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Authentic Vietnamese Pho Recipe

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3.9 from 10 reviews

Authentic Vietnamese Pho recipe featuring a rich, aromatic beef broth simmered with traditional spices, tender brisket, and thinly sliced beef tenderloin, served with rice noodles and fresh herbs for an iconic, flavorful Vietnamese soup experience.

Ingredients

Aromatics and Spices

  • 2 large onions, halved
  • 150g / 5oz ginger, sliced down the centre
  • 10 star anise
  • 4 cinnamon quills
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 3 cloves (the spice cloves)
  • 1.5 tbsp coriander seeds

Broth and Meat

  • 1.5kg / 3lb beef brisket
  • 1kg / 2lb meaty beef bones
  • 1kg / 2lb marrow bones (leg, knuckle), cut to reveal marrow
  • 3.5 litres / 3.75 quarts water (15 cups)
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 40 ml / 3 tbsp fish sauce

Noodles and Toppings

  • 50g / 1.5 oz dried rice sticks (or 120g / 4oz fresh)
  • 30g / 1 oz beef tenderloin, raw, very thinly sliced
  • 3 – 5 brisket slices (used for broth)
  • Beansprouts, handful
  • Thai basil, 3 – 5 sprigs
  • Coriander/cilantro, 3 – 5 sprigs (or more basil)
  • Lime wedges
  • Finely sliced red chilli
  • Hoisin sauce
  • Sriracha (for spiciness)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Aromatics: Heat a heavy-based skillet over high heat without oil until smoking hot. Place the onion and ginger in the pan cut side down, cook for a few minutes until charred, then turn. Remove and set aside.
  2. Toast Spices: In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, lightly toast the star anise, cinnamon quills, cardamom pods, cloves, and coriander seeds for about 3 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Remove Bone Impurities: Rinse the beef bones and brisket. Place them in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, then drain the water and rinse bones and brisket thoroughly under tap water to remove impurities.
  4. Make Broth: Wipe the pot clean, then add 3.5 litres (15 cups) of fresh water and bring to a boil. Add the cleaned bones, brisket, charred onion and ginger, toasted spices, sugar, and salt. Ensure water just barely covers all ingredients. Cover with lid and simmer gently for 3 hours.
  5. Cook Brisket and Reduce Broth: After 3 hours, remove the brisket which should be fall-apart tender. Cool and refrigerate for later use. Continue simmering the broth uncovered for an additional 40 minutes to concentrate flavors.
  6. Strain Broth: Strain the broth through a fine sieve into another pot, discarding bones, spices, and vegetables. The resulting broth should be about 2.5 litres (10 cups). If there is excess broth, reduce further by simmering.
  7. Season Broth: Add fish sauce and adjust salt and sugar to taste. The broth should be beefy, fragrant with spices, savory, and gently sweet.
  8. Prepare Noodles: Just before serving, prepare the rice noodles according to package instructions.
  9. Assemble Pho Bowls: Place noodles in serving bowls. Top with raw very thinly sliced beef tenderloin and slices of cooked brisket.
  10. Ladle Broth Over: Pour approximately 400 ml (14 oz) of hot broth over the noodles and meat. The heat of the broth will gently cook the raw beef to medium rare.
  11. Serve with Toppings: Serve the pho with fresh beansprouts, Thai basil, coriander/cilantro, lime wedges, finely sliced red chili, hoisin sauce, and sriracha on the side, allowing each diner to customize their bowl.

Notes

  • Char the onions and ginger to add depth and sweetness to the broth.
  • Toasting the spices enhances their aroma and flavor in the broth.
  • Removing impurities from bones ensures a clear broth without cloudiness.
  • Simmering the broth uncovered at the end reduces liquid and intensifies the flavor.
  • Use very thin slices of raw beef tenderloin to quickly cook in the hot broth, preserving tenderness.
  • Customize toppings to taste for authenticity and personal preference.

Find it online: https://lauracooks.com/authentic-vietnamese-pho-recipe/