Vietnamese Beef Pho
Quick answer
- Total time
- 510 min
- Level
- Hard
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 12
About this dish
Beef bones simmered for 6 to 8 hours with star anise, cinnamon, and fire-charred ginger and onion give this pho a broth that stays clear while carrying layers of spice and smoke.
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The long prep starts with soaking and blanching the bones, which keeps the stock from clouding over those hours. The star anise and cinnamon are toasted in a dry pan only until fragrant and pulled out at once, before they turn bitter. Fish sauce seasons the broth in portions at the end. Raw beef sliced thin is laid over the noodles and cooked right in the bowl by the boiling broth. At the table, bean sprouts, lime, and basil sit on the side so each person can tune the bowl's freshness and acidity.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Soak 1500 g beef bones in cold water for 1 hour to draw out blood.
Blanch them in boiling water, then scrub under cold water so the finished broth stays clean instead of muddy.
- 2
Warm a dry pan over medium low heat and toast 4 star anise pieces with 2 cinnamon sticks for 1 to 2 minutes.
Stop as soon as the aroma rises to prevent burnt bitterness.
- 3
Char 50 g ginger and 1 onion directly over a flame until the outside is darkened.
Brush off only the loose burnt flakes, keeping the smoky surface that will sweeten the broth.
- 4
Put the bones, charred ginger and onion, toasted spices, and 3 L water in a pot.
Simmer gently over low heat for 6 to 8 hours, skimming foam and impurities whenever they collect.
- 5
When the broth turns clear and golden, strain out the solids through a sieve.
Add the 3 tablespoons fish sauce in portions, tasting so the broth is seasoned but not overly salty.
- 6
Soak and cook 400 g rice noodles, then divide them into bowls and top with 300 g thin beef slices.
Pour boiling broth over the beef so it turns partly pink, then serve with bean sprouts, lime, and Thai basil.
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