Need help! Vegetable soup

Well, today I am attempting to make vegetable soup for the first time ever and of course I have a problem

The recipe calls for chicken or vegetable broth. I could have sworn I had both in the cabinet, but its gone! I'm unable to go to the store for more, but I have some options I hope.

I have some beef bullion cubes I can use, OR I have some expired chicken cubes. Do these actually go bad and unsafe to use? Or do they just lose flavor or something?

Every recipe I've seen says chicken or vege but none with beef so I'm not sure if that would mess up the flavor. What would you do?

Use the cubes...

It will be fine.

Originally Posted by CatMom2Wires

Use the cubes...

It will be fine.

Click to expand...

The beef ones, or the expired chicken ones? (honestly I can't see anything wrong with them, they're just hard)

Sorry--I'd do the chicken. Beef might taste too strong.

You can use either beef or chicken, just depends on which flavor you prefer. I didn't know bouillon cubes expired. They have enough preservatives, I would think if anything they simply lose their flavor.

yeah i would just use the out of date ones, ive done it before no taste difference imo

I actually use beef broth in my veggie soup on occassion and it's amazing!!! My mom handed that recipe down to me and we've made it in our family for years with the beef broth instead- it's yummy! You can use eithor beef cubes in water or beef broth. I add ground beef to my veggie soup as well! It gives it a wonderful flavor! Try the beef cubes, you might be suprised how much you like it!

(I also add corn, broccli, barley, sliced yukon gold potatoes,carrots, tomato, peppers, onion, and sometimes stew meat to mine as well...it just depends on what I have at the time! I also mix up the spices I use!! (I add to my tomato broth- chili powder, season all, rendevous spice, basil (only a pinch!), dill weed, black peppercorn, and a pinch of sea salt) Definitely use 1 bay leaf and let it soak in your stock pot if you have it- it gives it awesome flavor!)

(The chicken bullion cubes should be just fine if you want to use those instead! Those things last forever haha!)

Hmmm ok I'll use the out of date chicken ones. Since I'm doing this for the first time, I'd like to follow the recipe.

Nikki - I will keep the beef in mind for next time though as well as adding meat!

Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

OR I have some expired chicken cubes. Do these actually go bad and unsafe to use? Or do they just lose flavor or something?

Click to expand...

Chicken cubes do not "expire". They are fine to use! The date is "best before", meaning that before they are at their optimum freshness, and by law a company has to provide a date on the package.

Chicken cubes are loaded with salt, and salt is a preservative. Those things would survive a nuclear bombing! So go ahead and use them without hesitancy.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Chicken cubes do not "expire". They are fine to use! The date is "best before", meaning that before they are at their optimum freshness, and by law a company has to provide a date on the package.

Chicken cubes are loaded with salt, and salt is a preservative. Those things would survive a nuclear bombing! So go ahead and use them without hesitancy.

Click to expand...

Good to know since I used them!

The soup is on and has to simmer for a couple hours, then we'll see if its any good or not. It has:

Chicken broth (I used bullion since the broth wasn't available)
V-8 Juice
Water
a little garlic
pearl onions
can diced tomato
red potatoes
frozen corn, green beans, peas, baby lima beans
can dark red kidney beans
shredded cabbage
bay leaf
salt, pepper and a few other dried spices

I'll let you know how it turns out!

Mom's veggie soup always had a tomato sauce base and used any leftovers in the fridge from the previous week.

The cubes should be fine. Just don't season without tasting first because of the salt in the cubes.