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A bowl of authentic Vietnamese pho with rice noodles, beef, lemon, basil, and scallions in it and a pair of chopsticks resting on top of the bowl.
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4.86 / 7 votes

Authentic Vietnamese Pho

Vietnamese pho is a soup made with a beef broth rich with ginger, onions, star anise, fish sauce, and onions. Into that go rice noodles, beef, scallions, bean sprouts, and fresh herbs.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time3 hours 10 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 576

Ingredients

For the pho broth

  • 5 pounds beef marrow or knuckle bones
  • 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2 pieces
  • Two (3-inch) pieces ginger, halved lengthwise, lightly bruised with the flat side of a knife, and charred* (see below)
  • 2 yellow onions, peeled and charred* (see below)
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 3 ounces rock sugar, (found at Asian markets) or 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 10 whole star anise, lightly toasted in a dry pan
  • 6 whole cloves, lightly toasted in a dry pan
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt, or to taste

For the pho

  • 1 pound dried 1/16-inch (2 mm) wide rice noodles (banh pho), soaked and cooked according to package instructions
  • 1/3 pound beef sirloin, slightly frozen, then sliced paper-thin across the grain
  • 1/2 yellow onion, sliced paper thin
  • 3 scallions, cut into thin rings
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 pound bean sprouts
  • 10 sprigs Asian basil, (may substitute regular basil or mint)
  • 1 dozen saw-leaf herb leaves, (optional)
  • 6 Thai bird chiles or 1 serrano chile, cut into thin rings
  • 1 lime, cut into 6 thin wedges
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Chili sauce, to taste (optional)
  • Hoisin sauce, to taste (optional)
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the pho broth

  • Haul a large stock pot onto the stovetop and bring 6 quarts (24 cups) water to a boil.
  • Meanwhile, in a smaller pot, bring the beef bones, beef chuck, and just enough water to cover them to a vigorous boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and, using tongs, transfer the bones and beef to the large pot of boiling water, discarding the water in which the meat cooked. (This reduces the impurities in the broth.)
  • When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam from the surface of the water. Add the charred ginger and onions, fish sauce, and sugar. Gently simmer, skimming any foam as it appears, until the beef chuck is tender, about 40 minutes. Do not allow the broth to come to a full boil. Only the occasional bubble should rise to the surface of the broth. (This reduces the chance of your broth being cloudy.)
  • Remove one piece of chuck from the broth, submerge it in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, and then drain the chuck and thinly slice it and refrigerate it. Let the other piece of chuck in the broth and let it gently simmer for 50 minutes more.
  • After the broth has simmered for a total of 90 minutes, wrap the star anise and cloves in a spice bag or piece of cheesecloth and drop it in the broth. Let the spices infuse the broth until fragrant, about 30 minutes more. (The broth will have been simmering for 2 hours total).
  • Remove and discard both the spice bag and the onions. Leave the chuck in the pot and continue to gently simmer, skimming any foam as necessary, until you’re ready to assemble the pho. (The broth may taste slightly salty but will be balanced once the noodles and accompaniments are added.) Strain the broth, discarding any solids.

Make the pho

  • Place the cooked noodles in preheated bowls. (If the noodles are no longer hot, dip them briefly in boiling water to prevent them from cooling down the soup.) Place a few slices of the reserved thinly sliced beef chuck and raw sirloin on the noodles. Ladle 2 to 3 cups broth into each bowl. (Figure about 1 part rice noodles to 3 part broth.) The hot broth will gently cook the raw beef. Garnish with the thinly sliced onions, scallions, and cilantro. Serve immediately and let individuals garnish their bowls of pho with bean sprouts, herbs, chiles, lime juice, and black pepper. Originally published April 8, 2010.

Notes

*HOW TO CHAR ONION AND GINGER

To char ginger and onions as required above, hold the ingredient with the tongs directly over an open flame or place it directly on a medium-hot electric burner. Char, turning frequently, until the edges are slightly blackened and the ginger and onion are fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Peel and discard the blackened skins of the ginger and onions. Rinse what remains of the ginger and onion and add to the broth.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 2151mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 22g