Beef ball noodle soup is favored by many for its appealing flavor; however, not everyone knows how to prepare it. On this occasion, TasteVN will share with you 3 recipes to cook beef ball noodle soup at home with authentic taste like in restaurants. Let’s get cooking right away with this soup dish!
1. Beef ball noodle soup
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
1 hour 30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Beef ball noodle soup For 4 people
Chewy noodles 500 gr Pork bones 600 gr Beef 400 gr Minced pork 100 gr Onion 2 bulbs Carrot 1 bulb White radish 1 bulb Spring onions 2 stalks Shallots 2 bulbs Garlic 5 cloves Celery 2 stalks Bean sprouts 50 gr Horn chili 1 piece Chives 50 gr Lettuce a little Rock sugar 1 tablespoon Fried shallots 2 tablespoons Lemon juice a little Common spices a little (salt/ pepper/ seasoning powder)
Implementation tools
Meat grinder, pot, knife, cutting board, bowl.
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh carrots
- Fresh carrots will have a bright orange color, choose those that are medium-sized because if they are too large, they are mature carrots, while too small (except for mini carrots) means they are still young and lack the characteristic flavor.
- Observe the carrot leaf stems; the greener the stems, the fresher the carrot, as it has just been harvested; conversely, if they are less green, it indicates that the carrot has been stored for a longer time and is less sweet.
- Avoid buying carrots that feel slightly soft when pressed; these are wilted carrots and will not taste good when cooked.
See details: How to choose fresh carrots
How to choose fresh white radish
- It is best to buy medium-sized white radishes that taper towards the tail. Radishes with a thick tail usually contain a lot of water and are bland.
- Fresh white radishes will still have their stems and roots intact, with the stems looking fresh and whole. This indicates that they have just been harvested.
- Avoid white radishes that have decayed stems while the skin is still shiny, as they may have been injected with preservatives. They will not taste good and are not healthy when cooked.
How to choose delicious bone marrow
- To select good pork bones, you should pay attention to the color and smell of the bones.
- Good pork bones usually have a bright pink color, not too dark or too light.
- Bones about 2 – 3 finger joints long are considered good, while larger ones are usually from sows.
- In addition, fresh and good pork bones will not have a foul smell or ooze any liquid.
How to prepare Beef Noodle Soup with Beef Balls
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Prepare the beef
To remove dirt and unpleasant odors, after purchasing, soak the beef in water mixed with a little salt and a little lemon juice for about 5 – 10 minutes, then take it out and rinse it with clean water, and let it drain.
Next, use a knife to slice the meat into thin pieces.
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Prepare other ingredients
Garlic and shallots are peeled and then crushed. Chili peppers are sliced.
Carrots and white radishes are peeled, washed clean, and then cut into round slices about 1/2 of a small finger’s length thick.
Onions are peeled and washed clean. Green onions and celery are trimmed at the roots, washed clean, and then chopped finely.
Bean sprouts and chives should be soaked in diluted salt water for about 5 – 10 minutes, then rinsed and drained. Next, use a knife to cut the chives into pieces about 2 small finger lengths long.
Bone marrow should be soaked in diluted salt water for about 10 minutes, then rinsed and drained.
Place a pot of water on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Then, blanch the pork bones for about 3 minutes, remove them, and rinse briefly with cold water.
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Grinding beef
Put the beef and smashed onion, garlic into the meat grinder. Add 1/2 tablespoon of ground pepper, 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning powder, and 1 tablespoon of rock sugar. Turn on the machine and grind the beef until it is very fine.
Once the beef is finely ground, add 100g of pork paste into the grinder and continue grinding until a smooth and uniform mixture is obtained.
Pour the ground beef onto a plate, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer of the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
Tip:
- Grinding beef together with pork paste helps the meatballs to be chewier and tastier after being formed.
- Before boiling the meatballs, you should put the ground meat in the freezer for at least 20 minutes to make it easier to shape, and the meatballs will also be chewier and tastier.
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Forming and cooking meatballs
After 20 minutes, take the ground beef out.
Wear gloves and moisten them slightly with water, then take a sufficient amount of ground beef to form into round balls.
