Looking for a quick and hearty bowl of Phở? Try Brisket Phở! This mouth-watering dish is a perfect blend of savory and flavorful ingredients. The broth is enriched with tender and juicy brisket, making it a treat for your taste buds. The rich marbling of the brisket adds an extra layer of deliciousness, making it a perfect choice for any season.
A steamy bowl of pho is the cure-all for colds, flu, hangovers, heartache, and HUNGER! It's the best comfort food!
For as long as I can remember, my mom has always made pho for us from scratch. It was Mom's pho and moms make the best pho because they put so much love into it! But they didn't have pressure cookers back then, which could've saved them some time. Today, you can easily make this! I make brisket pho within the day before my kids come home from school and it's quite the treat. I love seeing them eat it up and be satisfied...the best feeling ever! So I'm here to share my easy recipe. Sure, there are a lot of steps, but I assure you, they are very simple. I wanted to include all the steps to help!
What is Brisket Phở?
Let's talk about brisket phở! Firstly, phở is roughly pronounced "fuh" and rhymes with "duh". When using a stove to cook Vietnamese beef phở, it takes at least 12 hours to simmer down and come to completion. It is truly a labor of love. Pho is traditionally cooked with beef bones in a huge pot and simmered overnight. Tendons, brisket, and oxtail bones are commonly added to the pot to create a nice, beefy flavor. There are no rules - I heard some restaurants just use just using flavoring powder for the broth, which is a long way from traditional pho but if it works it works! I love a meaty, wholesome pho broth made with real beef, though.
Brisket pho uses brisket as a base for the broth instead of the beef bones. You can make brisket pho the traditional method of simmering over a period of time, but we are going to use a pressure cooker to cut the time. Despite the shortened cooking time, the broth is still packed with flavor, thanks to the marbling and deep flavor brisket brings. Treat your taste buds to this heavenly bowl of Brisket Phở indulge in a mouthwatering and satisfying meal with beefy and noodly goodness with every spoonful.
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❤️Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Thanks to the pressure cooker brisket pho is made in a fraction of the time of traditional pho.
- With this recipe, you'll authentic taste without the traditional labor.
- The pho has a delicious brothy, beef flavor.
- Uses only beef bullion to flavor the pho.
- You can customize the brisket pho by adding additional meats, seasoning, and your choice of garnishes.
🥄Equipment and Tools
🛒Recipe Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to make your own brisket pho? Grab these ingredients and you'll be ready to start cooking!
- Beef Round: Thinly sliced beef meat is optional but it is traditionally used in Pho. I recommend using beef round because it is a lean cut and reasonably priced.
- Meat Balls: Vietnamese meatballs, also known as bò viên. This is optional and can be bought at Vietnamese specialty stores in the frozen section. These meatballs give the pho additional protein, texture, and flavor.
- Pho Spices: Pho spices are aromatics that flavor the pho with a subtle herbal taste. This is optional so don't feel like you have to add it. The Old Man Spice Seasoning is a popular spice packet you can get to make pho brisket at home.
- Brisket: Brisket is essential to this recipe. The marbling, or fat, will release a beefy flavor. I recommend getting a leaner cut so you can have some meat to eat at the end. If you get a fatty cut, you should trim off some fat so the pho broth isn't too oily from the fat.
- Pho Noodles: Pho noodles are a must for pho.
- Beef Bullions: The beef bullions cubes are for adding more beef flavoring to the pho broth.
- Ginger Root: Ginger root provides a slight sweetness to the beef soup.
- Whole Onion: When ginger and onion are combined, the spicy sweet notes of the roasted ginger blend perfectly with the sweet and savory undertones of the onion, creating an irresistible and delicious scent in the air and in the broth. Adding ginger and onion will bring your dish to another level.
Garnishes and condiments (optional)
- chopped green onions
- chopped cilantro
- black pepper
- mung bean sprouts
- Thai basil
- limes
- hoisin sauce
- Sriracha sauce
- onions
- pickled jalapenos
- pickled garlic
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
↔Substitutions & Variations
- Use beef bones instead of brisket.
- Add your own flavorings add sugar, salt, fish sauce, and MSG.
- Make your own pho seasoning packet to put your own twist on it.
👩🏫 How to Make Brisket Pho
Step 1: Wash the brisket and trim the fat off the brisket.
Step 2: On a stove, parboil the brisket to bring out any impurities.
Step 3: While the brisket is parboiling, roast ginger and onion.
Step 4: Then, use a mortar and pestle to smash the onion and ginger. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can rough-cut them with a knife, then set aside.
Step 5: Roast the pho spices. I poured a small amount into the pan and roasted it. Do not burn them. Once they release the aroma and slightly brown, take it off the heat.
Step 6: Smash the spice pack and then add spices to the spice bag and tie up. Set aside.
It'll look like this!
Tie it up tight!
Step 7: Parboil brisket in a pot on the stove. This is a quick boil to remove the scum and will lead the way for the beautiful broth. When the brisket has changed to a grey color and you see the scum on the water, take the pot off the heat. Pour out the water and wash the brisket.
Step 8: Add the brisket back into the pressure cooker pot, and fill with water to cover the top of the brisket.
Step 9: Add beef bullion to the pot.
Step 10: Add onions and ginger to the pressure cooker.
It should look similar to this.
