Description
A deeply flavorful, restaurant-quality beef pho recipe that focuses on a rich, amber-colored broth made with charred aromatics and toasted spices. This authentic Vietnamese soup takes four hours to simmer but offers a customizable, soul-warming meal perfect for impressing guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5–6 pounds beef bones (mix of oxtails, marrow bones, and knuckles)
- 3 large yellow onions (unpeeled)
- 5-inch piece fresh ginger (unpeeled)
- 1 tablespoon rock sugar
- 12–14 cups water
- 3–4 whole star anise
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 4–5 tablespoons fish sauce
- Salt to taste
- 1 pound rice noodles (Banh Pho, flat and wide)
- 1 pound beef sirloin or flank steak (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 bunch Thai basil leaves
- 2 limes (cut into wedges)
- 1–2 jalapeños (sliced)
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha
- 2 stalks green onions (sliced)
- 1 bunch cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- Place beef bones in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-10 minutes to release impurities (foam). Drain, rinse bones and pot thoroughly.
- Preheat broiler or grill to high. Char unpeeled onions and ginger directly on the rack or a baking sheet for 5-7 minutes until blackened. Peel charred skin from ginger and cut onions in half.
- Toast star anise, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Tie spices in cheesecloth or place in an infuser bag.
- In a clean large stockpot, combine rinsed bones, charred onions, charred ginger, spice bag, and rock sugar. Add 12-14 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a low simmer. Skim off foam during the first hour. Partially cover and simmer for 3.5 to 4 hours, adding hot water if needed.
- Remove spice bag and bones. Taste broth and season with 4-5 tablespoons fish sauce and salt. Adjust to taste; broth should be slightly saltier than desired final flavor.
- Soak dried rice noodles in warm water for 20 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.
- Slice beef sirloin as thinly as possible against the grain.
- To serve, place drained noodles in a deep bowl. Arrange raw beef slices on top. Ladle boiling hot broth over the beef and noodles to cook the beef instantly.
- Serve immediately with garnishes (bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime, jalapeños, hoisin, sriracha, green onions, cilantro) on the side for customization.
Notes
Skim foam diligently for the first hour to ensure a clear broth. Do not rush the simmer; low and slow extracts collagen and flavor. Keep the broth boiling hot when serving to cook the raw beef slices. Fish sauce is essential for umami; use a good quality brand. Noodles do not freeze well, so freeze only the broth.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with noodles,
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: beef pho, vietnamese soup, homestyle pho, star anise, pho broth, authentic pho recipe, comfort food, soup recipe