Ingredients
Broth:
- 4 pounds beef knuckle bones
- 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 16 cups water
Bouquet Garni:
- 3 pods star anise
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled if you have it
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
- 1 inch ginger, unpeeled and cut into chunks
- 1 cheesecloth, with kitchen string to tie
Add Ins:
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 6 cups water, room temperature
- 2 pounds sirloin steak, or tenderloin if you can
To Finish:
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
- 12 ounces bean sprouts
- Sriracha, to taste
- Hoisin Sauce, to taste
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat and roast bones: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the beef knuckle bones and yellow onion wedges on a baking sheet and roast them for 1 hour. This step enhances the aroma and flavor of the broth by browning the bones and onions.
- Prepare the broth base: Transfer the roasted bones and onions to a large pot, carefully leaving behind any fat collected on the baking sheet. Add 16 cups of water, kosher salt, and fish sauce. Stir to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer the broth: Heat the pot on medium until the liquid starts to simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Prepare the bouquet garni: Place star anise, cinnamon stick, garlic cloves, whole cloves, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and ginger chunks into a cheesecloth. Tie it securely with kitchen string to create a spice bundle.
- Add spices and simmer long: Submerge the tied bouquet garni into the simmering broth. Stir briefly, then cover the pot and let the broth simmer gently for a minimum of 8 hours to extract full flavor from the bones and spices.
- Strain and cool the broth: After simmering, strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, such as a chinois or cheesecloth-lined strainer, to remove solids. Let the broth cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight to allow any remaining fat to solidify on top for easy removal.
- Prepare noodles and beef: Before serving, soak the rice noodles in 6 cups of room temperature water according to package instructions until tender. Thinly slice the sirloin steak or tenderloin.
- Assemble and serve: Reheat the strained broth on the stovetop until hot but not boiling. Place noodles in bowls, top with thinly sliced raw steak slices, and ladle hot broth over to gently cook the beef. Garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, bean sprouts, and serve with lime wedges, Sriracha, and Hoisin sauce on the side for personalized seasoning.
Notes
- Simmering the broth for at least 8 hours from roasted bones is crucial to developing the deep, rich flavor characteristic of authentic Pho.
- Refrigerating the broth overnight helps remove excess fat by solidifying it on top, leading to a cleaner and lighter soup.
- The steak slices should be very thin to allow them to cook quickly in the hot broth when assembling the dish.
- Feel free to adjust the level of spiciness and sweetness by adding Sriracha and Hoisin sauce according to your preference.
- You can prepare the broth in a slow cooker by transferring the roasted bones, onion, and water mixture into it and cooking on low for 8-12 hours instead of stovetop simmering.
- Prep Time: 18 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
