Vietnamese Pho Recipe (Homemade Broth!)
Making Vietnamese pho at home is easy, especially with our traditional pho recipe. We realize our from-scratch recipe may look daunting, but it’s easier than you think, and there is a lot of inactive time while you wait for the broth (we’ve just been extra tedious to share everything we know). A few notes before you begin: (1) Parboiling the bones makes our broth clear, and you do not lose any flavor. (2) Keep your broth at a low simmer. Otherwise, it will reduce too much. If it seems that it is reducing too quickly, partially cover the pot with a lid. (3) There will be a generous amount of fat at the top of the broth when it is done. Skim it away with a spoon, or refrigerate the broth overnight. The fat rises to the top and solidifies, making it really easy to remove.
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 pounds of beef knuckles or leg bones
- 6 quarts cold water
- 2 onions, quartered
- 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 6 whole star anise
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1 ½ tablespoons fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1-inch piece of yellow rock sugar
- 1 pound dried or fresh “banh pho” noodles
- 8 ounces raw eye of round, sirloin, or tri-tip steak, thinly sliced across the grain
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
- Optional for the table: fresh mint, Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges, sliced green or red chilies, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, sriracha or chili sauce
Directions
- 1
Place beef bones in a stockpot (10-quart or larger). Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. As the bones boil, scum and foam will float to the top. Drain the bones, rinse with warm water, and scrub the stockpot clean. Return bones to the pot and add 6 quarts of cold water.
- 2
Place the strained broth into a stockpot and simmer over medium-low heat while you prepare the noodles.