Beef pho is a liquid dish that has long become familiar and popular, often chosen in many meals of Vietnamese people, especially for breakfast. Today, let’s cook with TasteVN to discover how to make delicious beef meatball pho simply at home!
1. Beef meatball pho
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
1 hour
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Beef meatball pho For 10 people
Beef bones 2.5 kg Beef 0.5 kg Beef tendons 0.5 kg Beef brisket 0.5 kg Beef plate 1 kg Beef meatballs 0.5 kg Star anise 2 pieces Cardamom 1 piece Cinnamon 1 stick Ginger 1 piece Onion 2 pieces Shallots 4 pieces Dry pho noodles 1 pack Accompanying vegetables A little (green onions/cilantro/basil/sprouts/lemon/chili) Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Chicken seasoning powder 2 tablespoons Salt A little
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose fresh and delicious beef
- You should prioritize choosing pieces of beef that have a bright red color interspersed with white streaks and fat that is bright yellow, with soft, small fibers that do not look too smooth.
- If you gently press a piece of good beef with your hand, it should have good firmness and elasticity, not feeling sticky and without any unpleasant or abnormal odors.
- You should avoid buying pieces of beef that have a pale green or dark red color, with dark yellow fat, white spots on the fibers, and a mushy and slimy feel when touched.
See details: How to choose fresh and delicious beef properly
How to choose fresh and delicious beef tendons
- Choose fresh beef tendons that are pinkish white, not pure white, and have a strong beef smell without any strange odors.
- You can smell the beef tendon; if it has an antibiotic smell or is too white, it should not be chosen as this indicates that it has been bleached.
- Absolutely do not choose pieces with dry beef tendons, those that are leaking yellow fluid and have unusual odors, as this indicates the tendons are decomposing.
How to choose fresh and delicious beef brisket
- Fresh beef brisket has a bright red color, a characteristic aroma, and no unpleasant odors.
- You should not choose parts of beef that are too lean or too fatty, with dry fibers or a slimy appearance.
- It is advisable to buy from reputable food stores, with products that have clear origins, proper preservation processes, and ensure food safety and hygiene.
How to choose delicious fresh beef brisket
- Brisket, also known as the chest meat of beef, is the meat from the side of the cow. There are 3 types of brisket: rib brisket, belly brisket, and belly brisket (which gradually moves toward the cow’s rear).
- You should choose the brisket that has a lot of meat and tendons, has bright colors, and good elasticity.
- Do not choose brisket that is dull in color, has a spoiled smell, or lacks elasticity when pressed, feeling slimy.
How to choose delicious beef balls
- Delicious beef balls are made from fresh meat right after slaughter; the beef balls will have bright colors, no dark spots, and the characteristic aroma of beef, with a chewy and elastic texture when squeezed.
- Do not choose beef balls that have strange colors, dark shades, unpleasant smells, or feel too dry and hard when squeezed.
- You can buy ready-made beef balls at supermarkets, local markets, or order online through e-commerce sites like bachhoaxanh.com.
- Additionally, you can prepare chewy and delicious beef balls right at home with the recipe from TasteVN to make your beef pho more appealing and authentic!
Where to buy traditional medicine
- Traditional medicine includes a full range of ingredients such as jujube, red dates, angelica, job’s tears, goji berries, etc. You can find them at traditional medicine shops or supermarkets, grocery stores, or reputable e-commerce sites.
- The price of a batch of traditional medicine ranges from 50,000 – 100,000 VND/ 200gr (price updated on 20/04/2021).
How to prepare Beef Meatballs Pho
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Preparing the beef
Beef bones should be washed thoroughly, then placed in a pot of boiling water with 2 tablespoons of salt and a sliced piece of ginger.
Put the pot on the stove and add the beef bones, boiling on high heat until the water boils, then turn the beef bones to blanch each side for 5 minutes before removing them. Rinse the beef bones again with cold water.
The meat, brisket, tendons, and flank beef should be washed with salt, then placed in a strainer to drain.
How to remove the smell of beef
- You can rub salt evenly over the piece of meat and then rinse it with water.
- Soak the meat with a little diluted white wine for about 5 minutes and then rinse it with water.
- Alternatively, you can also use lemon to rub on the piece of meat and then rinse it with water.
See details: How to clean and odorless beef preparation
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Prepare other ingredients
The onion and shallots should be cut at the root, peeled, washed clean, and then dried. Place the onion, ginger, and shallots into a pan or grill and roast until charred on both sides to release the aroma, then scrape off the burnt parts and wash clean.
The large ginger root should be scored with several small cuts along its body. The green onions should be separated into the white bulbs and the green leaves, the leaves chopped finely along with the coriander.
The accompanying vegetables should be cleaned, removing any wilted leaves, washed thoroughly, and placed in a basket to drain. Cut the lemon into wedges, discarding the core. The chili should also be washed and chopped finely.
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Simmering the broth
Put a pot on the stove and add 6 liters of water over high heat, add the blanched and cleaned bones along with the onion, shallots, and roasted ginger. Bring to a boil, then add cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise to the pot, seasoning the broth with 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of chicken seasoning.
