3 Simple Ways To Upgrade Store-Bought Broth For Flavorful Pho
There are plenty of ingredients to credit for pho's flavorful taste: aromatic basil, zesty lime, the list goes on and on. However, the richness of the dish comes from simmering beef bones for hours on end. When you've got a craving for pho but limited time, store-bought broth is the next best thing. We spoke to an expert for easy ways to spruce it up.
While there are some decent broths on the market, none compare to one that's been labored over. Thankfully, Kevin Tien of Moon Rabbit has some tips for amping up a store-bought broth. As a five times James Beard semifinalist, 2024 best chef Mid-Atlantic finalist, and the chef behind one of The New York Time's America's best restaurants in 2024, Tien knows the perfect methods for making grocery store broth pho-worthy.
"Use good spices, fish sauce (Three Crabs or Red Boat is the way to go), and make sure to add the charred onion and charred ginger," he advises. Tien's tips are simple, but they truly make all the difference when cooking delicious pho in a pinch. Many grocery store broths are made with flavorings, but adding fish sauce ensures the umami element is present. Both of Tien's recommendations contain anchovies, which have a potent, savory taste. If you're making vegetarian pho, opt for seaweed or soy sauce. Giving your aromatics a good char also makes store-bought broth more flavorful. The smoky caramelization that the aromatics undergo adds depth to the broth, resulting in pho that tastes restaurant-quality.
What kind of spices should you use in pho?
Along with good aromatics and a savory fish sauce, the base of any good pho broth comes from spices. If you're not sure where to start, look at the ingredients that go into five spice powder. With the exception of cassia bark, these spices bring that warm, fiery taste that pho is known for. Along with cloves, fennel seeds, and star anise, cinnamon, coriander seeds, and black cardamom are also essential pho spices for many people.
To get the most of the sweet, heady spices, their whole versions are thrown in the broth halfway through cooking. You can do the same with your store-bought broth, but it's not enough time to truly extract their flavor. To deepen the taste of the broth, start toasting your spices. Like charring onions and ginger, the heat gives them a smokier flair while bringing out the oils within the spices.
Toasting spices only tacks a few more minutes onto the cooking process. Arrange the spices in a pan, ensuring they're not overlapping. Using medium heat, stir the spices every now and then, making sure they brown evenly. Once they're done toasting, put them in the simmering broth straight away.