Authentic Vietnamese Pho: A Delicious Homemade Delight
Authentic Vietnamese Pho: A Delicious Homemade Delight
Craving Vietnamese Pho? Make This Amazing Version at Home!
My wife is a huge Vietnamese Pho fan, and we used to spend a fortune eating out weekly – easily $30-$40 for our family of four! I decided to try making it at home, and the result was incredibly satisfying. Now we can enjoy delicious pho anytime, affordably. This recipe is surprisingly easy and yields restaurant-quality flavor. Give it a try!
Main Ingredients- 1 piece Beef Brisket (approx. 300-400g)
- 2 Onions
- 4 servings Vietnamese Rice Noodles (about 4 handfuls or equivalent)
- Scallions (for garnish)
- 1 handful Chives (for garnish)
Broth & Seasoning- Pho Broth Base (store-bought) for 4 servings (1.5-2L)
- Chili Hot Sauce (to taste)
- Hoisin Sauce (to taste)
- Pho Broth Base (store-bought) for 4 servings (1.5-2L)
- Chili Hot Sauce (to taste)
- Hoisin Sauce (to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start by preparing the rich broth, the heart of Vietnamese Pho. In a pot, combine 500ml of water per serving (total 2L for 4 servings) and add one thinly sliced onion. For the beef brisket, it’s crucial to remove the blood. Soak the brisket in cold water for about 1 hour. Add the blood-free brisket to the pot with the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for about 10 minutes until the meat is slightly cooked but still pink inside. Remove the brisket, let it cool slightly, then slice it thinly. Return the sliced beef to the broth. (I prefer my meat well-done, so I cooked it longer. If you like it rarer, you can set aside the cooked slices and add them to your bowl later.)
Step 2
Wash the bean sprouts thoroughly under running water and drain them. Prepare the fresh Vietnamese rice noodles by soaking them in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Don’t worry if you soak them for longer; they won’t become mushy.
Step 3
Thinly slice the remaining onion into rings for a delicious pickled onion topping. In a small bowl, combine equal parts water, sugar, and salt. Soak the thinly sliced onion rings in this mixture for about 15 minutes. This process mellows the onion’s sharpness and adds a pleasant crunch.
Step 4
Now, let’s mix the dipping sauce. Combine Hoisin sauce and Chili Hot Sauce in a 1:1 ratio. This is a great starting point; feel free to adjust the proportions to your preference, adding more chili for heat or more hoisin for sweetness.
Step 5
It’s time to enhance the broth’s flavor. Pour the entire contents of the store-bought Pho Broth Base for 4 servings into the simmering broth. This is your secret to a deeply savory and aromatic soup.
Step 6
Bring the broth to a rolling boil and skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface. (Thoroughly draining the blood from the beef beforehand significantly reduces gamey odors and impurities, resulting in a cleaner-tasting broth.)
Step 7
Now for the noodles! Add the soaked rice noodles to the boiling broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. (Cooking time may vary depending on noodle thickness. The wider noodles I used took about 2-3 minutes. For thinner noodles, a brief dip of about 1 minute is usually sufficient to keep them perfectly al dente.)
Step 8
Assemble your pho bowls! Place the blanched noodles in a serving bowl, ladle the hot broth over them, and artfully arrange the thinly sliced beef brisket on top. (Oops! Don’t forget to sprinkle the chopped scallions and chives on top for that fresh finish – I almost forgot!)
Step 9
Enjoy your homemade Vietnamese Pho! Slurp up the noodles, savor the rich broth, and dip the tender beef into the pickled onions and sauce for an explosion of flavors. Wow, this homemade pho is absolutely delicious! ♡