When the water boils again, reduce the heat to low, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface. Simmer the beef bones for about 4 hours, keeping the heat low so that the water only gently bubbles.
After 4 hours, open the lid, add the brisket, flank, and tendons to the broth, then cover and continue to simmer over low heat. After 2 hours, check to see if the tendons and flank are tender, then remove them to a plate. Continue to simmer the brisket for another 30 minutes, then remove the brisket along with the tendons and flank.
The remaining broth and beef bones in the pot should continue to simmer covered over low heat for another 2.5 – 3 hours. After simmering, once the beef bones have released all their sweetness and the broth is clear, add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of sugar to the broth, adjusting the seasoning to taste.
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Slicing Beef
The brisket, flank, and tendons of the beef, after being boiled until tender, have been removed to cool down. You slice them into small, thin pieces suitable for eating and place them on a plate.
The beef after being washed clean and drained should have the fat and white tendons trimmed off, then cut into very thin slices against the grain, placed on a separate plate.
The beef balls that have been boiled are ready; you just need to rinse them quickly to clean them and let them drain, optionally scoring them for a nicer appearance or leaving them whole as desired.
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Blanching Pho Noodles
Put a pot of water to boil on high heat and place a strainer over the edge of the pot. When the water is boiling fiercely, add the dry pho noodles to blanch them until they expand and become soft.
After the pho noodles have expanded and turned soft and white, lift the strainer to shake off the excess water and transfer the pho into a bowl.
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Completion
When serving, bring the broth to a boil over high heat, wait for it to boil vigorously, then add the beef meatballs along with the green onion.
Blanch an appropriate amount of pho noodles and place them in a bowl, topping with a few slices of brisket, fatty flank, and beef tendons. Add thinly sliced beef to a ladle and briefly blanch in the boiling broth until just cooked, then place into the bowl.
Finally, you just need to ladle the hot broth over the bowl, sprinkle with some finely chopped cilantro, a bit of pepper, and add a few slices of chili, and your delicious beef pho is ready for you to enjoy!
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Finished Product
A steaming bowl of beef pho is served, still emitting steam and incredibly appealing with a full array of ingredients soaked in a sweet broth made from simmered beef bones. The beef brisket is cooked until tender and sweet, the beef tendons are just right, translucent, and chewy, along with the crispy and delicious fatty brisket that enhances the flavor. The fresh beef is blanched to perfection, tender and delicious when dipped in black sauce and chili sauce that tantalizes the taste buds.
When eating, you can enjoy beef pho with various accompanying herbs by either blanching the herbs directly in the bowl or blanching them beforehand in boiling water. The beef pho becomes even more flavorful and appealing when squeezed with a bit of lime, added with a few slices of fresh chili, along with some black sauce, chili sauce, and fried dough sticks.
So with just a few simple steps, you can prepare delicious beef pho right from your own kitchen for your family!
2. Rare Beef Pho with Balls
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Preparation
1 hour 30 minutes
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Difficulty Level
Medium
Ingredients for Rare Beef Pho with Balls Serves 5
Rice noodles 1 kg Pork bones 1 kg Beef 1 kg Beef balls 500 gr Pho seasoning 1 packet Onion 2 bulbs Lime 1 piece Chili 2 pieces Bean sprouts 200 gr Thai basil 50 gr Green onions 2 stalks Cilantro 50 gr Rock sugar 2 tablespoons Salt/pepper a little
Note: You can buy frozen beef balls available outside or take the time to make them at home to ensure safety and hygiene!
See more: Tips for making simple and safe chewy beef balls at home
Ingredient images
How to prepare Pho Tai with beef balls
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Preparing pork bones
Cut the pork bones into pieces and add 1 teaspoon of salt.
Then, pour boiling water over them for about 2 minutes, then rinse with regular water.
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Preparing other ingredients
First, wash the green onions, bean sprouts, lime, chili, basil, and cilantro thoroughly.
Next, freeze 1kg of beef in the freezer for about 30 minutes, then cut it into small pieces. After that, chop the green onions along with 1 onion.
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Sauté the spices
Cut the remaining onion in half and grill it until cooked.
Then, add the spice package for pho including cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander seeds to the pan and roast until fragrant, then remove and put back into the package.
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Simmer the broth
Add the pork bones and grilled onion to the pot of boiling water. Continue to add the spice package for pho to the pot and simmer for 1 hour.
Then, add 2 tablespoons of rock sugar and 1/4 tablespoon of salt to the broth.
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Completion
Add the beef balls to the pot of broth and blanch the rice noodles in hot water, then remove them.
Place the rice noodles in a bowl with rare beef, chopped green onions, and diced onions. Then, add the beef balls to the bowl and pour the broth in along with a bit of pepper.
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Final Product
Simple rare beef noodle soup with rich, delicious broth, tender sweet beef just cooked enough to enjoy the enticing flavor. Especially, when served with fresh herbs, it creates an incredibly wonderful taste!
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Above is an article guiding how to make beef meatballs delicious, rich, and extremely simple and easy to implement that anyone can do. Wish you success with this recipe!
