Beef Broth vs. Beef Consomme – What’s The Difference?

Are you one of the people who recently heard of the term Consomme, probably on a menu somewhere, and got confused about what it was? If yes, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Consomme is not used as frequently as Broth or stock, but all three terms are often used interchangeably to represent the same thing. 

But Beef Broth and Beef Consomme might not the same thing. Beef Broth has a different flavor, preparation method, appearance, consistency and uses. This article will discuss all of these factors in detail, so the next time you visit that restaurant, you know exactly what to order. So, without further discussion, let’s get into it. 

Beef Consomme

Beef consomme is best described as the perfect form of beef broth. A hearty serving of beef Consommé is guaranteed to make your face light up. The beef broth has several impurities and fat in it, and if we remove these impurities and the fat, we get Beef consommé. 

The word impurities might sound scientific, but there is no chemistry involved in making Beef Consomme. But you will need a lot of patience, some practice, and the basic ingredients. Don’t get overwhelmed just thinking about it because the result will be worth the effort you put in. 

The mechanism behind making consomme is pretty interesting too. You use egg whites to thicken or bundle up the fats in the Broth and impurities; this makes the Broth pure, turning it into beef consomme. Now that we have started talking about this let’s go through the whole process of making beef consomme. 

Making Beef Consomme

You start making Beef Consomme by separating the egg whites from the egg yolk, followed by whisking these egg whites white an egg beater or an electric mixer. The next step is to mix minced meat (or chunks) with chopped vegetables and then add this to the whisked eggs. This mixture goes into the Broth or stock you want to purify. 

Now the process does itself; all you have to do is simmer the stock or Broth on low heat, then heat until the temperature rises to 120°F. Now, let the mixture simmer for about an hour and let the egg whites do their magic! When the Broth or stock is clarified, filter the mixture using a cheesecloth to remove the impurities. And voila, you have the perfect Beef Consomme ready to be eaten.

Serving Beef Consomme

There are several ways of serving Beef Consomme. But the fanciest way would be to throw in a couple of fresh dumplings in the Consomme to make a Lavish dish. Other than that, you can always serve the Beef Consomme on its own as an appetizer. 

Beef Consomme Nutrition

Beef Broth and Beef Consomme are both beneficial for our health. But Beef Consomme has several advantages over Beef Broth. The first thing is the lower amount of sodium in Beef Consomme. Sodium is a mineral that is notorious in the dietetic world because of its hypertension-causing effects. 

So if you are someone who suffers from high blood pressure or hypertension, then Beef Consomme would be the right choice for you between it and Beef Broth. In addition to that, Beef consomme has higher amounts of Iron, Potassium, and Calcium. Now, if we start going into the details about the importance of these minerals, this article would become too long to read. 

But if we describe it briefly, all of these minerals are quite important. Iron is essential for making new blood cells, calcium is needed for making bones, and potassium helps regulate Sodium-Potassium pumps (Which are essential are the proper functioning of every cell in our body). So, the next time you have Consomme, remember that it’s more than just taste.

Beef Broth

The Broth is a wonderful dish that’s often confused with stock when in reality, they are both different dishes. Stock is made by simmering bones in hot water and letting them rest. On the other hand, Broth is made by simmering bones that still have meat on them. We can go on about the differences, but that’s a discussion for another time.

Like Beef Consomme, the Beef broth is made using a few simple steps. But if you want to skip all the fuzz, then you can simply buy Beef Broth concentrates and keep in your kitchen and stir them up with boiling water to get a quick serving of Beef Broth. But for those of you who want to put in the time and effort, you’re going to need some bones. 

If you follow the traditional way, you wouldn’t have to do a lot of cooking; just simmer some bones (with meat on them) in hot water for water until you achieve the right consistency. But you can also add chopped vegetables to the mix. In this way, the minerals from the vegetables would also be absorbed in the Broth, making it more nutritious.

Unlike Beef Consomme, the Beef broth is not served on its own. You can use Beef broth for a Wide variety of purposes, the most popular of which is making soup. Other than that, you can also use Broth to braise meat and even vegetables, make casseroles as well as stews (both of which are one-pot dishes). 

So What’s the Difference Between Beef Broth and Beef Consomme?

Some differences distinguish Beef Broth from Beef Consomme. The first one is the way of preparation; simmering bones and meat make the Beef Broth while Beef Consomme is made by clarifying Beef Broth. Another difference is that Broth has a clear light brownish color while Beef Consomme has a clear dark brownish color.

 The consistency of each dish also varies a lot, with Beef broth having a thin consistency while Beef consomme having a thicker consistency. Other differences include:

• Flavor:Broth has a mild flavor, while Beef Consomme has an intense and concentrated flavor. 
• Uses: Broth is used in making sauces, stews, and soup. On the other hand, Beef Consomme can be served on its own. 

Sources

• KitchenLily
• DifferenceGuru
• TheEagle