What's for Dinner?
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 92,747
Likes: 4,679
From: ShitsBurgh
You should be safe to drink coffee/tea when you're ready IMO.
Yeah, my wife has made it a few times...however, given that we could just head over to my her parents' place to have some, she doesn't make it frequently. And the more stewing/simmering of the broth/bones, the better. My MiL usually has it going on the pot for 48 hours before serving it.
Honestly, the secret ingredient is MSG. Pho without MSG is pretty darn good but add a sprinkle of the "secret ingredient"...holy, does it take it to another tier.
I won't lie.
Pho FTW.
Honestly, the secret ingredient is MSG. Pho without MSG is pretty darn good but add a sprinkle of the "secret ingredient"...holy, does it take it to another tier.

I won't lie.
Pho FTW.

48 hours? man I can imagine how rich that broth is.



Everytime when my family or relative makes it during get-together, I never let the broth goes to waste. Whatever is left I always put it in a jar and take it home.
We would also add chop garlic that's fried with olive oil, and man, that makes a HUGE different. Very tasty.
We only make this on specail occasion like birthday and huge family get together.
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Last edited by MySoCalLife; Aug 18, 2014 at 08:12 PM.
^ NICE. 
Yeah, my MiL, being Vietnamese and all, has a pot of pho going on average 2-3 times a month. And like all Asian Moms, she loves to watch her kids eat her food...so, all I gotta do is ask.
Depending on her mood I suppose, her broth does deviate on sweetness. I prefer pho when it is not as sweet...and I always like it a bit sour by adding 3-4 squeezes of lime juice in my bowl.
I'll try your tip on the fried garlic for the pho. We do add that stuff to BBH.

Yeah, my MiL, being Vietnamese and all, has a pot of pho going on average 2-3 times a month. And like all Asian Moms, she loves to watch her kids eat her food...so, all I gotta do is ask.

Depending on her mood I suppose, her broth does deviate on sweetness. I prefer pho when it is not as sweet...and I always like it a bit sour by adding 3-4 squeezes of lime juice in my bowl.

I'll try your tip on the fried garlic for the pho. We do add that stuff to BBH.
FWIW, to make pho is not terribly difficult. It explains why every second
from Viet opens a pho restaurant. 
To make it taste good is all about how long you cook the bones for. The general recipe is straight-forward.
Think of this...when you make lobster bisque, you cook the lobster shells and let it simmer...the longer, the more flavorful the soup is...
Pho is no different.
from Viet opens a pho restaurant. 
To make it taste good is all about how long you cook the bones for. The general recipe is straight-forward.

Think of this...when you make lobster bisque, you cook the lobster shells and let it simmer...the longer, the more flavorful the soup is...
Pho is no different.
^ NICE. 
Yeah, my MiL, being Vietnamese and all, has a pot of pho going on average 2-3 times a month. And like all Asian Moms, she loves to watch her kids eat her food...so, all I gotta do is ask.
Depending on her mood I suppose, her broth does deviate on sweetness. I prefer pho when it is not as sweet...and I always like it a bit sour by adding 3-4 squeezes of lime juice in my bowl.
I'll try your tip on the fried garlic for the pho. We do add that stuff to BBH.

Yeah, my MiL, being Vietnamese and all, has a pot of pho going on average 2-3 times a month. And like all Asian Moms, she loves to watch her kids eat her food...so, all I gotta do is ask.

Depending on her mood I suppose, her broth does deviate on sweetness. I prefer pho when it is not as sweet...and I always like it a bit sour by adding 3-4 squeezes of lime juice in my bowl.

I'll try your tip on the fried garlic for the pho. We do add that stuff to BBH.
Before we would buy the fried garlic in a jar to add (you can see it on my 4th picture next to the sriracha), thats how I normally eat it. Then one time my sister tried the garlic with Olive oil, and ask if I want some and I said NO.

That day I ate 4 plates and pass out, haha.
I woke up a few hours later and it was all gone,
. Then my sister had a plate in the fridge, I ask if I can eat it, and man, the garlic+olive oil really do make a difference. Sometimes our ignorance holds us back. lolI do add sugar to my pho, but very very little. Not enough to make it sweet.
Kinda like how people add salt to ice cream or chocolate dessert, just enough to balance the flavor. Ice cream without salt will be too sweet to eat.
Last edited by MySoCalLife; Aug 19, 2014 at 07:46 PM.

Ditto. I feel so cultured now, looking at all the delicious Asian food. I just can't eat the shrimp though.
Next time we make it I will list you all the ingredients to the broth and show you the picture. Theres like a bag filled with herbs like star anise and such that we let boiled in the broth to add flavor with the beef bone. We also put ox tail in there now. The meat from the Ox tail is the tastiest meat in my opinion.
Weeknight and so, nothing fancy. We typically stick to veggies during the week...probably going to stirfry some leeks with tofu and shiitake. Also steam some eggplant and just drizzle some soy sauce a la sesame oil.
I'll eat more barbarian-like over the weekend. Buddy's b-day coming up on Sunday and heading out for a buck-a-shuck oysters at the local steakhouse/watering hole with the boys to celebrate the guy's birthday AND the fact he's now a father of twin...GIRLS.
I'll eat more barbarian-like over the weekend. Buddy's b-day coming up on Sunday and heading out for a buck-a-shuck oysters at the local steakhouse/watering hole with the boys to celebrate the guy's birthday AND the fact he's now a father of twin...GIRLS.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 92,747
Likes: 4,679
From: ShitsBurgh
Grill them myself, he wants to have a guy's night and just relax and drink some growlers of beer. Think I'll melt some blue cheese on them
For some reason, while I love all steak, I tend to just enjoy the plain ol' sirloin the best esp. in restaurants...it is always the most well-flavored.
Of course, a properly done prime rib...that's heaven too. I don't really need tenderloin frankly...and if I craved it, I'd just look for a t-bone which would have it.
Of course, a properly done prime rib...that's heaven too. I don't really need tenderloin frankly...and if I craved it, I'd just look for a t-bone which would have it.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 92,747
Likes: 4,679
From: ShitsBurgh
I grilled the steaks, and made Zataran's red beans and rice, my mom made brocolli, cauliflower and yellow peppers steamed with some garlic and oregano. We paired with a Cabernet from a local winery
realized I didn't take any pics after my steak was gone,, the dogs have scraps for days though
realized I didn't take any pics after my steak was gone,, the dogs have scraps for days though
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 92,747
Likes: 4,679
From: ShitsBurgh
Made some homemade salsa with Roma tomatoes from my tomato plants, some Campari tomatoes, banana peppers, garlic powder, red onion, and some salt and pepper. Came out really good but I chopped the tomatoes down too much so they started to break down a bit. But after marinating a couple days, my parents and I destroyed the whole thing before dinner last night. The thing was full to the top but I snapped a picture before it was all gone. Have another batch of Romas up, think I'll do it again, original idea was to make bruschetta chicken, but I couldn't find basil in stock anywhere
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