Tái Nặn Gân Phở Recipe

Trim and partially freeze

Trim any excess fat or silver skin from the eye round and flank steaks. Pat dry. Place the steaks on a tray, wrap loosely, and put in the freezer for 20–30 minutes until slightly firm but not frozen solid — this makes thin slicing easier.

Slice thinly

Using a sharp knife, slice the partially frozen eye round and flank steaks against the grain into very thin slices (about 1/16–1/8 inch). Slice beef tendon across the grain into 1/8-inch slices or slightly thicker pieces so they remain tender when served raw or briefly blanched.

Shock tendon (if using cooked tendon)

If the tendon is store-bought pre-cooked, rinse and pat dry. If it is raw or you want to soften it: bring a small pot of water to a simmer with 1 tsp kosher salt, add tendon and simmer 20–30 minutes until tender. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water (2 cups) to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry before slicing.

In a bowl combine 2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1/4 tsp ground white pepper and 1 tsp vegetable oil. Mince the garlic and shallot and add to the marinade. Stir to dissolve sugar and salt.

Separate the sliced eye round, flank, and tendon into a single layer in a shallow dish. Pour the marinade evenly over the meat and tendon and gently toss so each slice is coated. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes (no more than 30 minutes) to allow flavors to penetrate but keep meat rare/tender.

Place the 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion in a small bowl of cold water for 5–10 minutes to remove sharpness. Drain and set aside.

If serving with rice noodles: cook noodles according to package instructions, drain and rinse under cold water, then portion into bowls. Keep slightly undercooked if you plan to pour hot broth over later; for a purely raw-style dish, serve noodles chilled or at room temperature.

Arrange a mound of sliced eye round and flank on a serving plate or individual bowls. Place tendon slices alongside or interspersed with the beef slices.

Scatter drained soaked onions, chopped scallions, cilantro and Thai basil over the meat. Add bean sprouts and sliced fresh chili if using.

Squeeze fresh lime wedges over the assembled meat just before eating. Taste and add more fish sauce or a pinch of salt if desired.

Optional: briefly ladle a small amount of hot (not boiling) beef broth over the meat to warm the exterior and release aroma — this will slightly cook the outermost layer while leaving the interior rare. Serve immediately.