Pho - Southern Style- Recipe

beef bones

🥗Healthier: chicken bones

💰Cheaper: pork bones

Chicken bones provide a lighter broth, while pork bones are often more affordable.

beef brisket

🥗Healthier: lean beef

💰Cheaper: flank steak

Lean beef reduces fat content, while flank steak is a budget-friendly cut.

fish sauce

🥗Healthier: soy sauce

💰Cheaper: salt

Soy sauce is a vegetarian alternative, while salt is a basic substitute.

rice noodles

🥗Healthier: zucchini noodles

💰Cheaper: pasta

Zucchini noodles lower carbs, while pasta is often less expensive.

Start with beef bones, preferably with marrow, using a ratio of 2 pounds of bones for every gallon of water.

Blanch the bones by boiling them for about 8 to 15 minutes until scum and foam appear.

Remove the bones from the water, discard the water, and wash the bones thoroughly under running water to clean them.

Put the cleaned bones back into a clean pot with new water and boil them for a long time, preferably 8 hours on low heat.

If short on time, use a pressure cooker, but note it limits batch size.

After cooking the bones overnight, add a large piece of beef shank for additional flavor, cooking it for about 1.5 to 2 hours until cooked through.

Cool the cooked beef shank quickly in ice water to maintain its color and prevent it from turning gray.

Char onions and ginger in a hot pan or with a torch until deeply charred.

Toast spices (cinnamon, fennel seeds, black cardamom, star anise, coriander, and black pepper) until fragrant, then add them to the pot with the broth.

Add the charred onions, ginger, salt, sugar, MSG, and fish sauce to the broth.

Taste the broth every 30 minutes, adjusting ingredients as necessary, and strain it when ready.

Skim off excess beef fat if desired, but it's optional.

Prepare garnishes: mix sliced white onion, sliced green onion, and chopped cilantro together.

Assemble the garnishing tray with bean sprouts, herbs (Thai basil, cilantro, rice paddy herb, sawtooth coriander), lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and chopped chili.

Cut beef balls and add them to the broth to heat up along with shaved beef shank and raw sliced beef.

Soak green onion bottoms in hot water for a few seconds.

Use a steamer basket to warm the flat rice noodles, then place them in a bowl.

Top the noodles with shaved beef shank, raw sliced beef, and the onion mix, then ladle in the hot broth.

Serve with hoisin sauce, lime, bean sprouts, and herbs, allowing customization with dipping sauces.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary