Vietnamese Beef Pho’
After a weeklong fight against a bad cold I’m beginning to feel human again. I followed the instructions from my doctor and took antibiotics but ultimately I think that it’s this large bowl of Vietnamese beef pho’ that did more for my well-being than any prescription drugs. Maybe I have too much imagination but I see beef pho as a distant and exotic cousin of “Pot au feu”, the provincial French dish of simmered beef and vegetables, the epitome of comfort food. The great thing about beef pho is that you could make the broth, portion it and freeze it and have it ready in about as long as it takes to cook the rice noodles. Not a bad surprise to find in your freezer.
The broth for beef phở is made by simmering different cuts of beef and oxtails with charred onion and ginger and sweet spices such as Saigon cinnamon, star anise, black cardamom, coriander seed, fennel seed, and clove. Vietnamese dishes are typically served with lots of greens and herbs to refresh and brighten the flavors and this is no exception with its garnish of green onions, Thai basil, chili peppers, lime wedges, bean sprouts, fresh coriander and mint. I served it with the fork tender beef from the broth and saved some bone marrow to add an extra layer of richness to an already delicious soup. Enjoy!
-
Vietnamese Beef Pho’
-
- Serves 6
-
For the beef broth:
- 1 large onion, halved
- Two 3-inch pieces fresh ginger
- 6 quarts water or chicken broth
- 4 lbs beef brisket, top round, cheeks or oxtail or a combination
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorn
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 4 star anise
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- Sea salt
-
For the beef pho’:
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- white onion, finely sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 1/2 cup Thai basil
- 4 scallions, sliced
- Thai bird chili, sliced
- 3 limes
-
For the beef broth:
- Heat a heavy pan or cast iron over high heat. Add the onions halves cut side down and the ginger pieces and cook until well charred (black) on all sides.
- Fill a stock pot with 6 quarts of cold water or chicken broth, or a combination of both. Add the beef brisket, top round and/or oxtail and bring to a simmer. Skim and discard the foam that comes to the surface and add the charred onion, ginger, garlic, sugar, peppercorns, fish sauce, star anise, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and a large pinch of sea salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender. Turn off the heat and cool. Refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the beef from the broth, trim the fat and cut the meat into slices. Remove the fat from the broth, strain into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Add fish sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
-
For the beef pho’:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles until tender. Drain and rinse the noodles.
- Divide the rice noodles among the bowls, add some of the meat, bean sprouts, onions, cilantro, mint, basil and scallions.
- Add some of the hot beef broth to each bowl and serve with lime wedges and sliced hot chilis.