Homemade Beef Pho
One of our favorite comfort foods while living in Seattle was Pho. There was no better way to cozy up, than with this traditional Vietnamese broth and noodle dish. We always had the veggie pho, as there was no halal option. But I’ve been wanting to try making my own homemade beef pho.
If you follow me on Instagram ( @AmandasPlate) you know how long the broth making process took… about 12 hours. And honestly, I could have simmered the broth longer, but we were hungry and that is what I had planned to make for dinner.
I did receive some messages from people suggesting getting an Instant Pot, as the broth would have been done in about an hour. But I really do not want to get another large appliance and I don’t really mind waiting. Great things take time and it is part of this rewarding process called cooking.
I found several similar recipes online and ultimately combined two that I found on Serious Eats and All Recipes. The difference with the two were some spices and I love a punch of flavor so I used them all.
The broth starts with beef stew bones. You can either sear them or roast them in the oven. I decided to roast them, as my pot was not large enough to sear at once, and I need to be hands free and available for little Hannah Bear.
In the traditional preparation (I think I saw this on travel channel) the onions and ginger are charred on an open flame on the stove top. This char brings out a caramelization in the veg and helps bring a rich depth to the broth. I roasted the onions and ginger with the beef stew bones and it works great!
- 2 large onions
- 6 inch piece of ginger, split in half
- 3 pounds beef stew bones
- 3 whole star anise pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 4 cloves
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons rock sugar (granulated works too)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (diamond crystal is best)
- To Serve
- pho rice noodles (I used 1/4 inch thick)
- 1 pound beef flank steak, thinly sliced
- 2 cups fresh herbs (thai basil, mint, cilantro)
- 2 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- thai chilis, sliced thin
- 2-3 limes
- sriarcha, hoisin and chili paste
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the beef stew bones on a sheet tray. Place in oven and roast for 30 minutes. Add the onion and ginger to the sheet tray and roast for another 45 minutes, until bones and onions are browned.
- In a large stock pot, place the beef bones, onions and ginger and cover with cold water. Add star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, fish sauce, rock sugar and kosher salt to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and allow to simmer.
- Simmer for 6-12 hours, skimming any impurities from the top of the pot.
- Strain the broth into a saucepan and set aside.
- Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions. I soaked my noodles in a bowl for one hour, then drain. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and placed the the noodles into the large pot.
- Bring broth to a rolling simmer.
- Place thinly sliced flank steak into your serving bowls. Pour the broth overtop (this will cook the meat, alternatively, you can cook the steak in oil for 1-2 minutes)
- Place the rice noodles in the bowl and top with cilantro, thai basil. mint, bean sprouts, green onions, chills and sriracha.
- Enjoy!
Make this recipe? I’d love to see! Tag me using #CreateAmandasPlate or @AmandasPlate!
Xoxo,
