VIETNAMESE PHO: HOW TO PREPARE BEEF FLANK AND BRISKET    

This post is about how to make Vietnamese Pho noodle soup with beef flank vs brisket pho in 4 hours, 1 hour and 10 minutes.

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Pho Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Hi everyone, today I will share with you the recipe for the national dish of Vietnam: Pho. This dish embodies the essence of our culinary tradition with its fragrant broth and tender meats. Whether it’s phở gà (chicken pho), or phở bò, graced with beef, each bowl tells a story of love and flavor. 

However, it seems that beef pho has been the favourite of many people. So today,  let’s explore the magic of beef pho together! I will show you the traditional way to make pho with super rich and deep broth (which takes you a few hours but is totally worth it) and a quick way to have a hot bowl of pho in under 1 hour (this might be perfect for a date night, I guess) and an option for under 10 minutes.

Besides, if you are interested in chicken pho, please let me know in the comment section. I will try to share the recipe ASAP.

Beef Flank Vs Brisket Pho

First thing first, let’s distinguish the different cuts of beef, which may affect the experience with Pho. You are more than welcome to add all the cuts in a bowl and enjoy bustling flavours and texture in your mouth. In some restaurants, they even serve beef meatballs but it is not really a traditional ingredient for Vietnamese Pho.

Right, when it comes to crafting the perfect bowl of Pho, the choice between beef flank and brisket can significantly impact the flavor and texture of the dish. 

Beef flank, known for its lean and flavorful characteristics, is typically cut into thin slices and added to the piping hot broth just before serving. This results in tender, rare steak and an awesome flank beef taste that melts in your mouth, imparting a delicate essence to each spoonful of soup. When ordering, you can try flank pho or phở tái.

On the other hand, fatty brisket, with its rich marbling and hearty texture, offers a more substantial bite. Slow-cooked to perfection, pho brisket or what we usually call it when ordering: phở chín, provides a satisfying chewiness and depth of flavour that complements the fragrant broth beautifully. 

So, whether you prefer the delicate elegance of the flank or the robustness of the brisket, each cut brings its unique contribution to the symphony of flavours in this beloved Vietnamese noodle soup.

Vietnamese Pho Beef Pho Recipes Two Ways

For anyone who wants to cook Pho for the first time, get ready for an exhilarating journey into the heart of traditional Vietnamese cuisine!  

4-Hour Method:

Ingredients:

• 2 kg beef bones (can be replaced with ox tails)
• 0.5 kg beef sirloin
• 0.7 kg beef brisket
• 1 pack of dried rice noodles (bánh phở)
• 4 white onions
• 10 stalks of lemongrass
• 5 shallots
• 100g ginger
• Herbal spices for broth:  star anise, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds
• Side vegetables: green onions, coriander, lime, chilli, basil, sawtooth herb (optional), bean sprouts
• Seasonings: salt, fish sauce, seasoning powder, rock sugar

Preparation:

• Peel and slice 3 onions in half and set aside for broth
• Peel and slice 1 onion thinly for garnish later.
• Wash and chop the coriander.
• Separate the white part of the green onions/ scallions, and chop the leaves into small pieces to sprinkle later.
• Wash and drain the side vegetables.
• For the spice bag, place star anise, cinnamon sticks, and coriander seeds in a clean cloth bag and tie tightly. You can buy the ready-in-bag mix instead of buying spices individually. 

Cooking Instructions For Beef Pho Bone Broth:

• Rinse the beef bones thoroughly. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 3 stalks of lemongrass, and briefly boil the bones to remove any unpleasant odour.
• Remove the bones from the boiling water, then roast them in the oven along with ginger, shallots, and sliced onions until golden (around 30 minutes, 200 degrees). Once roasted, immediately place the bones in a bowl of cold water.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the roasted bones, the spice bag, the roasted ginger, 7 stalks of lemongrass, and 3 onions. Simmer the bones for about a couple of hours (around 3 hours but the longer the better) until the broth becomes clear and flavorful. If the broth is reduced significantly, add some boiling water to the pot. DO NOT add cold water.
• During simmering, boil the beef brisket until cooked. Remove the brisket promptly once cooked to prevent it from becoming too soft. It will take around 1 hour. Let it rest until cold and firm for thin slices.
• Afterwards, remove all ingredients from the pot and strain the broth.
• Bring the strained broth back to a boil, and season with salt, seasoning powder, and rock sugar to taste. Once boiling, turn off the heat.

Presentation and Serving:

• Prepare the rice noodles as instructed on the package.
• Thinly slice the beef sirloin against the grain.
• Slice the beef brisket.
• Blanch the bean sprouts and green onion heads in boiling water.
• Place cooked rice noodles in a bowl, then arrange the beef brisket and flank steak pieces on top, add green onions, sliced onions, and chopped coriander, and pour the hot rich broth over the noodles and meat.
• Serve the beef pho with side vegetables (basil, sawtooth herb, chilli, bean spouts), lime wedges, chilli sauce (I love Sriracha), and hoisin sauce.

