What makes up a good bowl of pho? Silky noodles, tangy broth base and...the meaty topping options that lend the flavor and texture. With a wide variety of toppings to choose from, here is a simple tutorial for all beef pho lovers.
1/ Rare Beef (Tai)
Pho Tai always uses the prime cut of tenderloin which is soft and tender with a clean beef flavour. The beautiful beef will be served raw atop the pho noodles, then ladle boiling hot broth over the beef until it turns pink in colour.
2/ Beef Brisket (Nam)
Beef brisket comes from the chest of cows that has layers of meat and fat. It has a rich beef flavour and layers of texture. Different from rare beef, brisket taste fork-tender while the fat reminds glisten and jiggle.
3/ Beef Shank (Chin)
Beef shank is the leg portion of the thigh which are being exercised extensively for movement. Hence the beef shank is chewy in texture and takes a longer preparation time to cook until fork-tender.
4/ Beef Meatball (Bo Vien)
Beef meatball is made from shank, cartilage or tendon. It looks like a little grey orb and garlicky in taste with a mix of crunchy and soft textures. All meatballs are purely handmade.
Reference source: Lucky Peach, The Pho Issue, Summer 2016