Tip: To prevent the ground meat from sticking to your hands while forming the balls, you can use cooking oil or water to apply on your hands!
Repeat this step until all the prepared meat is used up.
Place a pot on the stove, add 500ml of filtered water and bring to a boil. Gradually drop the beef balls in and proceed to boil over medium heat until the beef balls are cooked and float to the surface, then add 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning and stir well, cooking for about another minute for the beef to absorb the flavor.
Next, remove the beef balls and immediately place them in a bowl of ice-cold water, soaking for about 5 – 10 minutes.
Tip: Soaking the beef balls in ice-cold water helps them to be chewy and crispy while preventing them from turning dark.
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Make the broth
Place a pot on the stove, add 2 liters of filtered water, and then add the beef bones. Turn on medium heat and cook until the water boils.
When the water starts to boil, add all the white radish, carrots, and 2 onions into the pot. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour to extract the sweetness from the bones and ingredients.
Pour the water used to boil the beef balls directly into the pot with the beef bone broth.
Next, add half of the beef balls into the pot (keep the remaining ones aside for decoration). Add 2 tablespoons of seasoning and 1 tablespoon of sugar, then stir well and continue to simmer on low heat for another 5 – 10 minutes before tasting and adjusting the seasoning.
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Blanch the noodles
Put a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. When the water starts boiling, add the noodles and blanch them for about 2 minutes over medium heat, then remove and soak them immediately in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes.
Next, remove the noodles and let them drain.
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Finished Product
Place the chives and bean sprouts in a bowl, then add the noodles and pour the broth over it, topping it with beef balls. Sprinkle a little green onion, celery, sliced chili, and fried shallots on top for a beautiful presentation to complete the dish.
The beef ball noodle soup is a familiar dish but incredibly appealing. The broth has a sweet light flavor from the pork bones and various vegetables. The noodles are chewy, and the beef balls are crispy and flavorful. You can dip this dish with chili fish sauce or chili sauce, or pho dipping sauce.
Enjoying such an appetizing breakfast will keep you energized throughout the day.
Product Information
- The recipe uses a 200W meat grinder with a capacity of 0.6 liters for grinding meat. The machine is designed with sharp stainless steel blades with three wings to quickly grind food evenly.
- Additionally, the anti-slip rubber base helps reduce vibration and shaking, ensuring safety during use.
- The product’s price ranges from 600,000 – 800,000 VND (price updated in July 2022).
2. Beef Ball Noodle Soup with Brisket
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
40 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Beef Ball Hu Tieu Serves 4
Dry Hu Tieu 250 gr Beef balls 300 gr Beef brisket 500 gr Pork fat 300 gr Spring onions 5 stalks Bean sprouts 50 gr Garlic 2 cloves (about 10 – 15 small cloves) Red onion 6 bulbs Accompanying vegetables a little (lettuce/ Thai basil/ cilantro/ celery) Pho seasoning 1 packet (cinnamon/ star anise/ fennel/ coriander seeds/ cardamom/ cloves) Rock sugar 3 teaspoons White wine a little Common spices a little (salt/ pepper/ seasoning powder)
How to choose fresh and delicious pork fat
- Choose fat that is opaque white, has good elasticity, shows no signs of sliminess or yellowing, and has no unusual fishy smell.
- You should choose to buy the pork neck fat so that when cooked, the fat will become golden and crispy, and the rendered fat will be richer and more fragrant.
- To buy the best quality fat while ensuring hygiene and safety, you should purchase it from reputable stores, food counters, supermarkets, or large markets with certification marks.
How to prepare Beef Ball Noodle Soup with Beef Brisket
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Prepare the beef and other ingredients
Soak the beef brisket in water mixed with a little salt and alcohol for about 10 minutes, then take it out and rinse it clean with water, and let it dry.
Pork fat should be soaked in diluted salt water for about 5 – 10 minutes, then take it out, wash it clean, and let it dry. Use a knife to cut the pork fat into small pieces about the thickness of a small finger.
Wash the beef balls clean and let them dry.
Peel the shallots and slice them. Peel the garlic and then chop it finely.
