Nyob Zoo!

So many of you have been asking me to show you how I like to make pho at home so today is the day I’ll be showing you! Pho is one of the most well known and loved noodle soup in Vietnam. Everyone has their own take on pho and how they like to enjoy it. There’s different types of broth; beef, chicken, vegetarian, and so on. I’ll show you how I like to make beef pho in a Hmong household.

Most beef pho broth consist of beef bones, oxtail, or any other parts of the beef boiled with roasted onions, ginger and seasoned with rock sugar, fish sauce, salt, and toasted spices (coriander seeds, black cardamom seeds, fennel, star anise, cinnamon, and some cloves). It gets simmered for hours to get a deep and clear beef flavored broth. Meatballs, maybe some tendon and tripe is added. It’s then poured over some cooked rice noodles and topped with fresh cilantro, green onions, basil, onions, bean sprouts, and some lime. Thinly sliced beef can be added. Hoisin sauce and sriracha is optional mixed in the soup or on the side to dip the meat in. Other toppings can be added depending on what is preferred by whoever makes it. It’s comforting and perfect on a cold rainy day or pretty much anytime you crave pho.

My version is a little bit time consuming but well worth it. I like to pan sear my beef for extra flavor instead of blanching it before boiling it again. I also like to use big green onions instead of regular yellow onions. I also add garlic and daikon radish to the broth for more flavor. I pan sear the big green onions, garlic, and ginger for extra flavor as well. Seasonings are the usual except I like to add beef Dashida for the umami. Toppings are as usual. However, growing up in a Hmong household, we like to eat are pho a little on the more saucier-higher sodium side. After pouring the broth over the noodles and finishing it off with all the other toppings, we like to add extra sauces like oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, more beef paste seasonings, chili oil crisp, sugar, black pepper, sometimes peanuts, and the list goes on. Yeah, we a little extra. Since everyone has their way of eating pho, let me know how you like to enjoy it too! So here we go with the recipe! Hopefully you can give it a go 🙂

For the beef broth 

I like to use beef ribs and oxtail. Many people use beef bones for the broth but I personally like using bone on beef ribs and oxtail for the flavor as it cooks down. However, you can use your favorite part of the beef to make the broth as long as there are bones.I like to pan sear the beef to give it extra flavor instead of boiling it first. Many recipes calls to boil the beef (bones) for about 15 minutes to cook out the impurities for a clearer broth. The bones are then washed and then put back into a clean pot to boil again. I don’t do that, I prefer to just pan sear the beef and then it goes straight into water to make the broth.
What else goes into the broth? 

 I like to use the big Korean green onions instead of yellow onion. I find green onions to release a better flavor than yellow onion. I also like to add garlic. Garlic just adds more flavor to the broth. It doesn’t make the broth overly garlicky if you’re curious. Ginger is also added along with some daikon radish chunks for extra flavor as well.
They’re also pan seared for extra flavorPlace it into a big pot along with water, daikon radish and salt. Cook the broth for 1.5 hrs on medium low heat until the beef ribs are tender. Take out the ribs but keep the oxtails in the broth so it can  continue cooking if it’s not tender yet.
Toast the spices! Why? Toasting the spices on a dry skillet will bring out the oils, giving the broth more aroma. I like to buy the prepackaged spice bag for my pho since it has everything along with the spice bag to put the spices in. If you can’t find this package, you can make if yourself following the recipe below.

To make your own blend 

• 5 star anise
• 1/2 tbsp whole cloves
• 2 Tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 big cinnamon stick (broken in pieces)
• 1 black cardamom pod

The seasonings

I like to use beef Dasida for extra beef flavor and the umami since it contains MSG. Sorry not sorry but pho broth needs the msg. Don’t add if you don’t like. I also like to add rock candy for the sweetness. Fish sauce and salt are also added. Total cooking time for the broth is about 3 hrs. Take out all the oxtail and aromatics and place it into a bowl. Save the oxtail and discard all the aromatics & spices.
I like to strain the broth over a sieve with a cheesecloth on top into a new pot so it can catch all the tiny bits of impurities.
COOL the broth overnight so the fat can hardened. Skim off the fat the next day so the broth is not so greasy. The broth does have a stronger flavor the next day as well. I like to save the fat to make a garlic chili oil for the pho. Totally optional though. You can discard the fat. Chili crisp using the beef fatThis is what the broth looks like without the grease on top
Remove the beef ribs before bring the broth back up to a boil. It’ll be easier to cut the meat into bite size pieces when it’s still cold. Leave the oxtail in the broth since they’re best served hot. I love adding beef meatballs to the broth as well. Cut the meatballs in half so it’s easier to eat. Before heating the broth back up, prep the noodles, herbs, and all the toppings you like to add.

