Finally tried pho broth from scratch after 7 years of boxes

I always used those pho broth boxes from the Asian market thinking homemade wasn't worth the effort. Last weekend at a cooking class in Seattle, the instructor showed us how she roasts bones at 400F for 45 minutes before simmering. She said the difference is the charred onion and ginger giving it that deep color. I tried her method this Tuesday with beef knuckles and oxtail from Uwajimaya. The broth took 6 hours but tasted like the real bowl I get at Pho Bac. Has anyone else noticed the boxed stuff leaves a weird sweet aftertaste you only catch once you go homemade?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley_wells6613d ago

Yeah the boxed stuff has that cloying sweet finish that hits like a cheap soda for me now. One thing I learned the hard way - don't skip skimming the scum off the first 30 minutes. That gray foam will make your broth cloudy and muddy the flavor. Also try charring your onion and ginger under the broiler instead of the oven if you want more control, just keep an eye on them or they'll burn. And here's another tip nobody tells you: add a cinnamon stick and three star anise for the last 45 minutes only. If you boil them the whole time they get bitter and ruin that clean taste.

the_john13d ago

yep that sweet aftertaste is exactly what made me switch. I did a similar thing with pork bones and chicken feet for extra body, and the first time I tasted it side by side with the box stuff I was honestly kind of mad at myself for wasting years on it. the charred onion and ginger thing is a game changer, I actually started doing it on a gas stove burner instead of the oven cause it was faster. I also add a whole daikon radish now, it gives this clean sweetness that totally replaces that weird fake sugar taste from the boxes.