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Authentic Vietnamese Beef Pho (Pho Bo)

A close-up of a steaming bowl of beef Pho, showcasing tender slices of beef, rice noodles, fresh cilantro, and thinly sliced onions in a rich broth.
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A comforting and aromatic Vietnamese beef noodle soup, perfect for a weekend project. This recipe guides you through creating a rich broth and assembling a restaurant-quality bowl at home.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 pounds beef bones (marrow bones and knuckle bones)
  • 1 pound beef brisket or chuck roast
  • 2 medium yellow onions
  • 4-inch piece of ginger
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 6 star anise
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 pound dried flat rice noodles (pho noodles)
  • 1/2 pound thinly sliced raw beef (sirloin or eye of round)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Fresh Thai basil leaves
  • Bean sprouts
  • Lime wedges
  • Thinly sliced jalapeños or serrano peppers
  • Thinly sliced yellow or red onion
  • Chopped scallions

Instructions

  1. Rinse beef bones under cold water. Place bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse bones thoroughly to remove impurities.
  2. Return bones to the clean stockpot. Add brisket or chuck roast. Cover with 6 quarts of fresh cold water. Bring to a simmer, skimming off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
  3. While the broth simmers, char the onions and ginger. You can do this directly over a gas burner, under a broiler, or on a grill until blackened in spots. Once charred, peel the onions and ginger.
  4. Place charred onions and ginger in a cheesecloth bag or large tea infuser along with star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, and black peppercorns.
  5. Add the spice bag, fish sauce, salt, sugar, and dried shiitake mushrooms to the simmering broth.
  6. Simmer the broth gently, partially covered, for at least 3-4 hours, or up to 6-8 hours for a richer flavor. Skim off any fat or impurities as needed.
  7. Remove the brisket or chuck roast from the broth and let it cool. Once cool enough to handle, slice it thinly against the grain.
  8. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pot. Discard the solids. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with more salt, fish sauce, or sugar as needed. Keep the broth hot.
  9. Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  10. To assemble, place a portion of cooked noodles in each serving bowl. Top with slices of the cooked brisket and thinly sliced raw beef.
  11. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and beef. The heat of the broth will cook the raw beef.
  12. Garnish with chopped cilantro, Thai basil leaves, bean sprouts, sliced onions, and scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedges and sliced chilies on the side.

Notes

  • For the clearest broth, parboiling the bones and skimming impurities is crucial.
  • You can make the broth ahead of time and refrigerate it. Skim off the solidified fat from the top before reheating.
  • Thinly slice the raw beef very thinly; partially freezing it for 15-20 minutes can make this easier.
  • Experiment with different cuts of beef for the broth, such as oxtail or beef shank, for added depth of flavor.
  • Consider using a sous-vide precision cooker to tenderize tougher cuts of beef for the broth if you have one.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/authentic-pho-recipe/