How to cook Vietnamese beef Phở

How to make Vietnamese beef Phở with a distinct aroma, delicate yet flavorful broth, and tender, chewy rice noodles. Follow this guide to enjoy an authentic bowl of Phở.

Ingredients for Vietnamese Beef Phở

• 2 kg beef bones (marrow or leg bones)
• 1.2 kg beef fillet
• 0.7 kg beef shank
• 1 kg rice noodles (bánh phở)
• 400 g onions
• 200 g lemongrass
• Shallots
• Fresh ginger
• Broth spices: dried cinnamon, black cardamom, dried tangerine peel, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds
• Herbs for serving: green onions, sawtooth coriander, cilantro, lime, chili peppers, Thai basil, Vietnamese coriander
• Seasonings for phở broth: salt, fish sauce, broth powder (or bouillon), rock sugar

Instructions

Preparing Ingredients

1. Peel the onions. Slice some thinly and cut others into wedges.
2. Wash and finely chop the cilantro.
3. Separate the white parts of the green onions and slice the greens finely.
4. Wash and drain the fresh herbs for serving.
5. Place cinnamon, black cardamom, dried tangerine peel, star anise, cloves, and coriander seeds in a clean cloth bag and tie it tightly.

Making the Broth

1. Rinse the beef bones thoroughly. Boil a pot of water with some lemongrass and add the bones to blanch them, which removes any impurities and odors.
2. Remove the blanched bones, place them on a baking tray with ginger, shallots, and onion wedges, then roast until golden. After roasting, transfer the bones immediately into a bowl of ice water to cool.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the roasted bones, spice bag, roasted onions, ginger, and lemongrass, then simmer for 5-6 hours to extract a rich flavor. While simmering, add the beef shank to cook through. Once it’s done, remove the beef shank promptly to prevent it from becoming overly soft.
4. Strain the broth, discard the solids, and return the clear broth to the pot. Season with a pinch of salt, broth powder, rock sugar, and fish sauce to taste. Bring it to a boil briefly, then turn off the heat.

Serving and Presentation

1. Rinse the beef fillet and slice it thinly. Do the same with the beef shank.
2. Blanch the bean sprouts and white parts of the green onions in hot water.
3. Briefly blanch the rice noodles in hot water to soften.
4. In each bowl, add the blanched bean sprouts, green onions, rice noodles, slices of beef fillet and beef shank, green onion slices, cilantro, sliced onion, and chili. Pour the hot broth over everything.
5. Serve the phở with fresh herbs, hoisin sauce, and chili sauce on the side.

Enjoy a delicious bowl of Vietnamese beef phở!