Step 11: Lock the top of the pressure cooker and close the pressure release knob. For Instapot, I used the soup setting set for 30 minutes. The true cooking time varies because the pressure cooker has to warm up and then it starts the count down.
Step 13: While the pho is cooking prepare the garnishes. Wash the herbs to prep. (If you don't want any garnishes scroll to step 17)
Step 14: Plate your herbs to a plate and set aside.
Step 15: Cut green onions and cilantro. (Skip this step if you don't want any garnishes.)
Step 16: Plate your cilantro and green onions.
Step 17: When the pressure cooker signals it is done cooking it means it's time to release the pressure. Be sure to protect your hands! Wear gloves and safely release the steam. Be careful the steam is hot!
Step 18: When all the pressure is released, it's time to open it up! We are on the edge of glory now, friends! Open the top and let the broth cool down so we can safely remove the brisket.
Step 19: Use tongs take out the brisket, wash it, and let it rest.
Step 20: Add the pho seasoning packet to pressure cooker.
Step 21: Add in meat balls to pressure cooker (this is optional)
Step 22: Take brisket and cut it, I cut mine in 3rds to make it easier to cut.
Step 23: Then I cut it down from there into and edible size. I always cut against the grain.
Step 24: Get a separate pot and fill the pot mid-way with water. Set it on high to boil water for the pho noodles.
Step 25: Add in your desired amount of pho noodles. Boil until the noodles are limp but not too soggy.
Step 26: When they are soft and bouncy add to a deep bowl.
Step 27: Add in your brisket.
Step 28: Add in thinly sliced raw meat.
Step 29: Start pouring in your pho broth with the beef meatballs.
Step 30: Ladle soup to cover the raw meat and noodles or until your heart says stop.
Step 31: Add your desired garnishes, herbs and condiments to your bowl.
Step 32: Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- When you take your brisket out, you can add more water to the broth to make more soup. Be sure to add more seasoning if needed.
- If you turn off your pressure cooker and the pho has gone cold, heat the pot on a stove or use a new temperature setting to get the pho heated.
- Eating the same pot on the next day may be a little saltier due to water boiling off. You can add water if necessary to even out the taste.
🙋♀️Recipes FAQ
Brisket comes from the lower chest or breast of the cow. It is a relatively tough and fatty cut of meat and is known for its rich, beefy flavor.
No, other parts of the cow would not produce the same flavor. Beef bones can be substituted.
❄️Storage and reheating instructions
- Refrigerator - store in air tight container in refrigerator up to 3 days
- Freezer - freeze broth, good up to 1 month
- Reheating instructions - Heat broth up in pot until boiling and serve with noodles.
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @teerangathome on Instagram!
📖Recipe
Authentic Brisket Pho at Home
Equipment
- 1 pressure cooker
- 1 frying pan
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 mortar and pestle
- 1 oven mittens
- 1 big tong
- 1 strainer
- 1 ladle
Ingredients
- 2 lb brisket
- 1 lb beef round
- 1 pack Vietnamese meatballs (bò viên)
- 1 whole onion
- 1 knob ginger
- 8 cubes beef bouillon
- 1 packet pho spice
- 1 bunch green onions ((optional) used for garnish)
- 1 bunch cilantro ((optional) used for garnish)
Instructions
- Parboil beef brisket in the pressure cooker pot to remove any impurities.
- When the brisket's impurites and scum come to the water's surface, turn off the stove. Drain the pot and wash the impurities off the brisket.
- Add brisket back to the pot and fill the pot with water to cover the brisket.
- In a saucepan roast 1 whole onion and ginger until it is charred on all sides.
- Take off the heat when it is charred. Wash whole onion and ginger and remove charred parts as best as you can.
- Smash onion and ginger in a pestle or you just cut them.
- In a saucepan add your desired amount of the pho seasoning and toast them.When they start to release their aromas use a spoon to move them around to get an even toast.
- Then remove from heat. Let it cool. Then use a mortar and pestle to grind.
- Add grounded spices to spice bag and tie tightly.
- To the pressure cooker add beef bouillon, charred onion and ginger.
- Put on the cover over the pot. Make sure the pressure cooker is closed tightly and make sure the pressure release is correctly positioned. Set pressure cooker to soup or 30 minutes on high pressure.
- While pressure cooker is going, wash your desired herbs, green onions and cilantro. you don't want any herbs or garnishes, skip this step.
- Cut green onions and cilantro for garnish. And set aside. Skip this step if you don't want garnishes.
- When the pressure cooker signals that it finished cooking. Wearing oven mittens or hand protection release the steam.
- When it is safe open the pressure cooker and let it cool down.
- As the broth cools down use a pair of tongs to remove brisket into a big bowl or plate.
- Let the brisket rest and cool down further.
- Now add the pho spice bag and meatballs to the broth and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes.
- When the brisket is safe to handle trim brisket, and cut it into 2cm slices.
- In a deep pot, fill water ¾ full of water. Set stove to high.
- When water boils, using a strainer add desired amount of pho noodles.
- When noodles are nice and bounce and no longer stringy and tough add to a deep bowl.
- Add desired meats to soup bowl.
- Ladle pho broth over meats.
- Add garnishes and condiments as desired.
- Enjoy!
Jimbo
Yes!!
Trang Vo
Thank you Jimbo!
Danielle
Wow, this recipe is easy to make. Thank you for the detailed steps! It made cooking a lot easier to follow. Best brisket pho. 5 stars.
L
Love the recipe!