Serves 8
Note: This recipe takes about an hour of hands-on time, plus 3½ hours to simmer and cool.
Broth:
Chubby 4-inch section ginger, unpeeled
1 pound yellow onion, unpeeled
6 pounds beef marrow, knuckle, and neck bones, parboiled and rinsed
5½ quarts water
5 star anise
6 whole cloves
1 husky 3-inchcinnamon stick
1½ pounds boneless beef brisket, chuck or cross-rib roast, cut into 2 pieces
½ ounce Chinese yellow rock sugar
1½ tablespoons fine sea salt
About ¼ cup fish sauce
Bowls:
1¼ pounds dried narrow flat rice noodles, or 2 pounds fresh pho noodles
Cooked beef from the broth, sliced about 1⁄8-inch thick
8 to 10 ounces well-trimmed beef steak
½ medium yellow or red onion, thinly sliced against the grain and soaked in water for 10 minutes
3 or 4 thinly sliced green onions, green parts only
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, leafy tops only
Pepper (optional)
Optional extras: Hoisin, chile sauce, saté sauce or condiments and garnishes of your choice
- Broth: Using an outdoor grill — or indoors on a gas burner or in thebroiler (but turn on the exhaust fan and open the windows) — char the ginger and onion until the skin gets a little splotchy with black. Use tongs to occasionally rotate the ginger and onion and discard any flyaway skin.After 10 to 15 minutes, they’ll have softened slightly and become sweetly fragrant. Bubbling at the root or stem ends may happen. You do not have to blacken the entire surface. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the charred onion skin. Rinse under running water to dislodge stubborn dark bits. Trim and discard the blackened root and stem ends. Cut the onion in quarters; set aside. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the ginger skin. Halve the ginger lengthwise, cut into chunks, then bruise lightly (use the broad side of a knife). Set aside.
- Place the rinsed beef bones in a12-quart stockpot.Pour in water, partially cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and lower heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off any scum that rises to the top. Add the charred ginger and onions, plus the star anise, cloves, cinnamon, boneless beef, rock sugar and salt. Gently simmer, uncovered, for 3hours.
- Halfway through, removethe boneless beef, which should feel firm, and place it in a bowl. Add water to cover and soak for 10 minutes to prevent dry, dark meat. Drain and set the meat aside, partially covered, to cool completely before using, refrigerating for up to 3 days, or freezing for up to 3 months. Keepthe broth at a steady simmer for the remaining 1½ hours.
- Letbroth rest for 20 minutes to settle the impurities and further concentrate the flavor. Use tongs to remove bones and any large, retrievable bits. Discard solids. Skim some fat from the broth, then strain it through a muslin-lined mesh strainer positioned over a large pot. You should have about 4 quarts.
- Season with fish sauce and extra salt and rock sugar to taste. (If cooking in advance, coolthe unseasoned broth, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat and season before serving.)
- About 30 minutes before serving, prep the bowl ingredients. Soak dried noodles in hot water until pliable and opaque; drain, rinse, then drain well. If using fresh noodles, untangle them and snip as needed. Divide the noodles among 8 soup bowls.
- Slice the cooked beef from the broth. Cut the raw beef steak into chunks the size of a Roma tomato. Place on a plate and freeze for 15 minutes, or until firm on the outside. Use a sharp knife with a thin blade to slice the meat a scant 1⁄8-inch thick.
- Create a pho assembly line with the noodle bowls, meats and separate bowls ofonion, green onion, cilantro and pepper. Reheat the pot of broth over medium heat. Bring a largepot of water to a boil for the noodles.
- Use a strainer or mesh sieve to dunk each portion of noodlesin the boiling water. When the noodles are soft, 5 to 60 seconds, lift the strainer from the pot, shaking it to removeexcess water. Transfer the noodles to the bowl, top with meats and shower on the onion, green onion and cilantro. Finish with a sprinkle of pepper. Repeat for each bowl. Check the broth flavor once more, then raise the heat to bring it to a boil. Ladle about 2 cups broth into each bowl. Serve immediately.
Reprinted with permission from The Pho Cookbook: Easy to Adventurous Recipes for Vietnam’s Favorite Soup and Noodles by Andrea Nguyen, copyright © 2017. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