Wash the scallions clean and let them dry. Cut the scallion bulbs into sections and chop the green parts finely.
Pick off any old or wormy leaves from the basil, celery, cilantro, and lettuce (if any), then wash them clean and let them dry.
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Render pork fat
Place a pan on the stove and wait for it to heat up, add pork fat and use a chopsticks to stir evenly.
When the pork fat has turned golden and firm, reduce the heat and continue to stir evenly for about 7 – 10 minutes until the fat is crispy and most of the liquid fat is rendered out, then remove the crispy pork fat and let it drain.
How to make crispy pork fat without splattering oil
- Do not cut the fat into pieces that are too small, as it will crumble when frying, looking unappealing and not tasty.
- The fat must be dried or completely drained to avoid splattering when frying.
- During the frying process, you can add a little salt to enhance the flavor and help it keep longer.
- When rendering pork fat, you can add a few crushed garlic cloves or a splash of rice wine or high-proof alcohol when the fat is bubbling. This will help preserve the fat for a longer time.
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Cook the broth
Place a pan on the stove and wait for it to heat up, then add the cinnamon bark and cardamom to toast until fragrant.
Once the cinnamon bark and cardamom are aromatic, remove them from the pan and turn off the heat immediately, using the residual heat of the pan to continue to toast the remaining spices for the pho.
Tip: Since the remaining pho spices like star anise, coriander seeds, cloves, etc. are very easy to burn, do not toast them together with the cinnamon bark and cardamom.
After roasting the cardamom until golden, you use a pestle to crush it. Next, place all the pho spices into a cloth bag and tie it tightly.
Put a pot on the stove, then add about 2 liters of water, put in the beef brisket, and simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
After about 20 minutes, add the bag of pho spices, 2 teaspoons of salt. Cover, reduce the heat, and continue to simmer the beef for about 30 – 40 minutes until the beef is tender and releases its sweet juices.
Next, add 2 teaspoons of seasoning, 3 teaspoons of rock sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and all the beef balls into the pot. Turn the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes until the beef balls are cooked, and the spices are completely dissolved, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
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Fried Garlic
Utilize the leftover fat, add the shallots, then lower the heat and stir continuously until the shallots become fragrant and gradually turn yellow, then add the garlic to the pan, using chopsticks to stir until the garlic is fluffy.
When the garlic is fluffy, continue to stir and fry on low heat for about 2 – 3 minutes until the garlic turns golden and fragrant, then quickly remove it from the pan.
How to fry garlic to be crispy and not bitter
- To make the garlic crispy, non-sticky, fluffier, and more fragrant, you should only add a sufficient amount of crispy flour, not too much.
- To ensure the garlic is evenly crispy, remember to stir continuously while frying the garlic.
See details: How to fry garlic to be crispy and not bitter
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Slicing Meat
After the beef brisket has been stewed until tender, take it out, let it cool, then use a knife to cut it into bite-sized slices.
Tip: To check if the beef is tender, you can use a chopstick to pierce the meat; if it goes through easily and there is no red blood flowing out, the meat is done.
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Blanch the noodles and complete
Boil a pot of water on the stove, then add the noodles and blanch for about 2 minutes before removing, rinsing briefly with cold water, and letting it drain.
Next, place the noodles in a bowl, drizzle a bit of garlic oil from earlier, and mix well.
When serving, add bean sprouts to the bowl, arrange the noodles, beef balls, and beef brisket, a little chopped green onion, along with some crispy pork fat, fried garlic, fried onions, and a bit of ground pepper on top, then pour in the broth. Serve with basil, culantro, lettuce, and celery, then decorate it nicely to finish.
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Final product
This delicious dish is a great choice for breakfast or on days when your family is “tired of rice”!
The tender and fatty brisket, chewy beef balls, crispy pork fat, and fragrant fried garlic blend beautifully with the rich broth, making it enticing. What are you waiting for? Get into the kitchen and showcase your skills by making this dish for the whole family to enjoy!
