How Long to Cook Beef Bones for Pho
I know I've written a recipe before for Beef Pho, but there are so many different recipe to try out! I've continued to perfect my pho recipe. I asked myself what is the simplest and fastest way to prepare pho broth. In this written recipe, I will layout how to cook Vietnamese Beef Pho.
Pho Pressure Cooker?
I personally don't use the pressure cooker to cook my Pho. Not that there's anything wrong with using a pressure cooker, but our normal home electric pressure cooker only makes up 4-5 servings at best. When I cook for my family, we need at least 10-15 servings. Before, I would use the pressure cooker just to extract the beef bone flavor to transfer to the bigger pot to cook, but I would have to do that 2-3 times because my pressure cooker is too small to contain the amount of beef bones I wanted to use. So in all, it still takes up the same time if i were to just straight up cook it in the traditional pot.
What Bones To Use For Pho?
Any bones can be used to cook pho. Chicken, if you want chicken pho. Beef, if you want beef pho. Some even uses pork! You can even use a mixture of beef and chicken bones. Most Pho restaurants uses 3/10 beef bones and 7/10 chicken bones. They do this because chicken bones are a lot cheaper than beef bones.
The cooking time varies depending on the bones you use. If you were to use the cheapest beef bones, which normally is the knuckles and large heavy bones only (meat), it will take you much longer time to extract the flavor from them.
What Bones I Like to Use when Cooking Beef Pho?
I like to use beef ribs and/or Oxtail, because the bones are smaller and there's meat on the bones to enjoy along with your bowl of pho. The cooking time for the beef ribs is about 2-3 hours. Anymore than that, the meat on the bones will just fall off and into your broth. Don't overcook your beef ribs. The meat also adds more of a bold beef flavor.
As a result, the color of the broth will be slightly opaque compares to restaurants. Authentic pho broth should have a golden broth color, not clear white (clear white means there's extra MSG). The beef brisket will add balance to the boldness of the broth. There's the rich flavor that beef brisket can add to your broth. Be sure to not omit the brisket!
What Bones I Like to Use when Cooking Beef Pho?
I like to use beef ribs and/or Oxtail, because the bones are smaller and there's meat on the bones to enjoy along with your bowl of pho. The cooking time for the beef ribs is about 2-3 hours. Anymore than that, the meat on the bones will just fall off and into your broth. Don't overcook your beef ribs. The meat also adds more of a bold beef flavor.
As a result, the color of the broth will be slightly opaque compares to restaurants. Authentic pho broth should have a golden broth color, not clear white (clear white means there's extra MSG). The beef brisket will add balance to the boldness of the broth. There's the rich flavor that beef brisket can add to your broth. Be sure to not omit the brisket!
What Vegetables I Like to Use When Cooking Homemade Pho
I've cooked plenty of Pho in my chef career and I've experiment with using different kinds of vegetables to balance out the broth flavor. Daikon radish, jicama, some even with carrots… But in all, I found that just using lots of Yellow onions, and a bit of ginger root, is the best method. The more onions you can fit in the pot, the better!
Most home made pho uses Daikon radish. I find that using this overwhelms the pho spice aroma. As you know, the daikon has a distinct smell to it. When I put in the pho spice, the daikon sucks up most of the aroma and gives out its own aroma. Next day pho that have daikons in them don't have that deep star anise and coriander smell anymore.
To sum up, the spices and methods are usually the same or similar. Some will alter the types of vegetables used, but in all the methods don't differ much. What makes a good pho is the right timing and the right heat. But it also requires a good palate to taste and adjust according to your taste.
Video Instructions
For all of you visual learners, you can watch the recipe video below. For other recipes, travel, and food content, be sure to subscribe to my channel! Also, connect with me through my social media. Facebook l Instagram l Twitter l Youtube
Print Recipe
This Beef Pho is a speed up version. No need for 12 hours cooking time, or pressure cooker. I don't use a pressure cooker because it usually only makes enough broth for a few servings. This recipe is good for at least 10 servings, depending on how big you usually serve it up. Note that this is the basic recipe. Feel free to add more of any ingredients and adjust according to your taste. Everyone has a taste of their own, so don't restrict yourself to making the perfect pho bowl for yourself! The end product should be a bold and rich broth. Many restaurants uses chicken bones mixed with a bit of beef bones to save on costs. They also add a lot of MSG to add flavor. MSG is actually a part of Vietnamese cuisine as well, although in recent days, people starts to shift over to chicken seasoning instead (though there's still msg in there.)
Instructions
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To speed things up, put 2 large pot of water (20-25 qrt) on high heat. -To one pot we will use for blanching the bones and meat. This will clean off any bad smell and will make your broth clear. - add in 2 tblspn of salt to the blanch pot. - add in your beef ribs & brisket. - bring to boil & leave to boil for 5 min. (you will see foam and dark color float to top)
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- Dump in sink with strainer. - Rinse, wash, and clean bones and meat with cold water. - Add bones and brisket to the other pot of water.
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- Add in 2 Tblspn salt - 4 oz rock sugar - Let simmer on medium heat - (don't over boil the pot, it will make your broth cloudy. Heat control is very important) - Be sure to skim off and foam and impurities that floats to the top throughout the cooking process.
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- While waiting, peel off outer yellow skin of all onions. - Wrap onions in foil paper. - Wash and wrap Ginger root in foil paper as well. - Place over stove top (no pot or pans) and grill. - Make sure to rotate to grill evenly (15 MIN) - Make sure there's chard markings - Then peel of the foil paper and add to soup broth pot. - The ginger should be pounded to release the inside flavor faster.
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- After ~1 Hr tootal cooking time. - Add in the 2 CANS Vegetable broth. - Add 2 Tblspn Chicken Granulated Seasoning (remember to keep skim off foam and fat on top)
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- After ~ 2 hr total cooking time - Add 1 Can Beef Broth - Taste broth and add in fish sauce accordingly. - Usually I put AT LEAST 1/2 bottle of fish sauce (depending on fish sauce brand)
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- Toast up the Pho Spice mix in a pan on high heat. - Shake pan to keep spice from burning. - Put in filter cloth - Drop in soup broth ( ~2.5 hrs Total cook time)
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~ 3 hrs Total cook time - Remove Brisket and give a quick cold water rinse. - cut brisket in half and see if it is tender enough to your liking. If not, put back in broth for more cook time. - Slice brisket into comfortable pieces.
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- Remove onions and ginger root - Taste broth and add ingredients according: - If too salty - dilute it by adding water - If too sweet - dilute with water and add more fish sauce - If not bold and flavorful enough, simmer longer (make sure to simmer with the onions and ginger)
Recipe Notes
Don't over season, because leftover pho will be more salty and bold the next day.
This is recipe is for the beef pho broth. You can watch my recipe on how to put together the whole pho bowl in my video on Youtube for a better tutorial!
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A few links of what you can probably get on amazon if you are not close to an asian supermarket. These are a bit more expensive on Amazon. But if you must really have Pho while living in the middle of nowhere, I'm sure you'll do what you can to please that pho cravings.
Rock Sugar
Pho Spice Mix
Pho Noodles This is the dry noodle version. Follow instructions on package to prepare noodles.
Pho Noodles Strainer
Fish Sauce
Happy Cooking!
ChefQs
Source: https://chefqstravelrecipe.com/recipe/how-to-make-vietnamese-beef-pho-recipe/
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