured it into a saucepan, warmed it up. Took a sip. Okay, it was beefy, clear, pretty much as advertised. But, man, it was a bit… plain on its own. Like it was waiting for something else to happen. So, I started rummaging through the fridge. Found some leftover cooked rice, a sad-looking carrot I chopped up real small, and a few frozen peas. Threw ’em all in. Let it simmer for a bit. Added a dash of soy sauce, a bit of pepper. It was… edible. Yeah, that’s the word. Edible. Nothing to write home about, but it wasn’t bad for a quick lunch. The consommé definitely gave it a beefier backbone than just water would have, but it wasn’t a standalone star, not for me anyway.
Round Two: Let’s Get Braising
Next up, I had some tougher cuts of beef. Stew meat, basically. Usually, I’d use regular beef broth or stock for braising, maybe a bit of red wine if I was feeling fancy. This time, I thought, let’s see what this consommé can do. So, I browned the beef, tossed in my usual onions, garlic, a bay leaf. Then, instead of stock, I poured in a whole can of the beef consommé, plus a bit of water to make sure everything was mostly covered. Covered the pot, low heat, and just let it go for a couple of hours. And you know what? That’s where this stuff started to shine. The meat came out super tender, obviously, but the flavor… it was richer, deeper. The sauce that it made was noticeably better than my usual attempts. It had a cleaner, more intense beef flavor. That was a win. I was pretty chuffed with that.
Other Little Experiments
Since I still had some left, I started playing around with it in smaller ways.
- Used a splash to deglaze the pan after searing some mushrooms. Worked great for that, got all those tasty brown bits up and made a quick pan sauce.
- Added a bit to a shepherd’s pie filling instead of just plain stock. Gave it a bit more oomph.
- Even tried a spoonful in some gravy I was making. It definitely deepened the flavor.
So, it’s not just for French onion soup, which I still haven’t actually made with it, ironically enough. I always think I will, then I get sidetracked.
So, What’s the Verdict?
Look, is beef consommé a miracle ingredient? Nah. It’s not going to magically make you a gourmet chef overnight. But it’s a pretty useful thing to have in the pantry. It’s more than just fancy broth. It’s got a more concentrated, cleaner flavor than regular stock, I’ll give it that. Good for when you want that beefy taste to really come through without a lot of other stuff clouding it.
For me, it’s best when used as a flavor booster, especially in slow-cooked dishes or sauces. For a quick soup, yeah, it works, but you gotta add your own personality to it. I’m not gonna just heat it up and drink it straight, but as an ingredient? Thumbs up. I actually went out and bought a few more cans. It’s earned a spot in my cupboard. Still need to try that French onion soup one of these days, though. Maybe next week. Or the week after. You know how it is.