3. Beef ball noodle soup with spare ribs (Recipe shared by a user)
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
50 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Beef ball noodle soup with spare ribs (Recipe shared by a user) Serves 3 people
Chopped spare ribs 350 gr (about 1 spare rib) Beef balls 100 gr Boiled quail eggs 15 eggs Fresh noodle strands 200 gr Bean sprouts/chives or green onions 200 gr Shallots 2 bulbs (minced) Garlic 2 cloves (minced) Pork fat 1 tablespoon Noodle seasoning 40 gr (2 cubes)
Ingredient image
How to cook Beef ball noodle soup with spare ribs (Recipe shared by a user)
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Blanch the spare ribs
After purchasing the spare ribs, wash them clean and briefly blanch them in boiling water. Next, take out the ribs and rinse them several times with water, then let them drain.
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Cook the rib broth
In another pot, add 1 tablespoon of fried pork fat along with minced shallots and garlic, sauté until fragrant, then transfer everything to a bowl.
Next, place the prepped ribs into the pot where you sautéed the shallots, stir for about 2 minutes, then add 1.5 liters of water and boil on high heat for about 7 minutes.
When the water boils, skim off the foam on the surface to keep the broth clear. Then, add 2 seasoning cubes for noodles into the pot and reduce the heat to low, cooking for another 20 minutes until the ribs are tender.
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Cooking Hủ Tiếu
When the ribs are tender, add the beef balls and cook for about 3 more minutes until the beef balls are fully cooked, then adjust the seasoning to taste before turning off the stove.
Next, boil a pot of water and blanch the hủ tiếu for 30 – 60 seconds, then remove it. You can also add bean sprouts to this boiling water to blanch according to your preference!
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Completion
Layer the hủ tiếu, ribs, beef balls, and quail eggs into a bowl, then ladle in the broth. Finally, add crispy fried shallots and garlic on top, and you have completed the dish of Hủ Tiếu with Beef Balls and Tender Ribs.
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Final Product
The beef noodle soup is really delicious, isn’t it! The broth is clear and rich, sweet from the ribs. Additionally, the chewy noodles are served with tender ribs, firm beef balls with crunchy chives, and especially the crispy fried pork fat with garlic, which is fragrant and mouthwatering.
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Beef
- Female beef has a better flavor than male beef. Additionally, young beef is also preferred by many due to its high quality.
- Fresh beef always has a red color with white marbling, and the fat is bright yellow. The meat fibers are small and not too smooth.
- When pressing on the meat, it should feel firm, not mushy, and have good elasticity.
- Avoid buying meat that has turned pale green or dark red, with dark yellow fat, especially if there are tiny spots on the surface and it feels slimy to the touch.
- Additionally, avoid buying meat that has a strong unpleasant odor as it indicates that the meat has been stored for too long.
How to eliminate the smell of beef
- Method 1: Soak the beef in white wine for 15 minutes, then rinse with clean water.
- Method 2: Put the beef into a pot of water, heat for about 3 – 5 minutes, then remove and rinse the meat to reduce the smell. Note that you should only heat it to about 50 degrees Celsius, not boil it.
- Method 3: Use lemon or vinegar to rub on the piece of beef for 5 – 7 minutes, then rinse with clean water.
- Method 4: Roast a piece of ginger, then crush it, rub it on the piece of beef, and rinse it clean.
How to choose and where to buy dry noodle
- You should choose to buy clean dry noodles without additives, with a natural rice smell.
- You should choose dry noodle strands that are cloudy white or off-white, slightly transparent, not shiny, and smooth.
- When buying, pay attention to the expiration date of the noodles, do not buy damp or moldy noodles.
- You can choose to buy dry noodles at markets, grocery stores, supermarkets, or at TasteVN shops. To make it easier, you can order online at bachhoaxanh.com!
How to blanch noodles to be chewy and not mushy
- When boiling water, you can add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil before adding the noodles to blanch, stirring well, and blanching for about 2 minutes before removing.
- At this point, you can rinse them under running water to stop the cooking process, helping them maintain their chewy texture without becoming mushy.
- Put them in a bowl and you can mix in a little cooking oil to ensure they do not stick together.
It’s really easy to make these 3 delicious beef ball noodle soup at home, isn’t it? Let’s get into the kitchen to treat the whole family right away. TasteVN wishes you success in making the dish!
