Phở bò Recipe (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
Vietnamese beef noodle soup, or phở bò, is a fragrant and flavorful dish that has won the hearts of food lovers all over the world. In this post, let's learn how to make it!
Print
Pin
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 969kcal
Equipment
- Oven
- Large pot
- Pan
- Tongs
- Ladle
- Spice Bag
Ingredients
- 1.1 pounds beef heel muscle
- 1.1 pounds beef bones
- 0.44 pounds Vietnamese beef balls
- 0.7 ounces ginger
- 1 ounce shallots
- 2 onions
- 2 lemongrass stalks
- Serving herbs: Bean sprouts, scallions, rice paddy herb, cilantro, culantro, onion, peppermint, and Thai basil
- Serving condiments: Hoisin sauce, chili sauce, Vietnamese sate sauce, lime, chili pepper
- 1.1 pounds fresh or dried phở noodles
- Aromatics: Cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, dried onions, and dried ginger
- 1.8 ounces rock sugar
- 6 teaspoons soup powder
- 6 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Wash and dry vegetables, herbs, beef heel muscle, and beef bones. Cut lime and chili pepper. Chop scallions and cilantro (leaving roots intact). Halve one onion, thinly slice the other and smash lemongrass stalks.
- Add the lemongrass and scallions to a pot of boiling water. Boil the water together with the aromatics for 3 minutes.
- Add the beef bones and beef heel muscle to the pot. Cook the beef for 3 minutes. Transfer the ingredients to a bowl of cold water and clean them well. Bake the beef bones, the onion that you cut in half, shallots, and ginger at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.
- Add the aromatics and cilantro roots to a heated pan. Roast them for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Wait for the spices to cool, and add them to a spice bag. Soak the spice bag in warm water for 30 minutes.
- Pour water into a pot and add the beef bones, beef heel muscle, onions, shallots, and ginger. Stew for 2 hours over medium heat. Season the broth with a little salt and rock sugar.
- Skim the broth frequently. At the 30-minute mark, add the spice bag to the pot.
- After 1 hour and 30 minutes, remove the beef heel muscle from the pot. Put the beef in cold water to prevent browning. Add the beef balls and cook them for 15 minutes on low heat.
- Remove all ingredients except for the beef bones from the pot.
- Season the broth with more rock sugar and soup powder.
- Slice the beef heel muscle and cut the beef balls in half.
- Blanch the phở noodles in boiled water. Add a little cooking oil to prevent the noodles from clumping.
- Arrange the accompanying herbs and condiments on different plates. In a bowl, top noodles with beef slices and balls, then pour over broth. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, sliced onions, pepper, and chili (optional).
Video
Notes
- The total time is based on 4 servings.
- Keeping the broth clear is very important for making authentic phở bò. To achieve a clear broth, skim it frequently during cooking and keep the pot uncovered.
- To prevent the broth from tasting too beef-like, follow all the steps carefully.
- Don't let the spice bags sit in the pot for too long, as the aromatics can intensify the broth's taste a little too much.
- Some people might also add pork bones to the stock pot. Personally, I don't like doing so as I find the taste to be a bit off.
- You can add more water to the pot during stewing and adjust the seasonings to your taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 969kcal | Carbohydrates: 128g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 3616mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 6mg