Everyone loves meat and soup is the ultimate comfort food, especially in those cold winter months. If you think back to some of your darkest days with soggy tissues, a sore nose, and enough self-pity to fill a stadium, it was always soup that saved the day.

Soup is easy to make and eat, even when you’re not feeling your best. It’s hydrating and packed with nutrients. When you add meat into the equation it gets a whole lot better because the water absorbs every calorie released from the fat to ensure that nothing goes to waste, and boy does the flavour pack a punch.

Cooking your meat into a soup tenderises the meat so that it falls off the bone. Cultures all over the world have been making different meat and soup combinations, so there is a world of culinary delight to explore. Meat and soup are a dynamic duo that delivers a symphony of textures, flavours, smells, and of course taste, that we just couldn’t ignore its value as a souper-food.

So, let’s take a closer look and check out our awesome Vietnamese Pho recipe.

A dish that has survived the ages

Soup is quite possibly one of the oldest recipes known to man. In tribal times it was the easiest and fairest way to ensure that everyone got a share of the meat. and its rich nutrients.

You can only carve an animal a certain number of times for a slice of meat, but shredding and boiling the meat into a broth ensures that all of those calories and flavours are easily distributed for a hearty meal. It also ensures that there is no favouritism amongst the crowd, although the chef always gets away with extra pickings.

Incorporating meat into soup ensures that every bit of the animal is used because it doesn’t matter once the meat falls off the bone; it will be just as tender and delicious, and nothing goes to waste. It ensures the maximum amount of calories are available and each calorie brings with it a rich flavour and energy. It is easy to take this for granted now that we live in a world of abundance thanks to modern farming, but for our great ancestors who often faced scarcity, it made a huge difference.

Cooking meat into soup was always very easy, especially when cooking for a large tribe or family, so it helped keep things efficient, especially in the winter months, where it may have been harder to keep an open flame going.

It is fair to say that not only has soup survived the ages, but it helped us to survive too.

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Must read: Humans and meat consumption, a brief history of

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Still a fan favourite

Fast forward a few thousand years and soup still lingers as one of our favourite dishes. From simple traditional recipes to gourmet delights, there is no shortage of soup dishes to choose from. European cultures embraced hearty stews with vegetables and grains, while Asian traditions focused on clear, flavourful broths packed with umami. In the mediterranean and middle-east, the focus is on creating thick creamy soups with a tomato base, lots of meat, herbs and spices.

Each culture has added its unique twist ensuring that you can always count on being surprised with how such a simple dish can offer so much complexity.

France simmers rich boeuf bourguignon in red wine, Hungary warms you up with a spicy goulash, and Italy offers the classic minestrone, bursting with vegetables and meat. Latin America boasts the soulful pozole, a stew with meat and hominy, while Vietnam brings pho, a fragrant noodle soup with thinly sliced beef.

Pho is our recipe of choice for today and for a good reason. This fragrant noodle soup is a national treasure, featuring a rich beef broth simmered with aromatics like ginger, star anise, and cloves. Thinly sliced beef cooks in the broth just before serving, creating a textural contrast with the soft rice noodles.

Beyond Comfort: The Health Benefits

meat soups aren't just delicious; they are a nutritious powerhouse. Broths made from simmering bones are rich in collagen, which supports your joints and skin. Additionally, lean meats like chicken and fish provide protein, while vegetables add essential vitamins and minerals. A well-balanced meat soup can be a complete and satisfying meal.

It is fair to say that this simple meal qualifies for a seat at the superfood table, where you can’t resist but get stuck in, guilt free and without disappointment.

Now, we couldn’t whet your appetite (see what I did there) without giving you a flavourful recipe to try at home. Our Vietnamese Pho soup is highly fragrant and delicious. It is no wonder it is considered a national treasure in Vietnam and become a fan favourite in restaurants worldwide.

This wonderful dish will get your mouth watering (couldn’t resist that) and your body hydrated, so stay tuned and give this a go. p>

Vietnamese Pho Recipe

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb beef bones(marrow bones or knuckle bones)
  • 2 lbs lean beef chuck, cut into thin slices
  • 1 yellow onion, charred
  • 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and smashed
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 star anise pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1/2 cup fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup chopped Thai basil (optional)
  • 1 lb dried rice noodles
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 lb dried rice noodles
  • Lime wedges, for serving
  • Bean sprouts, for serving
  • Sriracha or chilli sauce, for serving (optional)

    • Instructions: 

    1. Rinse the beef bones and place them in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface.
    1. Add the charred onion, ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, and peppercorns. Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours, or until the broth is rich and flavorful.
    1. Strain the broth into a clean pot and season with fish sauce and sugar.
    1. Bring the broth back to a simmer. Add the sliced beef and cook until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook!
    1. Meanwhile, soak the rice noodles in hot water for 10 minutes, or according to package instructions. Drain and rinse.
    1. To assemble, place rice noodles in a serving bowl. Ladle hot broth and beef on top. Garnish with red onion, cilantro, basil (if using), and lime wedge.
    1. Serve with bean sprouts, sriracha or chilli sauce (optional) for extra flavour.
     

    Final Thoughts 

    No household menu is complete without a soup dish for comfort and no restaurant menu is complete without a soup dish for a starter. This amazing dish offers so much variation and complexity that you could literally spend your life exploring flavours around a hot cauldron conjuring wizardry for everyone to enjoy.

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    Try our wonderful recipe above and remember that like most things, the quality of your soup will greatly depend on the quality of your ingredients. Our organic meat offers the highest quality produce packed with flavour and nutrition. Whether you prefer beef beef, lamb or chicken, we have you covered, so don’t hold back, dip your fingers into the ocean of soup dishes that await you and enjoy it.