THE NOODLES: I’m using dried rice noodles which I soaked in warm water for about 1 hr to get it more flexible to work with. I prefer the thin size rice noodles.

However you can use fresh rice noodles or wide fresh rice noodles. Choose your favorite rice noodles to use. 

The herbs/Toppings: Thai Basil, lime, thinly sliced white onion, green onions, cilantro and beansprouts. You can slice jalapeño as well if you want the pho to be spicy. But since we eat chili oil crisp, we usually don’t slice jalapeño. These are chopped and prepped on the side.

Thinly sliced beef: This is optional but I like to add it into the pho for extra protein. You can use your favorite part of the beef for this as long as it’s cut THIN. Most popular choices are eye of round. But for me, it’s the chuck since it has some fat marbling.

THE SAUCES: Now this is where it gets kinda crazy. After all that work of making a delicious broth, we’re gonna add even more sodium into our pho bowl. This is how a lot of Hmong people like to eat pho. These sauces are usually only added per bowl by the person building their own bowl. It’s never poured into the actual big pot of broth. The sauces are served on the side so people can build their own bowl to fit their taste palette. Sauces we commonly have out when eating pho consist of black pepper, instant beef flavor paste, sweet dark soy sauce, sriracha, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chili oil crisp, and sugar. If you want to go a little beyond the norm, sometimes you’ll see peanut butter on the counter as well. Peanut butter is a must for my brother. I don’t care much for peanut butter in my pho since it’s too rich. I prefer putting crushed roasted peanuts for the texture and a little nuttiness.
Once you have the noodles ready, herbs prepped, and sauces out, it’s time to assemble. Bring the broth back up to a boil. I like to leave the beef meatballs in the broth so it can stay warm.
Cook a good handful of the noodles in hot boil water for about 3-5 secs and then place it into the bowl. Add cilantro, green onion, sliced white onion, and a few chunks of the beef ribs. Place the thinly sliced beef on top. Then pour in the hot boiling broth over. The broth should be boiling hot when it’s poured into your bowl so the raw beef can cook.Once you have poured the broth over, you can taste and either leave it like this with the addition of beansprouts, basil, lime and an oxtail bone in. But in a Hmong household, our pho will look a little more brown, maybe redder from the chili crisp, and other added sauces. Mix and enjoy while it’s still hot!

YUM!

Happy Cooking

-Cindy Her (C.HerCreations)

BEEF PHO

Pho is one of the most well known and loved noodle soup in Vietnam. Everyone has their own take on pho and how they like to enjoy it. Here's my take on it.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Course Main Course, noodles

Cuisine Vietnamese

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the beef broth

• 4.5 lbs oxtail
• 2 lbs beef ribs
• 400 grams big Korean green onion (about 3-4 large green onion) (sliced into 6 inches to fit the pan)
• 2 whole garlic bulb (sliced in half; keep the skin on is fine)
• 4 oz ginger (sliced into 2-3 inch slices)
• 1 lb daikon radish (peeled and cut into 3 to 4 inch chunks)
• 6 quarts water (24 cups)
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 2 Tbsp beef Dashida powder
• 1/4 cup fish sauce (I used Three Crab brand)
• 20 grams rock sugar (about 1 tbsp)
• 1 pk pho spice seasoning pack [TOASTED] (Oldman Que Huong Brand)
• 22 oz beef meatballs (cut in half)

Herbs/vegetable/toppings

• Rice noodles (your choice)
• Thinly sliced raw beef (eye of round or my favorite is chuck)
• 1 bundle green onions (chopped)
• 1 bundle cilantro (chopped)
• 1 small white onion (thinly sliced)
• 1 bundle Thai basil
• 1 whole lime (sliced into wedges)
• Beansprouts
• Jalapeno (sliced) [optional]
• The beef ribs meat that you cut into chunks

Sauces to have on the side

• Hoisin sauce
• Sriracha

or be like our family.....

