How Long Better Than Bouillon Jarred Bouillon Lasts After Opening

Better Than Bouillon is easily one of my favorite shortcuts in the kitchen. That's because it's a concentrated broth base that you simply reconstitute with a bit of water for soups, stews, sauces, or wherever you need any type of broth. It comes in different handy varieties, like chicken, beef, vegetable (I always have a jar of the chicken in my kitchen), and more specific ones like roasted garlic. The best part is that it tastes way better than the kind of thin-tasting pre-made broth you buy in a can or a box. 

A regular 8-ounce jar contains 38 one-teaspoon servings, which means it goes a long way. And unlike a box of partially used chicken broth, Better Than Bouillon has a much longer shelf life once it's been opened. That's because it contains lots of salt, which is a natural preservative. It does need to be refrigerated once it's opened, but the brand says that it'll be good for two years after the date of its manufacture in total — which is the date written on top of the jar.

With that name, it's implied that Better Than Bouillon is only meant for soup-type applications, but the truth is, it's much more useful than that. Because it's a concentrated paste, you can add a dab of it directly to vegetables, sauces, and noodles to get that final umami punch. My favorite part is that it doesn't have to be outright noticeable, either. If you play your cards right, a slight addition of the stuff will make your dish savory in a subtle way.

But that's exactly the thing to watch out for, too. Because it's a concentrate, there's inherently a large amount of salt in it, which means you've got to start with less than you think you need and graduate from there. If you're managing your salt intake, there are three different sodium-reduced Better Than Bouillon varieties: beef, chicken, and vegetable. However, even when reduced, the paste can still be salty, so be sparing until you get the hang of it. And will the stuff ever be better than a homemade chicken stock or broth? No, nothing will beat anything you make from scratch — but it's a great shortcut to use, and it'll make a 30-minute meal taste like one you've cooked all day.