Phở Tái (Vietnamese Beef Pho)
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 475kcal
This homemade phở tái has a clear, aromatic beef broth simmered with charred onion and ginger, toasted pho spices, brisket, and beef bones. Serve it with fresh rice noodles, thinly sliced sirloin, brisket, herbs, and your favorite pho toppings.
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Ingredients
Beef Broth
- 3 pounds beef bones, preferable a mix of marrow, knuckle, joint or meaty bones
- 1 pound beef brisket
- 6 quarts water, plus more as needed
- 2 large onions, halved and peeled
- 1 large piece ginger, sliced lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons rock sugar, or granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
- Beef bouillon, optional, to taste
- Pho seasoning, optional, to taste
Pho Spices
- 5 whole star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks, preferably Vietnamese or Saigon
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 black cardamom pod
Noodles and Beef
- Fresh or died banh pho rice noodles, prepared according to the package directions
- 8 ounces sirloin
- Cooked brisket from the broth
For Serving
- Thai basil
- Fresh cilantro
- Bean sprouts
- Thinly sliced green onions
- Thinly sliced onion
- Lime wedges
- Sliced jalapeños or Thai chilies
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha
Instructions
- Parboil the bones. Place the beef bones in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the brisket during the final minute.
- Rinse everything well. Drain the bones and brisket, then rinse them thoroughly under running water to remove any foam and residue. Wash the stockpot before continuing.
- Char the aromatics. Char the onions and ginger over a gas flame until blistered and darkened in spots. You can also broil or air fry them until well charred. Rinse or brush away any loose burnt pieces.
- Toast the spices. Add the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and black cardamom to a dry skillet over low heat. Toast for about 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until very fragrant. Transfer the spices to a spice bag or tea infuser.
- Start the broth. Return the cleaned bones and brisket to the clean stockpot. Add 6 quarts fresh water, charred onion and ginger, rock sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a very gentle simmer.
- Simmer gently. Simmer uncovered or partially covered for about 3 to 5 hours, skimming away foam whenever it appears. Add hot water as needed if the broth reduces too much.
- Remove the brisket. After about 1½ hours, check the brisket. When tender, remove it from the broth and set it aside to cool. Refrigerate if you won't be serving the pho soon.
- Add the spices. During the last 1 hour of simmering, add the toasted spice bag. Avoid simmering the spices for the entire cooking time, which can make the broth overly strong or bitter.
- Strain the broth. Remove the bones, onions, ginger, and spice bag. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot.
- Season to taste. Add the fish sauce, then taste and adjust with additional salt, fish sauce, or sugar as needed. If using beef bouillon or pho seasoning, add a small amount at a time until the broth has the beef flavor and seasoning you like.
- Prepare the beef. Place the sirloin in the freezer for about 20–30 minutes, just until firm enough to slice easily. Using a sharp knife, slice it paper-thin against the grain. Thinly slice the cooked brisket.
- Prepare the noodles. Cook or blanch the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water, and drain well.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide the noodles and sliced brisket among serving bowls. For more cooked tai, dip the thinly sliced sirloin into boiling water for a few seconds before adding it to the bowls.
- Serve. Bring the broth back to a very hot temperature and ladle it over the noodles and beef. Serve immediately with Thai basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, green onions, sliced onion, lime, chilies, hoisin, and sriracha.
Notes
- Beef bones: You don't need one exact type. A combination of marrow or meaty bones and collagen-rich knuckle or joint bones makes a flavorful broth with good body.
- Keep the broth clear: Parboil and thoroughly rinse the bones, clean the pot, and keep the fresh broth at a very gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
- Toast the spices: Heat them only until fragrant. Burnt spices can make the broth bitter.
- Add the spices later: I add the spice bag during the final 1 to 1½ hours so the broth stays balanced and the spices don't overpower the beef.
- Sirloin: Partially freezing the beef for 20–30 minutes makes it much easier to slice paper-thin.
- Noodles: Preparation varies by brand, so follow the package directions. Rinse after cooking to help prevent sticking.
- Season at the end: Fish sauce, bouillon, pho seasoning, salt, and sugar are easiest to balance once the broth has finished reducing.
- Storage: Refrigerate broth separately from noodles and toppings for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the strained broth for up to 3 months for best quality.
Nutrition
Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 1517mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg
