Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup
“The aroma is captivating and the taste a deliberate collusion of salty, sweet, and umami all in one.” Ann Le
The star of this extraordinary soup is the broth.
In a very large stockpot 3 lbs. beef short ribs and 2 lbs. oxtail are covered with water and brought to a boil.
Two large yellow onions and a knob of ginger root are charred over an open flame.
Toasted anise pods, cloves, peppercorns and smashed garlic cloves are wrapped in cheesecloth to make a spice bag.
The charred onions and ginger root, spice bag, cinnamon sticks, daikon, and shallots are added to the pot.
The broth is simmered for many hours. Then fish sauce, sugar and salt are added to taste, and simmered some more.
The fragrant broth is cooled and strained.
Cook’s Tip: The process takes quite a while, so make a large batch. After chilling overnight in the refrigerator, freeze a portion of the broth for another time.
The broth is re-heated and cooked noodles (traditionally flat rice noodles) are added.
Thinly sliced beef is cooked right in the bowl of hot broth.
The Pho Bo is garnished with bean sprouts, sliced scallions, fiery chiles, cilantro, lime. Vietnam Hot Garlic Sauce and Fish Sauce served on the side.
This recipe was inspired by Ann Le in the Little Saigon Cookbook, Vietnamese Cuisine and Culture in Southern California’s Little Saigon
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Lori Lynn, Your new banner looks so inviting, a great place to pull out a chair a dine on your Pho Bo!Your photo”s look fantastic!!
Congratulations on your new masthead. It is striking and beautiful. Your photos are getting better and better.
You just gave me an inspiration for this weekends meal! Thank you. 🙂
At my brother’s restaurant, all the stocks and jus for gravy are made in-house: They use a huge electric stockpot which keeps the stock at a very low simmer. I try to imitate that by putting the stockpot in the oven óvernight, at 185 F. Works beautifully.
Oh Lisa – you must make this. It is so wonderful. Not like anything else. Charring the onion and ginger on a open flame is critical. It is worth the time to make it right, even the oxtail is important. Let me know how it goes…My description just gives you a “taste” but I would be happy to provide a complete recipe if you like.
Heavens! Your photos are incredible, and that soup looks like the best thing ever. I’ve wanted to try pho for a long, long time now. Perhaps I’ll just have to make some.