Kyl Haselbauer has 20 years of experience working in fine-dining and modernist kitchens, including Bar Cotto and Anchovies &amp; Olives in Seattle. He is also the owner of Bright Spot, a café and coffee shop in Seattle.

Kyl Haselbauer

Pork stock isn’t as commonly used in Western kitchens as beef, veal, or chicken stock, which is a shame, because it’s just as delicious and versatile. This recipe produces cubes of super flavorful and gelatinous reduced pork stock, which can be used to make pan sauces for chops and roasts, fragrant soups, and even a <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/ultimate-instant-ramen">near-instant ramen</a> that’s just as good as bowls prepared at a shop.The process for making the pork stock is identical to the one used to make the <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/beef-bouillon-cubes">beef</a> and <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/chicken-bouillon-cubes">chicken</a> bouillon cubes, but in place of ground beef or chicken, I use ground pork. The goal, however, is the same: Brown the meat to get all those super flavorful compounds created by <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/mastering-the-maillard-reaction">Maillard reactions</a> into the stock, simmer in some aromatics for a rounded flavor profile, add in powdered gelatin to give the liquid body, and then reduce it until its flavor is concentrated and it’s quite thick. In the process, fat renders out of the ground pork, gets flavored by the aromatics, and then becomes emulsified in the liquid as it reduces.The result is a pork bouillon cube that’s way more flavorful than anything you can get at the store, whether it’s an instant or prepared stock product, with all the performance of a stock made with meaty bones with lots of connective tissue cooked for hours. Grab a cube and make a <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/pork-bouillon-sipping-broth">sipping broth</a> or some soup or a <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/pork-bouillon-pan-sauce">sauce</a>, or chip off a piece and add it to a stir-fry for a meaty, umami-rich boost in flavor.

Ultimate Pork Bouillon Cubes