Traditional Vietnamese Dishes
Vietnamese Beef Pho
Prepare an authentic Vietnamese beef pho with a clear and deep broth, perfumed with toasted onion, ginger, cinnamon, and anise. Serve with rice noodles, tender beef slices, fresh herbs, lime, and sauces so each diner can adjust to their taste.
This traditional Vietnamese soup requires slow cooking to develop an aromatic and clean broth. The beef is cut very thin and cooked directly in the bowl when receiving the boiling broth.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓1 kg of beef bones with marrow
- ✓350 g of beef tenderloin or loin
- ✓3 liters of water
- ✓1 large onion
- ✓8 cm of fresh ginger
- ✓2 cinnamon sticks
- ✓4 anise stars
- ✓4 cloves
- ✓1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
- ✓1 1/2 tablespoons of salt
- ✓2 tablespoons of rock sugar or white sugar
- ✓3 tablespoons of fish sauce
- ✓400 g of flat rice noodles
- ✓4 scallions
- ✓1 bunch of fresh cilantro
- ✓1 bunch of Thai basil or common basil
- ✓2 limes
- ✓200 g of mung bean sprouts
- ✓2 red chilies
- ✓Hoisin sauce to taste
- ✓Chili sauce to taste
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Place the beef bones in a large pot, cover them with cold water and...
Place the beef bones in a large pot, cover them with cold water and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and wash the pot to help achieve a clearer broth.
- 02
Cut the onion in half and split the ginger lengthwise
Cut the onion in half and split the ginger lengthwise. Place them in a dry pan, with the cut side down, and toast over medium heat until they have dark and slightly burnt areas.
- 03
Toast the cinnamon, anise, cloves, and coriander seeds in the same dry pan
Toast the cinnamon, anise, cloves, and coriander seeds in the same dry pan for 1 or 2 minutes, without letting them burn. Place them in a spice bag or a well-closed gauze.
- 04
Put the clean bones in the pot with the 3 liters of water
Put the clean bones in the pot with the 3 liters of water. Add the onion, ginger, and spice bag. Bring the preparation to a gentle boil and remove the foam from the surface.
- 05
Reduce the heat to a minimum and cook the broth for 4 to 5 hours, partially covered
Reduce the heat to a minimum and cook the broth for 4 to 5 hours, partially covered, with small and constant bubbles. If too much liquid evaporates, add a little hot water.
- 06
During cooking, occasionally remove excess fat and impurities
During cooking, occasionally remove excess fat and impurities. When the broth has an intense aroma, remove the bones, onion, ginger, and spices. Strain the liquid and return it to the clean pot.
- 07
Season the broth with salt, rock sugar, and fish sauce, incorporating it slowly
Season the broth with salt, rock sugar, and fish sauce, incorporating it slowly. Keep the broth hot over low heat.
- 08
Cut the beef tenderloin or loin into very thin slices
Cut the beef tenderloin or loin into very thin slices. To facilitate cutting, you can put the meat in the freezer for 20 or 30 minutes. Reserve the raw meat to place it directly in the bowls.
- 09
Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions
Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Leave them tender but firm, drain well, and divide them among four large bowls.
- 10
Cut the scallions into thin slices, separate the cilantro and basil leaves
Cut the scallions into thin slices, separate the cilantro and basil leaves, wash the mung bean sprouts, cut the chilies into slices, and cut the limes into wedges.
- 11
Place the beef slices over the noodles
Place the beef slices over the noodles. Bring the broth to a intense boil for a few moments and immediately pour it over the meat, covering it completely.
- 12
Finish each bowl with scallions, cilantro, basil, mung bean sprouts, and chili
Finish each bowl with scallions, cilantro, basil, mung bean sprouts, and chili. Serve the lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and chili sauce on the side so each person can adjust the flavor.
- 13
Squeeze the lime just before eating and serve the pho very hot
Squeeze the lime just before eating and serve the pho very hot. Use chopsticks to take the noodles and a spoon to drink the broth.
- Toast the onion, ginger, and spices to intensify the broth's flavor.
- Keep the cooking at a gentle heat and avoid violent boiling to preserve a clear broth.
- Cut the meat as thin as possible so the boiling broth cooks it directly in the bowl.
- If you prefer the meat completely cooked, submerge it in the broth for a few seconds before serving.
- Add the fish sauce slowly, as its intensity can vary depending on the brand.
- Serve the herbs, lime, and sauces on the side so each person can adjust the acidity, sweetness, and spiciness.
- If you don't want it too spicy, remove the seeds from the chilies or serve them on the side.
- Prepare the noodles and herbs just before serving. If you store the broth, cool it quickly, refrigerate it, and remove the solidified fat before reheating.