• Oyster sauce
• Por Kwan instant beef base
• More fish sauce
• Chili oil crisp
• Sugar
• Black pepper
• Roasted peanuts

For the beef fat chili crisp

• The beef fat
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp mushroom seasoning
• 1 Tbsp Korean pepper flakes (coarse grind) (9g)
• 1 Tbsp ground dried Thai chili flakes (9g)
• 1/4 cup minced garlic (46g)
• 9 green onion BOTTOM PARTS ONLY (sliced into strips)

To make your own spice packet

• 5 star anise
• 1/2 Tbsp whole cloves
• 2 Tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 big cinnamon stick (broke in pieces)
• 1 black cardamom pod

Instructions

 

For the beef broth

• In a really good nonstick pan, pan sear the oxtail and ribs on high heat until you see good coloring on all sides. Rotate the meat as you go to get good searing. I did the oxtail first. Remove the rendered fat from the oxtails by wiping it clean with paper towels. Then finish searing the beef ribs. Transfer the seared beef into a big pot.
• In the same nonstick pan, sear the big green onion until you see some good charring. Transfer into the pot as well.
• In the same pan, sear until you see some charring the garlic and ginger. Place into the same pot with the beef and green onion. Then add in the daikon radishes, water, and salt.
• Slightly cover with a lid and simmer for at least 1.5 hrs. As it simmers, remove any residue/scum that floats to the top. Try not to hard boil, it should be just slightly boiling. After 1.5 hrs, remove the ribs and check on the tenderness of the oxtail. If the oxtail is not tender yet, continue cooking it. At the 1.5 hr cooking mark, add in the beef Dashida powder, fish sauce, and rock sugar. Cook for another 45 minutes on medium low heat. After 45 minutes, add in the toasted pho spices (I like to toast the spices on a dry skillet first, cool it before adding it into the bag).
• Cook for another 30 minutes on medium low. After 30 minutes, remove the oxtail and all the spices/vegetables with a spider into a separate bowl. Place a sieve with a cheese cloth over another clean big pot and pour the broth over. Pouring the broth over a cheesecloth will make a much cleaner broth. Place the beef ribs and oxtail back into the broth. Just make sure the oxtail doesn't have any green onion or garlic attached to it. Clean it off well as needed. COOKING TIME FOR THE BROTH IS ABOUT 3 hrs
• This step is optional but I like to cool the broth first, cover it and put it in the fridge so the fat can hardened overnight. The next day, I'll remove the fat on the top. Since the fat has solidify, it's easier to remove. Removing the fat will make for a much less greasier broth. I also like to use the beef fat to make a chili crisp with it. The broth also has a deeper beef flavor if it gets to sit the next day. NOTE: If you're in a hurry and want to eat pho the day the broth is made, you can skim off the fat with a ladle or whichever tool you like and then add in the meatballs and enjoy the day of.
• Before reheating, take out the beef ribs and cut the meat into chunks and set aside. Keep the oxtail in the broth. Heat the broth until it starts to boil. Taste the broth and adjust the seasonings as needed. I tend to make the broth a little on the saltier side because once it's poured over the noodles and all the herbs/vegetables, it gets kinda bland. Then add in the sliced meatballs and cook until the meatballs starts to float to the top. Let the broth simmer on Low while you prep the noodles/herbs/sauces. When you're ready to use, bring it back to a boil. The broth should be boiling so it can cook the raw sliced beef.

For the noodles

• Prep ahead the noodles if you're using dry. If you're using fresh, take the noodles out to fluff them up a bit. Grab a good bundle of your favorite rice noodles and quickly cook it in hot boiling water for about 3-5 seconds. I like to use a noodle basket to cook each portion in the hot boiling water. Then place it into your serving bowl.

  NOTE: If you're using dried rice noodles, soak it in warm water for at least 1 hr or until its hydrated before cooking it in hot water.

For the beef fat chili crisp

• Add the skimmed beef fat into a good nonstick pan. Let it melt on medium heat then add in the minced garlic and green onion. Cook on medium to medium high heat until you start to see some coloring on the garlic. Once you see a little golden brown turn the heat off and add in the seasonings/spices. Stir well and it's ready to use. Be mindful that as the chili oil cools, it will solidify since it's made with beef fat.
  

The assembly per bowl

• Cooked rice noodles
• Beef rib chunks
• Chopped cilantro
• Chopped green onions
• Sliced white onion
• Thinly sliced raw beef
• Pour the hot boiling broth over the raw beef so it can cook it. Don't forget to grab some meatballs too.
• Beansprouts
• Lime (optional: I actually don't add lime in my pho)
• Thai basil leaves
• Add whatever sauces/spices you please over the top
• Stir well, taste the broth and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Don't forget to add a piece of Oxtail to your bowl as well. Enjoy while it's hot!

Notes

Leftover broth can be stored in the freezer and then reheated when you want it again. 

Keyword beef pho, noodle soup, pho

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