Authentic Phở
“This isn’t a quick recipe, by any means. It is certainly worth the wait though! The broth is robust and savory and one of my favorites when I want to eat something restorative especially after overindulging over the holidays. The soup is finished with a flurry of fresh herbs, like cilantro and basil, bean sprouts, hot chiles, and lime. Very aromatic! Your mouth will start watering before it hits your lips!”
Beef shank and beef marrow bones.
Ingredients:
FOR THE BROTH (see HELPFUL HINT below for quick and easy version)
4 pounds beef soup bones (I used beef marrow bones and beef shank)
4 quarts water
Charred onion and garlic, star anise and cloves
2 (3-inch) pieces of ginger, cut in half lengthwise and lightly bruised with the flat side of knife, lightly charred (see NOTE below)
1 yellow onion, peeled and charred (see NOTE below)
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
10 whole star anise, lightly toasted in a pan
6 whole cloves, lightly toasted in a pan
1 TBSP. Himalayan sea salt
This bone broth is delicious on its own! Adding an acid (like lemon juice or vinegar) will help to extract calcium and minerals from the bones. Use a mild-flavored vinegar, like apple cider or rice wine, as white vinegar may taste too harsh in a mellow broth. Roasting the bones will impart a rich flavor and color to your broth. If you are on a Keto diet, skip the noodles.
NOODLE
1 8oz. package dried rice noodles
1 1/2 pounds shredded chicken or beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
GARNISHES
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced into rings
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
10 sprigs Asian basil
1 TBSP. scallions, sliced into rings
1/2 yellow onion, sliced paper thin
1 pound beans sprouts
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
1/4 cup chili garlic sauce (I love Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce!)
How to Make It:
Preheat oven to 425℉.
Place beef bones on a baking sheet and roast until the bones are browned, about an hour.
Place onion on a baking sheet and roast until blackened and soft, about 45 minutes.
Char ginger by holding the piece directly over an open flame using tongs. Char until edges are slightly blackened and the ginger is fragrant about 3 - 4 minutes. Peel and discard the skin, then rinse.
5. Once bones are browned and onion and ginger are charred and peeled, place into a large stockpot and cover with 4 quarts of water. Add star anise, toasted cloves, salt, and fish sauce. Cover with lid and bring to boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 6 - 10 hours.
6. Before serving, strain the broth into a saucepan and set aside.
7. Place noodles in a large bowl and fill with tepid water and allow to soak for one hour.
8. Bring large pot of water to boil and place soaked noodles into boiling water and cook for 1 minute.
9. Bring broth to a rolling boil.
10. To serve, place the cooked noodles into bowls. Place shredded chicken or raw thinly sliced sirloin on top of the noodles. Ladle 2 - 3 cups hot broth into each bowl. If you are using raw beef, it will cook instantly.
11. Garnish with thinly sliced yellow onion, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, basil, lime juice, and bean sprouts.
HELPFUL HINT: A useful shortcut that delivers a lot of the deliciousness in a fraction of the time - Use store-bought broth. Though there’s no comparing the boxed stuff to the real thing, sometimes you just want a steaming bowl of pho right now! My fave? Trader Joe’s Organic Beef Broth. Make sure to add the star anise, cloves, fresh ginger, and fish sauce. Though it won’t replicate the complexity of the long-simmered broth, it will infuse the mixture with a delectable aroma and deepen it’s flavor.