There is a clever hack to open an Oxo cube without making a mess (stock photo) (Image: Getty)
Many people have Oxo cubes in their kitchen as a cupboard staple for .
There are beef, chicken and vegetable flavoured cubes and they can be used in different ways, including to add flavour or seasoning to a variety of dishes. But there has been some confusion about how to open the foil wrapped cubes.
A user on shared their tactic when they said: “I can’t be the only one to do this with an Oxo cube to make it easier to rip and pour in/on . Thought it was common knowledge to flatten it into a sachet shape before tearing the corner.” This clever ensures there is minimal mess when breaking up the cube and it allows you to get an evenly broken up, lump free powder.
There are flaps on either of the cube which you can unfold to turn the packet into a flat sachet shape and then neatly crumble the contents of the cube by pressing it down with your fingers. Make a tear at the top and pour the sachet of stock into your food.
This hack has gone viral on social media with other people demonstrating how to turn the cube into a sachet and crumble it into a powder. A user called robbiegraham and shared the results in a video posted to the platform.
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I can’t be the only person to do this with an cube to make it easier to rip and pour in/on food. Thought it was common knowledge to flatten it into a sachet shape before tearing the corner
— Tom Edwards (@Tomloveslamp)
Someone who saw the clip commented: “I’ve been doing it wrong for years.” Another user added: “Now that’s a game changer haha.”
A third admitted that they “never knew this” and shared that they planned to try it too. A fourth echoed: “Wow…I didn’t know this…I’m 60!!”
Oxo cubes have been around for more than a century as they were invented in 1910 by the German chemist Justus von Liebig’s company, Liebig’s Extract of Meat Company (Lemco). While meat extract had been available since the mid-19th century (thanks to Liebig’s earlier work), the development of the compact, easy-to-use stock cube revolutionised the way people used beef stock in cooking, as it became much more accessible and convenient.
Oxo cubes can be used to make stock by dissolving a cube in boiling water which can form a base for soups, stews and casseroles, curries, sauces and gravies and risotto or other rice dishes. The cubes can also add seasoning to meat or vegetables.
Crumble Oxo cubes directly over raw meat like chicken, beef, or pork, and rub it in with a little olive oil before roasting or grilling. This enhances flavour with minimal effort.
For roast vegetables, sprinkle a crumbled Oxo cube over vegetables like potatoes, carrots or parsnips, before roasting, along with olive oil. The cubes can also provide flavouring for pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.
Instead of plain water, dissolve an Oxo cube in the water before cooking pasta or rice. This gives the grains or pasta a subtle, savoury boost. You could even try crumbling an Oxo cube into mashed potatoes for an added savoury flavour, especially in dishes like shepherd’s pie.