Keto Pho

For the Broth:

FOR THE BROTH:

• 3 pounds beef knuckle, marrow or other soup bones

• 1 pound boneless beef brisket, chuck or cross-rib roast in one piece

• 1 large yellow onion

• 2 ounces fresh ginger

• 2 ½ pieces star anise

• 1 3-inch cinnamon or cassia stick

• 3 whole cloves

• 2 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt

• 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• Keto friendly sweetener, if desired

MAKE THE BROTH:

1. Rinse the bones and boneless beef. Peel ginger, halve it lengthwise, cut into chunks, then smash each piece with the side of a knife.

2. Put the star anise, cinnamon and cloves in an 8-quart pressure cooker. Over medium heat or using the sauté function, toast for several minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Add the onion and ginger. (If using a stove-top pressure cooker, raise heat to medium-high.) Stir and cook for a minute or two. A little browning is O.K. Add 9 cups water.

3. Add the bones, beef, and salt. Lock the lid. Using an electric pressure cooker, set timer for 30 minutes on high pressure. After cooking, both cookers will require time to allow pressure to decrease naturally, about 15 to 20 minutes. When that is done, carefully remove lid.

4. Transfer boneless meat to a bowl, cover with water and soak for 10 minutes. This cools it and keeps it from drying out. If desired, scrape any bits of tendon from the bones and add to the bowl of water.

5. Strain the broth into a pot through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or muslin. Discard the remaining solids. (At this point, the broth and beef can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days.) Skim all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the broth. You should have about 8 cups of broth. Add fish sauce and more salt, if needed. Add a few pinches of sugar and more fish sauce so the broth has a rounded, intense finish that is slightly salty and slightly sweet.

For garnishing your bowls use things like red onion, bean sprouts, cilantro, and slices of thai chilis or serrano peppers, and sriracha.

I used Costco’s healthy noodles in place of the rice noodles for this recipe. Rinse them well and put in your bowl. Lay in a few pieces of very thinly sliced pieces of chuck or brisket. When you pour your hot soup into the bowl it will cook the steak in seconds.

If you like hoisin in your Pho, then I have a recipe for a low carb version that brings it down to less than 2 carbs per tablespoon.

Here is the hoisin recipe: End Result Photo

Low Carb Hoisin Sauce – Makes 1 Cup

Servings: 16 Tablespoons

• 1 large clove garlic, crushed

• ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne

• ½ teaspoon Pho Spice Blend/Chinese 5 Spice blend

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tahini

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar

• ⅓ cup (90 ml) water

• ⅓ cup (3 oz | 90 g) dark miso paste (I used a Country Red Miso that was really dark in color)

• ⅓ cup + 1 T Golden Monk fruit Sweetener

Regular soy sauce, to taste

Add all ingredients except soy sauce to pan, and heat until it simmers. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 min.

Add approx. ½ teaspoon of soy and taste. Add more if needed.

<2 Net Carbs per 1 T serving