Phở

Vietnamese noodle soup with a clean, aromatic beef broth base.

For the broth (1 big pot):

• 2 onions, 1 hand of ginger (bruise). Well-charred and rinsed of blackened bits
• Beef bones, e.g. leg bones, preferably some with marrow
• Meats:
  • Fully-simmered: bone-in cuts with a lot of connective tissue cooked until very tender and served in chunks, e.g. beef shin, oxtail
  • Partially-simmered: boneless cuts that shouldn’t be overcooked, served sliced against the grain, e.g. chuck, brisket
• Spices (whole, toasted), in order of importance:
  • 5 star anise
  • 6 cloves
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 1 black cardamom
  • Coriander seeds
  • Fennel seeds
• Salt, (yellow rock) sugar, fish sauce, pinch MSG

For the bowls:

• Rice noodles (fresh), soaked in hot water or parboiled
• Thinly sliced raw beef (easier to slice when slightly frozen) e.g. flank, sirloin
• Meat/tendons from broth, and any additions (beef ball, tripe, etc)
• Sliced white onion, scallions
• On the side: bean sprouts, thai basil, culantro, lime, hoisin/sriracha etc.

To purify scum, bring bones (and optionally broth meat) covered in water to a vigorous boil for a couple minutes. Dump water and rinse bones/meat clean. Simmer all broth ingredients for about 5 hours, but take the partially simmered meats out early after 1.5-2 hours and refrigerate covered under cold water to prevent drying out (or wrap in plastic after soaking in water).

Strain broth. Pick out meat or anything else you want to serve, including tendons and bones with marrow. Maintain broth at simmer, season, and reduce/dilute as necessary.

To serve, place noodles and toppings in bowl and ladle in hot broth.

Notes:

• Fennel tends to get stuck in meat crevices. Keep spices in something like a teabag or omit entirely
• I like to freeze individual portions (no toppings). For one bowl:
  • 480g broth
  • portioned stewed meat
  • 100-130g noodles (frozen separately)