Umami Beef Pho Recipes

AUTHENTIC VIETNAMESE BEEF PHO (PHO BO) RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the beef bones and the oxtail in a large stockpot. Add the water. The bones should be completely covered with water. If not, add more. Bring to a boil and let the the bones boil while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients.
• Cut two peeled onions in half. Char each half by holding it with tongs over open flame of a gas stove or place it under the broiler. This will bring out the aroma and deepen the flavor of the broth. Repeat the same with the ginger and set aside.
• In a small skillet, lightly toast, frequently stirring, the anise pods. cloves, peppercorns, and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
• Check on the boiling bones in the stockpot and skim off any scum that has accumulated.
• Add the toasted spices and garlic, charred onion and ginger, daikon, cinnamon stick, and shallots to the stock. Boil for 15 minutes, then bring down to a gentle simmer.
• Add the rock sugar (optional), fish sauce, salt, and stir well. Continue to simmer for 2½ hours, uncovered, periodically skimming off any scum or fat as they accumulate. The broth will be ready to eat after 2 1/2 hours, but the longer you simmer the better it will become. Continue simmering, covered, for up to 10-12 hours in total for the ultimate pho bo.
• When the broth is done cooking, remove the pot from the heat and set aside to cool a little. Remove the bones and oxtails and set aside. You can use the meat and the bone marrow in the soup. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a new stockpot. The broth should be richly colored but clear. Bring the broth back to gentle simmer.
• Fill a large pot with hot tap water. Soak the rice noodles in the water for about 10 minutes. They should soften just slightly: the hot pho broth will cook them the rest of the way.
• Drain the noodles and place them in six individual soup bowls. Arrange the sliced raw beef on top, followed by thinly sliced onions and scallions.
• Slice the oxtail meat and add it to the bowl as well as any of the bits of meat and bone marrow taken from the bones.
• Pour the boiling hot broth into the soup bowls, making sure it covers the raw beef. The broth will cook the beef as well as the noodles. Give it a few minutes to do so, then serve with the pho garnish platter. A squeeze or two of lime juice will help cut the richness of the broth. The sauces can be added to the pho bo or used as a dipping sauce for beef. Using them as a dipping sauce will prevent from spoiling the wonderful flavor of the broth.

BEEF PHO

Steps:

• Place the beef knuckle in a very large (9 quart or more) pot. Season with salt, and fill pot with 2 gallons of water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 2 hours.
• Skim fat from the surface of the soup, and add the oxtail, radish and onions. Tie the anise pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and ginger in a cheesecloth or place in a spice bag; add to the soup. Stir in sugar, salt and fish sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for at least 4 more hours (the longer, the better). At the end of cooking, taste, and add salt as needed. Strain broth, and return to the pot to keep at a simmer. Discard spices and bones. Reserve meat from the beef knuckle for other uses if desired.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Soak the rice noodles in water for about 20 minutes, then cook in boiling water until soft, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Slice the frozen beef paper thin. The meat must be thin enough to cook instantly.
• Place some noodles into each bowl, and top with a few raw beef slices. Ladle boiling broth over the beef and noodles in the bowl. Serve with hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce on the side. Set onion, cilantro, bean sprouts, basil, green onions, and lime out at the table for individuals to add toppings to their liking.

VIETNAMESE BEEF PHO

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, combine broth, onion, ginger, lemon grass, cinnamon, and peppercorns.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover.
• Simmer for 1 hour.
• Arrange bean sprouts, mint, basil, and cilantro on a platter with chilies and lime.
• Soak the noodles in hot water to cover for 15 minutes or until soft.
• Drain.
• Place equal portions of noodles into 6 large soup bowls, and place raw beef on top.
• Ladle hot broth over noodles and beef.
• Pass platter with garnishes and sauces.

