Name: Pho Bo with Aromatic Broth
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 4 h 30 min
Total time: 5 h 15 min
Yield: 1 pot
Ingredients: 1.5 kg marrow bone; 600 g beef brisket; 3 l water; 2 pcs onion; 1 pc ginger; 3 pcs star anise; 1 pc cinnamon; 4 pcs cloves; 4 tablespoons fish sauce; 15 g cane sugar; salt; 400 g rice noodles; 300 g beef ribeye; 2 l water; 4 pcs spring onion; 1 handful coriander; 1 handful mint; 15 g mung bean sprouts; 2 pcs lime; 1 pc chilli peppers

Step by step process

Preparation

1
Halve the onion lengthwise and, along with the unpeeled ginger, char them in a dry pan or under a broiler on high heat until deeply browned and slightly smoky. This gives the pho bo broth its characteristic color and aroma.
2
Place beef marrow bones and a large piece of brisket in a big pot, cover with cold water, bring to a rapid boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, then thoroughly rinse the bones and meat with cold water and rinse out the pot. This step helps keep the broth clear.
TIP:
After briefly boiling the bones and meat, drain the water and rinse them with cold water. This process removes foam and impurities, ensuring a perfectly clear and transparent broth.
3
Briefly toast the star anise, cinnamon, and cloves in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes, just until aromatic and fragrant.
4
Place the beef sirloin in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to firm it up, which will make it easier to slice into very thin pieces for serving.

Cooking

5
In a clean pot, add the rinsed bones and brisket, then add the charred onion, ginger, and toasted spices. Cover with 3 liters of cold water, bring to just below boiling, then maintain a gentle simmer for 4-4.5 hours. Skim off foam and excess fat regularly to keep the broth as clear as possible.
TIP:
Cook the broth slowly on low heat and regularly skim off foam and fat from the surface. This ensures a clear, flavorful, and nicely colored broth, which applies to most long cooking processes.
6
After 2 hours, add fish sauce and cane sugar. At the end of cooking, season the broth with salt to taste. Strain through a fine sieve, remove the brisket, and once slightly cooled, cut it against the grain into thin slices. Keep the broth hot.
7
Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions in boiling water for about 3 minutes until soft, then immediately rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
TIP:
Immediately after cooking, drain the pasta or dumplings and toss them with a bit of melted butter or oil. This step prevents sticking and keeps the pasta tender and flavorful when serving.
8
Slice the chilled sirloin as thinly as possible against the grain using a sharp knife. Keep the broth really hot, this is essential so the raw beef slices will gently cook in the bowl.

Serving

9
Divide portions of rice noodles among warmed deep bowls. Add several slices of cooked brisket and top with thin slices of raw sirloin.
10
Pour the very hot broth over everything so the raw beef slices turn opaque yet stay juicy and pink inside.
11
Arrange mung bean sprouts, chopped cilantro, mint, sliced scallions, lime, and finely chopped chili pepper on a plate. Each person can season their pho to taste.

More tips:

For a crystal-clear broth, it's essential to briefly pre-boil the bones and simmer gently without a rolling boil. Regularly skim off foam and excess fat.

To slice beef paper-thin, slightly freeze the sirloin for 20-30 minutes and use a sharp knife to cut opposite the grain.

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