I just tried the Quoc Viet base for the first time today. Not only did use beef chuck (couldn't find brisket and flank at my local grocery store), I also bought a small amount of beef ribs to throw in the pot for extra depth of flavor. It came out GREAT! It was really good. I'm pretty particular about my pho. My mom's pho was the best. It wasn't like my mom's but it certainly tasted homemade and was as authentic as can be.
For those who want a little more star anise flavor (which I love in pho), you can also throw a little more into the pot.
Hi Long: I'm glad you find it acceptable to your taste. Yeah I would say adding more of any kind of beef/beef bones should definitely help the flavor. And I agree, adding more star anise can really bring pho flavor out even more. I do this myself as well.
The one thing that I found odd though was the fact that the Quoc Viet directions had you only use the spice packet for 15 minutes in the broth. I left it in there for about 25 minutes. And I found the broth when eating to be mild in pho aromas. I remember that my mom used to leave all the spices in the broth the entire time. So next time, I'm going to leave it in longer to see how it goes.
Long: It may be odd or it may not. My take on this is QV is just practicing proper precaution, specifying what I would call a safe, reasonable amount of time. I agree with you in leaving the spices in there longer; I love my pho to be real fragrant with pho spices too. From a manufacturer's point of view though, I can see that they know they do not have total control over what their customers do, so the safest is to recommend something "reasonable," like 15 minutes. With QV products, they aim to serve those who may not have ever made pho themselves before. So new QV customers may not know how long to simmer spices, or they may leave them in too long resulting in a broth too pungent for average people. Anyway what they should do is suggest something like "vary amount of spice time to fit personal preferences." If you like yours in there longer, I'd say go for it.
What cut of beef and how much should I buy for use in the broth?
Hi Joe: You want to use beef flank and/or brisket. Depending on where you live, you may not get the proper cut, but anything close should be fine. Vietnamese use untrimmed flank in pho, but you may find it difficult to get untrimmed flank in American supermarkets.
I've tried looking EVERYWHERE for this product, and I still have not luck 🙁
I live in Toronto, Canada and I've managed to only find the cheap unsatisfying Pho soup powders.. Does anyone know where to buy these Quoc Viet products specifically in Toronto? I'm REALLY craving Pho Tai Chin Nam as we speak!
Hi John: I am not sure if Quoc Viet is available in Toronto market. From what I know they do not do mail orders for retail sales. You may want to contact the company directly to find out where their products may be carried in your area. I know they may ship out products to retail customers from time to time. You can contact Alan Khoa Nguyen, Quoc Viet's Sales at info@quocviet.com, I'm sure he can steer you in the right direction. Alternatively, you can try Quoc Viet's Amazon storefront.
Let us know how you fare. A man should not have to suffer just because he wants some decent Pho Tai Chin Nam.
