Pho

Phở Bò (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Vietnam's national comfort food: a clear, deeply aromatic beef broth ladled over rice noodles and rare beef, finished with fresh herbs and lime. Plan ahead - the broth is everything and it needs time.

Prep

30 min

Cook

360 min

Total

390 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •2 kg (4½ lb) beef bones (marrow and knuckle), ideally parboiled for 10 minutes and drained before use
• •500 g (1 lb) beef chuck or brisket, for the broth; optional piece of beef tendon adds body
• •300 g (10½ oz) beef eye of round or sirloin, sliced paper-thin for the bowl; freeze 30 min for cleaner slicing
• •500 g (1 lb) dried flat rice noodles (bánh phở), 1 mm width; soaked and rinsed before serving
• •1 large yellow onion, charred over flame
• •80 g (3 oz) fresh ginger, charred over flame
• •10 g (0.35 oz) whole star anise, 5–6 pods
• •1 stick Ceylon cinnamon, true cinnamon if possible
• •3 whole cloves
• •3 whole cardamom pods, lightly cracked
• •1 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• •2 tbsp fish sauce, adjust to taste
• •2 tbsp rock sugar, or refined sugar; balances the salt
• •30 g (1 oz) daikon radish, halved, charred - adds sweetness to the broth
• •4 L (about 4¼ qt) cold water, enough to cover bones by 5 cm / 2 in
• •1 tsp fine salt, to finish
• •200 g (7 oz) fresh bean sprouts, rinsed, for serving
• •1 bunch Thai basil, for serving
• •1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems, for serving
• •1 bunch sawtooth coriander (culantro), optional but traditional, for serving
• •2 whole limes, cut into wedges, for serving
• •2 whole fresh red chillies, sliced, for serving
• •1 whole small white onion or shallot, thinly sliced, for serving
• •1 to taste (to taste) freshly ground black pepper
• •1 to taste (to taste) Hoisin sauce and Sriracha, optional, for dipping the meat

Steps

1. 1 Parboil the beef bones in a large pot of water for 10 minutes; drain and rinse the bones and the pot thoroughly. This step is what keeps the final broth clear.
2. 2 Char the onion (skin on), ginger (smashed), and daikon directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet over high heat until blackened in spots, about 4-5 minutes. Rinse and add to the pot.
3. 3 Toast the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, and coriander seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 30-60 seconds until fragrant; place in a spice bag or tea infuser.
4. 4 Return the rinsed bones to the cleaned pot, add the beef chuck/brisket, charred aromatics, spice sachet, and 4 L cold water. Bring to a vigorous boil, then immediately reduce to a bare simmer - bubbles should barely break the surface. Skim any foam in the first 30 minutes.
5. 5 Simmer uncovered for at least 6 hours (8 is better), topping up with hot water as needed to keep bones submerged. After 2 hours, lift out the brisket/chuck, shred a small portion and return the rest to the pot for the remainder of the simmer - this gives the broth body without greasiness.
6. 6 Strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with muslin. Season with fish sauce, rock sugar, and salt until the broth tastes rounded and slightly sweet - it should be noticeably seasoned, as noodles will dilute it. Keep at a rolling boil when serving.
7. 7 Soak the rice noodles in cool water for 30 minutes, then drain. At service, drop them into a pot of boiling water for 8-12 seconds until just pliable, drain and rinse briefly.
8. 8 Cook the beef in the bowl, not just by residual heat. Bring the broth back to a full boil and ladle it over the raw slices so they are fully submerged, then leave the bowl to stand for 60 seconds before eating, until the slices have turned opaque grey-brown throughout. If any slice still shows red or translucent in the middle after that, drop it back into the simmering broth for 30 seconds, or dunk it before adding to the bowl. Thin eye of round is whole muscle beef and can be eaten medium-rare, but for anyone pregnant, elderly or immunocompromised be sure to bring every slice fully through, or use the hot broth dip before serving.
9. 9 Assemble each bowl: a handful of hot noodles, a few slices of beef on top, a sprinkle of sliced white onion and cilantro. Ladle 350-450 ml / 1½ - 2 cups of boiling broth over everything.
10. 10 Serve immediately with the bean sprouts, Thai basil, sawtooth coriander, lime wedges, and sliced chillies on a separate plate so each person seasons their own bowl. Offer black pepper, Hoisin, and Sriracha alongside.