Is the scum skimming really necessary in pho broth?
In nearly every pho recipe that makes claims on "authenticity" there are some steps in bone treatment (some recipes go even further with salt rubs and long cold water soaks etc)
- Cover bones in water and boil for 15 minutes.
- Scrub and rinse bones under running water to remove all scum (i.e. blood proteins).
- Clean pot and add fresh water.
- Bring back to boil and meticulously skim scum every 5 minutes during initial hour of cooking.
- Skim every 30 minutes thereafter.
That is a lot of work. I've always had suspicions that pho restaurants aren't doing all of this. And since that's the bar I'm trying to meat(get it?), is all of this work really necessary?
Also this seems to be throwing away a lot of good flavor in the water along with the scum?
Two points of reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPbwOcE6UCU
This is a restaurant making pho in huge quantities. They just put meat in bags and call it a day. In fact the pot is overflowing with meat and veg that they couldn't skim even if they wanted to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auqu2U5XdsI
This is a no non-sense video that cuts through a lot of known bullshit (MSG avoidance, etc). Also no scum skimming, and the broth looks clear enough in the end.
Best Answer
It is not necessary in the sense that if you like the finished product then why do the extra work? That said, the scum that you get from boiling bones/meat isn't really the good stuff. The good stuff is soluble flavor compounds that wind up incorporated into the (liquid) broth.
Recipes from test kitchen folks (Cook Illustrated and Serious Eats) usually call for ONE skim. These usually go
- Add meat/bones and boil for 15-30 minutes.
- Skim.
- Add spices and carry on with rest of recipe.
I can't vouch for how pho restaurants do it but in my experience one skim after the initial boil does the trick (and isn't too fussy).
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Quick Answer about "Is the scum skimming really necessary in pho broth?"
In Japanese cooking, skimming off the scum and fat that accumulates on the surface of the stoup/stock is very important to create a nice and clean soup/stock. Yes, I know it is extra work, but it's also the key for the “refined” taste and it is required to keep the liquid clear.Do you skim the fat off pho broth?
Regardless of how "healthy" you want to aim for, do not skim and throw away this layer of fat. You can always stir lightly and exclude the fat as you ladle broth into your bowl as you serve.Why do you remove scum from broth?
Some people do it because basically every recipe on the internet tells you to do it. And some people do it to achieve a \u201crefined\u201d culinary dish. If you leave the scum, it will break up into microscopic particles and disperse in your stock, making it cloudy.How do I make pho broth clear?
Add just enough cold water to immerse the bones. Bring to boil over high heat, While the broth is boiling, skim off any impurities on the surface for 15 minutes to ensure a clean, clear broth, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.Pho Tutorial: PRO Level Pho broth in one step!
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