Hi everyone, need to ask here since me and my wife bicker about it all the time. She thinks that chicken bouillon should go inside the green salsa for enchiladas and chilaquiles. To me I feel like it is not authentic and makes the salsa taste so salty and like top ramen sauce if that makes any sense. They give you a bouillon packet literally for every top ramen you buy. I feel like authentic salsas should not be made with the bouillon. Can anyone second me on this.
by mookfacekilla
27 Comments
It’s great in there. Nothing is “required,” but it adds a lot of flavor. The key is to not add too much and not add additional salt.
Authentic is an overused word. My mom uses onion powder in her rice. That might not be authentic to some people but it how she’s done it her whole life and how her mom taught her.
Bullion can be used. I use it in some salsa. BUT it’s a huge no go to put too much and make your sasla taste like ramen. I put a tea spoon to a tablespoon no more.
I use it and i grew up in Mexico.
If you don’t like the taste don’t use it. Try a different brand or just a pinch of msg instead
Less authentic? They use it in Mexico.
In Mexico it is used for everything.
It’s basically an MSG bomb so it makes everything be more flavorful.
But, it is not needed at all, there is no “authentic” way to eat things here in Mexico, even among regions in Mexico food can be so different.
Just do whatever tastes great for you.
She’s probably using too much. 1/2 tsp in a batch adds a nice undertone without overpowering. This is an optional ingredient but it is used in Mexico. Some people use chicken broth instead. Some don’t use either.
I make my salsa verde with it. When I blend it, I add in about at tablespoon and then further cook it on the stove with some oil. I make about 2-3 pounds of salsa though for that 1 tablespoon, along with a couple pinches of salt. It adds a great flavor. I also use caldo de res for salsa roja.
I never thought about if it was authentic or not. My suegros actually recommend I do it and they’re from CDMX.
Bro anything my family cooks has bouillon and I put it in all my guisos and salsas authentic ? I don’t really no but it’s a main ingredient to almost any dish my family makes
Use Caldo de Tomate instead. Knorr makes it. It’s basically tomato bouillon.
Edit: I use it for the water content so that my salsa is not as gelatinous after refrigerating*. The water gives it a more saucy and less coagulated consistency. Flavored water is better than unflavored water in all forms of cooking.
I may be a random white person, but I consider that bouillon jar to be the most mexican thing in my house.
You said you can still taste it no matter how much bouillon is used.
But if you’ve been eating Mexican food your whole life or go out for it often, chances are high that you’ve also been eating dishes with bouillon in it to some degree 🤔
The difference is how much your wife is using when she cooks.
“Authentic” is an overused word in English speaking countries. Whenever I see a restaurant calling itself ‘authentic’, I know it’s not.
We all over use knorr in Mexico, it’s the secret of most recipes…
I put this in everything
I love that stuff. Just don’t use too much. If you can tell it’s there you’re using too much. If you use just a little it tastes really fresh, not like that top ramen packet flavor – great description btw.
Maybe get her to dial it down a bit since you don’t like the flavor? And, I wouldn’t call my wife’s cooking “not authentic,” that’s kind of an unpleasant criticism. If someone tried that on me I’d dig my heels in. Better to say that you just don’t like it and can she adjust it so you both like it.
I don’t like the flavor of it in salsa, but it’s a required ingredient for me in rice, and any sort of slow-cooked animal protein.
We’ve never added bouillon to salsas in my family. I think it’s just a matter of family tradition. Everyone does it a little different. Not against it though, might try adding a bit to try it out.
Put it in salsa for eating with chips? No
Put it in the salsa for enchiladas/ chile Colorado / chile verde/ etc? Yes
My Mexican family uses that for so much. Including sometimes salsa. It’s not necessary and some people will use it more often (it shouldn’t taste like raman though, maybe your wife is putting too much in?)
Either way though, if you don’t like it you don’t like it, why you need something to be authentic I don’t know but if it makes you feel better a lot of Mexicans use that in many dishes, including salsa.
I use it in some dishes in place of salt, maybe half and half. It provides saltiness and flavor.
The salsa snob reddit say the secret to good salsa is bullion.
This is normal in my house. My mom has used it in her salsas and other foods not needing a “broth” but I don’t use it in my salsa or anything where broth isn’t required. Just do what taste good to you guys and quit worrying about tradition.
This is used in a lot of Mexican cooking, just go lighter if it’s too salty, and use it in place of other salts in your sauces. I make Mexican rice with it and do not add any other salt bc it’s salty enough.
Knorr Suiza, it’s so well freaking known by every household cook that they don’t even write “Suiza” on the bottle.
Masa for tamales, rice, salsas of various types… I think it wouldn’t be authentic if it were missing from food.
If it tastes salty, then you’re using too much. But also, it doesn’t taste salty – it tastes MSGy.
Try the tomato version, too.
Bro my wife used to use cubito de pollo but we bought this “Better Than Boullion” at Costco and that shit is faaaaaar better
Every Mexican I know uses it including myself and I’ve seen it used so many times in videos from other Mexicans I think it’s authentic