UMAMI BEEF PHO

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, add the broth, onion, cinnamon, peppercorns, ginger, anchovy paste, fish sauce and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for between 45 minutes.
• Cook the noodles on the side -- al dente. I have tried cooking the noodles in the broth, but they tend to soak up most of the broth, not leaving enough broth when it is time to eat the soup. I have found it is better to cook the noodles on the side and add them to our bowls later.
• Prepare garnishes. Cilantro is a must in my book. Some people also enjoy bean sprouts, lime wedges and sliced green onions.
• After the broth has simmered for 45 minutes, remove the ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon stick and peppercorns.
• Add mushrooms to the broth and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes (or until mushrooms are tender).
• To serve, place some noodles in a deep bowl. Add some roast beef slices on top. Ladle in a generous amount of the broth on top (make sure it is still hot -- the broth cooks the roast beef). Garnish with plenty of cilantro. Add other garnishes to taste.

ANISE-SCENTED BEEF PHO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350oF. Arrange onion quarters, rounded side down, and ginger pieces on small baking sheet. Roast until the onions begin to soften, about 25 minutes. Using kitchen scissors, snip off the darf edges. Toast star anise, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick in small skillet over medium high heat until aromatic and slightly darker in color, stirring occasionaly, about 3 minutes.
• Bring broth, water and brisket to boil in large pot over high heat. Skim off foam that rises to the top. Add onions, ginger and spices to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and gently simmer until brisket is tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Uncover; cool 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill brisket in soup, uncovered.).
• Discard any fat from surface of the soup; rewarm the soup slightly. Using tongs, tranfer brisket to cutting board. Slice thinly across the grain. Strain the soup into a large bowl; discard the solids in strainer. Return soup to same pot; boil 10 minutes. Add fish sauce and sugar; season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Add brisket to soup and warm through.
• Meanwhile prepare the garnishes.
• Cook the rice noodles in medium pot of boiloing salted water until just tender; about 5 minutes.Drain.
• Divide noodles among the 6 bowls. Add brisket from soup, then onions, basil and chilies. Pour hot soup over. Serve with the remaining garnishes.

BEEF PHO

Steps:

• Place beef and/or bones in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Cover and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 5 mins and then remove bones and rinse them in a colander. Pour away water and clean stock pot thoroughly. (This steps removes impurities and ensures a clear soup).
• Place meat/bones back into stock pot and cover with water. Place on a medium heat.
• Toast all of the dried spices in a dry frying pan until fragrant (2-3 mins) and then lightly crush in a pestle and morter. Wrap in muslin, secure and place into stock pot.
• Add sliced ginger and bruise lemongrass stalks before adding to stock pot.
• Blacken onions under a hot grill and then add.
• Bring to boil, turn down to barely simmering and simmer uncovered for at least 5 hours.
• Strain and reserve the cooking liquid. Can retain any oxtail or shin meat for the soup and discard the remainder of the stock pot ingredients.
• Strain the liquid through a muslin cloth into a large sauce pan. Add sugar, 2 tblsp fish sauce and salt to taste.
• To assemble: add cooked noodles, beansprouts and finely sliced raw steak to a deep noodle bowl. Pour over boiling hot stock (this will just cook the steak).
• Add the sliced chilli, spring onion and fresh herbs. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and freshly squeezed lime juice to taste.

BEEF PHO

Steps:

• Tie up the stewing beef nicely.
• Put all the meats for the stock into a pan together with the fat, the sliced onion, star aniseed, cinnamon stick and ginger.
• Roast in a hot oven for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is well browned.
• Move everything to a large pot.
• Cover with water and bring to a boil.
• Skim.
• Add coriander seeds and white pepper.
• Let simmer for at least three hours.
• Take up the stewing beef and let cool, then slice thinly.
• Strain the stock.
• If made one day in advance; keep cool and remove the fat on the second day.
• Prepare the garnish: Slice the (raw) fillet of beef thinly (as for Carpaccio).
• Boil the noodles according to instructions on the package, then drain and rinse with cold water.
• Arrange the garnish (not the noodles; see below!) nicely on a big plate.
• Bring the stock to a boil, add fish sauce to taste.
• When serving, put noodles and stewing meat either into a large serving bowl, or into individual soup bowls.
• Add stock and heat to boiling point (possibly in a micro-owen).
• Serve devilishly hot.
• The guests put the garnish into their soup and the raw meat will be partially cooked from the heat of the stock.