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Authentic Beef Pho (Phở Bò)

A close-up of a steaming bowl of authentic beef pho, featuring tender beef slices, rice noodles, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts.
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Craft a deeply flavorful and aromatic beef pho, a classic Vietnamese noodle soup, in your own kitchen. This recipe guides you through creating a rich, clear broth with fragrant spices and tender beef, perfect for a comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 lbs beef bones (marrow bones, oxtail)
  • 2 lbs beef brisket or flank steak
  • 2 large yellow onions
  • 4-inch piece of ginger
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 star anise pods
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rock sugar or granulated sugar
  • 1 lb dried flat rice noodles
  • 1 lb eye of round steak, thinly sliced against the grain
  • Fresh herbs (cilantro, Thai basil, mint)
  • Bean sprouts
  • Lime wedges
  • Sliced chilies (jalapeño or Thai bird’s eye)
  • Hoisin sauce
  • Sriracha sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Rinse beef bones thoroughly. Place bones in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse bones under cold water to remove impurities.
  3. Clean the stockpot. Return bones to the pot and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to a simmer and skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
  4. Halve the onions and ginger. Char the cut sides of the onions and ginger directly over a gas flame, under a broiler, or in a dry skillet until deeply browned and fragrant.
  5. Place cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, peppercorns, and coriander seeds in a spice bag or cheesecloth.
  6. Add the charred onions, ginger, and spice bag to the simmering pot of bones. Add the brisket or flank steak.
  7. Simmer the broth gently for at least 4-6 hours, or up to 8 hours, skimming occasionally. The longer it simmers, the deeper the flavor.
  8. Remove the brisket/flank steak and set aside to cool. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Return the clear broth to the pot.
  9. Season the broth with fish sauce and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Keep broth hot.
  10. While the broth simmers, prepare the rice noodles according to package directions. Typically, this involves soaking in hot water or briefly boiling. Drain and rinse.
  11. Thinly slice the cooked brisket/flank steak against the grain.
  12. To assemble, place a portion of cooked noodles in each serving bowl. Arrange slices of cooked brisket/flank steak and raw eye of round steak over the noodles.
  13. Ladle the piping hot broth over the noodles and beef. The hot broth will cook the raw eye of round slices.
  14. Serve immediately with a side of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime wedges, sliced chilies, hoisin sauce, and sriracha for diners to customize their bowls.

Notes

  • For an even clearer broth, you can parboil the bones and then rinse them thoroughly before simmering.
  • Thinly slicing the raw eye of round steak is crucial for it to cook perfectly in the hot broth. Partially freezing the steak for about 30 minutes can make slicing easier.
  • Adjust the amount of spices to your preference. You can toast the spices lightly in a dry pan before adding them to the spice bag for a more intense aroma.
  • Consider using a combination of beef cuts for the broth, such as oxtail and beef short ribs, for added richness.
  • This recipe is a great candidate for meal planning, as the broth can be made ahead and reheated.

Nutrition

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