Beef Pho
NOTE: This recipe is a work in progress!
My husband and I eat Pho every week. We are lucky to have a fantastic Vietnamese takeout restaurant down the street from us, but even though reasonably priced, it’s about $34 for our two bowls. I’m hoping that by making at home, even though a long process, it will end up being less expensive and it freezes really well for quicker weekday meals. We are fortunate to have all ingredients in our local grocery stores, but if you have a difficult time finding anything, check out your local Asian grocery store.
Beef Pho
Ingredients
Broth Ingredients
- 2 large yellow onions halved with skin
- 1 piece thumb-sized ginger halved with skin
- 1 head garlic sliced down the middle
- 6 star anise
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cardamon pods
- 3 cloves
- 15 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- 2 pounds beef brisket
- 2 pounds meaty beef bones, like beef ribs, ox tail, etc.
- 2 pounds marrow bones or knuckle bones
- 15 cups water about
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
Pho Ingredients
- Flat rice noodles, pre-cook
- Raw thinly sliced beef like tenderloin or rib eye
- Cooked brisket sliced into thin pieces
- Red onion sliced thin
- 1 jalapeño pepper sliced thin
- Fresh thai basil
- Cilantro
- Lime cut into wedges
- Beansprouts
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha
Instructions
Broth Instructions
- Place all beef, including brisket, in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes and then strain. Rinse and place blanched pieces back into the cleaned stock pot. Fill the pot with enough water to cover bones and have about an inch or two extra. Will be about 15 cups.
- Place onion, ginger and garlic, cut sides up, on a cookie sheet and broil in the oven for about 5 minutes, until they start to char slightly. Add to the stockpot with blanched meat pieces.
- In a small skillet, add star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and peppercorns and toast until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add to the stockpot with blanched meat pieces.
- Cover stockpot and simmer for 3 hours, when checking, if you see foam on top skim. Remove brisket, let cool and refrigerate until needed. Continue cooking remaining bones and spices for another 3 to 4 hours.
- Using tongs, remove as many bones and spices as possible and then strain remaining broth into a large measuring bowl. Add broth back to the stock pot and add the remaining ingredients: sugar, salt and fish sauce. Set heat on low and stir broth well for about 5 minutes.
Pho Instructions
- In a bowl, add cooked rice noodles, raw beef and cooked brisket. Ladle in very hot broth, which will cook the raw beef and reheat your brisket. Place remaining ingredients on a tray and let everyone choose what else they would like to add.
