Stupid question about Oxo cubes

[Clevs]

I've never even questioned this until yesterday when I was making some soup and my mum queried my overuse of stock cubes.

On a box of Oxo it says to dissolve one cube in 190ml water. If I need a pint (approx 568ml) then do I make it with three stock cubes (3x190= 570ml)?

My mum said she ever only uses one regardless of how much stock she needs, but then the concentration wouldn't be right and it wouldn't be as flavoursome surely?

So who's right? Do you just use one stock cube regardless of how much you need to make? Or do you increase the stock cubes in proportion to the volume of stock you require?

Please don't comment telling me to make my own etc etc. I have a one year old so as much as I'd love to make my own I just don't have the time.

I'd use 3 so it's the right concentration

I'd use one. At the very most 2 but only for a thick stew

I'd use 3 .., some people are funny about it tho because if salt content etc

Usually one stock cube is good for 500ml of soup/stew.
Just because you dissolve it in 190ml of water, doesn’t mean you need your soup/stew broth to consist entirely of stock.
I find too much stock makes a soup/stew too salty and overpowers the other flavours.

I’d use 2 in a pint (but I’d do this automatically - I wouldn’t actually have read the instructions )

I don’t think I’ve ever used more than one stock cube in 500ml of water. More than that would be too salty for me.

You're right, of course. But, manafacturers always tell you to use more product than needed (washing powder etc) so you use and buy more. In the end, trust your taste buds.

If your Mum doubled a recipe would she use two, or, because it's all going in the same pot, just one? And if she tripled the recipe in one pot?

If the recipe was asking for what your Mum does, it would say '190mls of stock plus 380mls of water' and indeed some recipes do include both ingredients.

You are right to get the correct concentration, but it depends on the recipe as to whether it's a problem or not.

FWIW, this is why I switched to Knorr ones, as they're one per pint (ish), so less fiddly foil wrappers!

Stock cubes are basically salt.

I have trained myself out of using them almost completely in favour of herbs and spices. I have ones in for risotto where you do actually need a stock, but I’d never use more than one as flavours come from the ingredients too.

Shepherd pie, bolognese etc i put in more veg etc, and cook slower so i don’t need to add water or stock.

I don’t notice at all, and find my mums cooking (stock cubes in everything!) very salty and overpowering, and it all starts to taste the same..

100ml of stock made up contains 1g of salt. So 190ml will be nearly 2g. Use 3 stock cubes and you’ve got 6g of salt in your dish, not including added seasoning, salt in meat etc.

stock cube 500mls of water but this is an oxo cube and the instructions would appear to be different. Surely you can tell is the stock tastes too strong or too salty?

I just add them directly to whatever I'm making, unless it's something like risotto, I just crumble them in and then taste

I use one and taste it, and will add a bit/ half/ one /more as whatever I'm cooking requires.

If my DCs are having it I use one due to the salt but if it's adults I'll use three.

I would do exactly as you do and add 3 as I want the flavour, 1 would make it too weak in my opinion. Plus you can buy reduced or no salt versions easily now.
Do what is right for you!

I tend to use 1 per 500ml but add other spices, Lea & Perrins, etc. depending on what I’m making.