Vietnamese Beef Oxtail Pho With Briskett- Dad’s Pho Recipe + Dry Pho Seasoning Mix
This family recipe is so comforting and richly seasoned. Steeping hot fragrant beef broth is ladled over flat rice noodles and thinly sliced beef and topped off with fresh herbs and vegetables like cilantro, asian/Thai basil, mint, bean sprouts, lime juice and bean sprouts.
For dad’s pho recipe click below:
Dad’s special Trinh pho spice blend / dry spice seasoning packet:
One of the most important components of pho is the dry seasonings that are added into the pho. Usually they are dry roasted and then put into a strainer or cloth bag to infuse the flavor into the pho broth.
You can either buy these spices prepackaged in individual single use packets or you can buy all the dry spices and create your own spice bags. Creating your own pho spice blend ensures super fresh spices which makes for a much more flavorful smell and taste. These spice packets can also be used for beef pho, chicken pho, and vegetarian pho.
In my family, my dad likes to buy fresh spices and make his own packets to ensure super fresh and fragrant seasoning packets.
So what goes into these pho seasoning packs? Well, first we need to know what the most common spices are in pho.
The most flavorful and premium pho spice kits (made or store bought) primarily contain the following 5 spices: cinnamon bark, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds, and black cardamom. Black cardamom gives Vietnamese pho its super aromatic and fragrant taste.
My dad’s secret family spice blend also includes a couple other spices like white pepper and licorice for that super flavorful beef pho.
I remember my dad making individual seasoning packets where he hand counts & measures each spice for the the spice packets (usually just separated into little baggies using saran plastic wrap or cheese cloth tea bags.
When he’s ready to cook pho he likes to roast the spices until aromatic before putting them into the pho broth which is added to the last 45 min or so of cooking the broth. Adding the spices too early or too long can make your pho murky or off tasting. Adding it last makes the dried spices have a more aromatic hot to your pho.
INGREDIENTS
1 Beef Spice Bag/packet for a medium pot of pho:
2 pieces Vietnamese licorice
2 Fructus tsaoko (black cardamom)
2-3 whole star anise
1 tsp white whole peppercorns
1 tbs coriander seeds
1 tbs whole fennel seeds
3-5 pieces of clove buds
3 pieces Vietnamese cinnamon
PREPARATION
Gather all spices.
Measure and separate all spices, then package spice the spice blend mixture into small tea bags or cheesecloth bags.