Authentic Beef Pho
Authentic Beef Pho
Ingredients
For the Broth
- 4 pounds beef bones, marrow bones and knuckle bones preferred
- 2 pounds beef ribs
- 1 1/2 pounds oxtail
- 1 yellow onion, large, halved
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 shallots, halved
- 4 ounces ginger, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 pound daikon radish, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1 ounce rock sugar, or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 star anise
- 2 cinnamon stick, 3-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 4 green onions, white parts only, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon, or pho soup base, as needed
For the Pho Bowls
- 1 pound pho noodles, dried or fresh, prepared according to package directions
- 1/2 pound beef chuck roll, very thinly sliced against the grain
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced, green parts only
- 1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
- 1 cup Thai basil, fresh leaves
- 2 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce, for serving
- 1/4 cup sriracha, for serving
- 2 tablespoons chili oil, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Place beef bones, beef ribs, and oxtail in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain the bones and meat, rinsing them thoroughly under cold water to remove any scum. Clean the pot.
⏱️ 20 min
- 2
While the bones are parboiling, char the yellow onion, garlic, shallots, and ginger. This can be done by broiling in the oven until deeply browned and fragrant (about 10-15 minutes), air frying, or using a kitchen torch or stove flame. They should be nicely toasted but not burnt.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Return the cleaned bones and meat to the large stockpot. Add the charred onion, garlic, shallots, ginger, daikon radish, 2 teaspoons of salt, and rock sugar. Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover everything by at least 2 inches (about 5-6 quarts).
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Continuously skim any scum or fat that rises to the surface during this time.
⏱️ 240 min
- 5
After 3-4 hours, the beef ribs and oxtail should be tender. Carefully remove them from the pot and immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, remove from the ice bath and set aside for later.
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
Remove and discard the charred onion, garlic, shallots, ginger, and daikon radish from the broth. Add more water to the pot if needed to maintain the initial volume.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Continue simmering the bones for another 4 hours or, ideally, overnight (an additional 8-12 hours) for maximum flavor extraction. Maintain a very low simmer.
⏱️ 240 min
- 8
Once the broth has simmered sufficiently, carefully strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or large heatproof container. Discard all solids. If desired, chill the broth completely and skim off any solidified fat from the surface before reheating.
⏱️ 15 min
- 9
In a small dry skillet, toast the star anise, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, whole cloves, and coriander seeds over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Add the toasted pho spices to the strained broth. Simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour to infuse the flavors. Remove the spices using a slotted spoon or by straining again if preferred.
⏱️ 60 min
- 11
Add the white parts of the chopped green onions to the broth. Season the broth with 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, and additional salt, beef bouillon, or pho soup base to taste. Adjust seasoning until the broth is rich and flavorful to your liking.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
To assemble the pho bowls: Prepare the pho noodles according to package instructions. Slice the reserved beef ribs and oxtail meat off the bone.
⏱️ 10 min
- 13
Divide the cooked pho noodles among 4 large serving bowls. Arrange slices of the cooked beef ribs, oxtail, and very thinly sliced raw beef chuck roll over the noodles.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Bring the pho broth to a rolling boil. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and meat in each bowl. The hot broth will cook the thinly sliced raw beef chuck roll.
⏱️ 5 min
- 15
Garnish each bowl generously with fresh bean sprouts, thinly sliced yellow onion, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, and Thai basil leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges, hoisin sauce, sriracha, and chili oil on the side for individual customization.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Authentic Beef Pho
For the Broth
- 4 pounds beef bones, marrow bones and knuckle bones preferred
- 2 pounds beef ribs
- 1 1/2 pounds oxtail
- 1 yellow onion, large, halved
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 shallots, halved
- 4 ounces ginger, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 pound daikon radish, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1 ounce rock sugar, or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 star anise
- 2 cinnamon stick, 3-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 4 green onions, white parts only, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon, or pho soup base, as needed
For the Pho Bowls
- 1 pound pho noodles, dried or fresh, prepared according to package directions
- 1/2 pound beef chuck roll, very thinly sliced against the grain
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced, green parts only
- 1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
- 1 cup Thai basil, fresh leaves
- 2 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce, for serving
- 1/4 cup sriracha, for serving
- 2 tablespoons chili oil, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Place beef bones, beef ribs, and oxtail in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain the bones and meat, rinsing them thoroughly under cold water to remove any scum. Clean the pot.
⏱️ 20 min - 2
While the bones are parboiling, char the yellow onion, garlic, shallots, and ginger. This can be done by broiling in the oven until deeply browned and fragrant (about 10-15 minutes), air frying, or using a kitchen torch or stove flame. They should be nicely toasted but not burnt.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Return the cleaned bones and meat to the large stockpot. Add the charred onion, garlic, shallots, ginger, daikon radish, 2 teaspoons of salt, and rock sugar. Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover everything by at least 2 inches (about 5-6 quarts).
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Continuously skim any scum or fat that rises to the surface during this time.
⏱️ 240 min - 5
After 3-4 hours, the beef ribs and oxtail should be tender. Carefully remove them from the pot and immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, remove from the ice bath and set aside for later.
⏱️ 15 min - 6
Remove and discard the charred onion, garlic, shallots, ginger, and daikon radish from the broth. Add more water to the pot if needed to maintain the initial volume.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Continue simmering the bones for another 4 hours or, ideally, overnight (an additional 8-12 hours) for maximum flavor extraction. Maintain a very low simmer.
⏱️ 240 min - 8
Once the broth has simmered sufficiently, carefully strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or large heatproof container. Discard all solids. If desired, chill the broth completely and skim off any solidified fat from the surface before reheating.
⏱️ 15 min - 9
In a small dry skillet, toast the star anise, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, whole cloves, and coriander seeds over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Add the toasted pho spices to the strained broth. Simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour to infuse the flavors. Remove the spices using a slotted spoon or by straining again if preferred.
⏱️ 60 min - 11
Add the white parts of the chopped green onions to the broth. Season the broth with 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, and additional salt, beef bouillon, or pho soup base to taste. Adjust seasoning until the broth is rich and flavorful to your liking.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
To assemble the pho bowls: Prepare the pho noodles according to package instructions. Slice the reserved beef ribs and oxtail meat off the bone.
⏱️ 10 min - 13
Divide the cooked pho noodles among 4 large serving bowls. Arrange slices of the cooked beef ribs, oxtail, and very thinly sliced raw beef chuck roll over the noodles.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Bring the pho broth to a rolling boil. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and meat in each bowl. The hot broth will cook the thinly sliced raw beef chuck roll.
⏱️ 5 min - 15
Garnish each bowl generously with fresh bean sprouts, thinly sliced yellow onion, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, and Thai basil leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges, hoisin sauce, sriracha, and chili oil on the side for individual customization.
⏱️ 5 min