Tips for Delicious Beef Pho:

• Don’t forget to roast the ginger as it is a crucial ingredient for beef pho.
• Once the beef brisket is cooked, immerse it in cold water, drain, and let it dry before refrigerating to prevent discolouration.
• Remember to skim the scum during the bone simmering process to ensure a clearer broth.
• Use beef bones and beef only; avoid using buffalo meat, or pork bones or chicken bones as it may ruin the original beef pho flavour.
• Ensure the rice noodles are thoroughly boiled to remove any unpleasant odour. Dip and shake them well in hot water before adding them to the bowl. When pouring into the bowl, use chopsticks to stir evenly to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
• Ensure the broth is boiling before pouring it into the bowl of rice noodles and meat. Pour the delicious broth evenly over the noodles and rare beef.
• The amount of broth poured into the bowl should be about 1cm above the surface of the noodles and meat.
• Serve with bean sprouts, lime wedges, fresh herbs, and condiments like hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce for a customizable and delicious dining experience.

You know what? Nothing more satisfying than squeezing some lime juice into the soup!

Quick Solution For The Pho Broth Under 1 Hour

I know you may find it overwhelming when you need to prepare the beef broth for such a long time like that. In order to cut down the cooking time, here’s how you can replace the traditional cooking broth with stock and flavouring cubes for making Pho:

1-Hour Method:

Ingredients:

• Pho beef flavouring paste or cube
• 0.5 kg beef sirloin
• 0.7 kg beef brisket
• 1 pack of dried rice noodles (bánh phở)
• 1 white onion
• Side vegetables: green onions, coriander, lime, chilli, basil, sawtooth herb (optional), bean sprouts
• Seasonings: salt, fish sauce, seasoning powder

Preparation:

• Peel and slice onions thinly.
• Wash and chop the coriander.
• Separate the white part of the green onions/ scallions, and chop the leaves into small pieces to sprinkle later.
• Wash and drain the side vegetables.

Cooking Instructions for Beef Pho Broth

• Put the beef brisket into a large pot and bring to a boil then simmer until it is cooked (about 1 hour). Put it in cold water, drain, and let it dry
• With the brisket broth, add the paste or cube as instructed on the package of Pho beef flavouring paste or cube. Let the broth simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
• Enhance Flavor: Add spices and seasonings to enhance the flavour of the boiling broth. You can use garlic powder, ginger powder, black pepper, and a touch of soy sauce or fish sauce for the depth of flavour. But remember, it has to be clear broth so don’t add spices to crazily or it will alter the colour of the soup.
• Presentation and serving similar to the 4-hour recipe: Once the broth is ready, assemble your pho bowl with your preferred ingredients such as noodles, thinly sliced beef flank and brisket, bean sprouts, onions, and fresh herbs.

By following these steps, you can create a flavorful pho broth using stock and flavouring cubes, perfect for enjoying this Vietnamese noodle soup at home.

Want to have a nice bowl of Pho in under 10 minutes? Why not try this delicious instant Pho noodle bowl?

Can Pho Be Keto-friendly?

Traditional pho, with its rice noodles and sometimes sweetened broth, is not considered keto-friendly due to its high carbohydrate content. However, you can make modifications to create a keto-friendly version. Here’s how:

• Use Shirataki Noodles: Substitute traditional rice noodles with shirataki noodles, which are very low in carbohydrates and calories, making them suitable for a keto diet. I use this Shirataki Konjac Fettuccine, which looks very similar to pho rice noodles to replace it.
• Replace rice noodles with lots of bean sprouts. I have tried this one many times and I love it. 

Where To Shop For The Ingredients

To gather the essential ingredients for making pho, head to your nearest Asian grocery stores. These speciality stores typically carry a wide range of ingredients crucial for authentic Vietnamese cuisine, such as dried rice noodles, lemongrass, basil, fish sauce, and hoisin sauce.

For the broth, local butchers would offer great varieties of beef bones, beef brisket, and beef sirloin for flanks.

If you want to have a full experience of pho, I recommend you buy some good bowls and bamboo chopsticks.

Why? Because the normal bowls you usually use for pasta are quite shallow and very wide, which makes the broth get cold faster. The traditional bowl with the deep design, can keep the soup warmer longer. Plus, you can use this bowl for ramen or other soups like Tom Yum as well.

Pho Restaurants in London

If you are not good at cooking but really love Vietnamese food, here are some Vietnamese restaurants in London for you to discover:

1. Viet Food 34-36 Wardour St, Soho, London
2. Cay Tre 42-43 Dean St, Soho, London
3. Phat Phuc Noodle Bar 151 Sydney St, Chelsea, London
4. Moc Kitchen 123 Golders Green Rd, London
5. Saigon Saigon 313-317 King St, Hammersmith, London
6. Huong Viet 12 Englefield Rd, London
7. Cây Tre Soho 42-43 Dean St, Soho, London
8. Hanoi Café 98 Kingsland Rd, London
9. Green Papaya 191 Mare St, London
10. Sen Viet 22-23 Leinster Terrace, London

These restaurants offer a range of Vietnamese dishes, from traditional Pho and Banh Mi to authentic stir-fries and grilled meats, providing a taste of Vietnam in the bustling city of London.

Credit:

• Recipe inspiration from Huong Nghiep A Au
• Vin Wonders
• Pexels