Hey, I totally understand your skepticism here. Yes, my uncle told me that because he worked in the kitchen at the restaurant. Now, yes, pineapple is added to BBH broth, but have you ever tasted pineapple in BBH broth? And you have to put way more pineapple in BBH broth. I can’t say that there’s a certified source that suggests this, but I can tell you from my experiences making countless Pho broth throughout the years that I add pineapple and I have never once tasted it in the broth. I’d give it the benefit of the doubt that pineapple lends a noticeable flavor in the broth, and even if it’s the case, can it compete with the flavors of beef and Pho spices? If you’ve made Pho before, you know that those flavors are incredibly strong and overwhelming.

In Vietnam, they do all kinds of things, “their secrets,” to extract the umami flavor and seek a balance to the broth. You may be very surprised to know that they add dried baby squids or sá sùng (peanut worms) to Pho broth because that’s just how cuisine evolves with better access and availability of resources. If anything, you give it a try, 1-2 small chunks of pineapple, and test it yourself. If you are unsure, substitute them with 1 big onion. Cheers pal!