Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Pho is something that I've wanted to tackle since starting this channel. A good bowl of pho, be it beef pho or beef brisket pho, is transcendent. It has the ability to satisfy your craving, warm your soul, AND eradicate a hangover all at the same time. I knew that I wanted to do right by it. So it's not until now, after 5 years of making cooking videos and 10+ hours of slurping noodles at local shops, that I feel ready to share my easy beef pho recipe with you.

It's incredible how much one can learn by spending just a couple of hours in a professional kitchen. This recipe and the techniques used in the video were largely informed by a mixture of watching the dudes at Phodega work and my own experience. Whether you're craving a classic pho beef noodle soup or a Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup, what I ended up with is something absolutely DANK, and I'm proud to share this with y'all. I hope that you guys dig it. And for those searching for "beef pho near me" or "pho con bo," be sure to give this recipe a try – you won't be disappointed! You're a beast. 🤘🏼 Adam

P.S. HUGE thanks to the dudes over at Phodega here in Chicago for letting me in your place and showing me some tricks of the trade, like how to choose the perfect steak for pho or create the best beef pho broth. If you're ever here, you gotta check Phodega out.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR PHO BO BOWL

LAYER NOODLES WITH SLICED ONIONS, BRISKET SLICES, HALVED MEATBALLS, AND CHOPPED SCALLIONS

& POUR OVER BROTH AND NESTLE IN THINLY RAW SLICED BRISKET

If you’re looking for dried noodles for this recipe, these are what I recommend.

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Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Ingredients

• 2-4 pounds Beef Brisket Flat
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 5-inch knob of Ginger
• 8 pounds Beef Bones
• 2 tsp Black Peppercorns
• 2 tsp Fennel Seed
• 2 tsp Coriander Seed
• 3 Black Cardamom Pods
• 6 Green Cardamom Pods
• 5 Cloves
• 5 Star Anise
• 2 sticks of Cinnamon
• ¼ cup Rock Sugar *see note
• ¼ cup Kosher Salt
• 1 Tbsp MSG
• 1 pound (16oz) Rice Vermicelli *see note
• 1 pound Beef Eye of Round, sliced thin
• 6 Vietnamese Meatballs *see note
• Fish Sauce, to taste
• Garnish Plate *see note

Instructions

1. The day before you plan to serve the pho, add all of the bones and brisket to a large stockpot and cover with 2 inches of water. Add in a hefty pinch of salt and bring the water to a simmer. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, skimming off all of the scum and gunk that floats to the top. Remove the brisket, rinse it off, pat it dry and store it in the fridge overnight. Set the bones aside and pour off the gunky water. Rinse the bones under water and clean out the pot. Add the bones back to the pot, cover with 5-6 inches of water and bring to a simmer. Allow the bones to cook for 18-24 hours on low heat.
2. The following day, preheat the oven to 425F (218c). Put a whole onion and ginger on a tray and roast for 45 minutes until noticeably soft and takes on color.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium pan over medium heat, add black peppercorns, fennel seed, coriander seed, black cardamom, green cardamom, clove, star anise and cinnamon. Toast the spices until they begin to smell fragrant, then add them to the stock. Remove the blanched brisket from the fridge and add it to the stock, too.
4. Remove the roasted ginger and onion from the oven and take off the skin making sure to remove any blackened char marks. Use a meat tenderizer to smash the ginger into a flattened pulp and slice the softened onion in half and add both to the stock.
5. Season the stock by adding the salt, rock sugar and MSG. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then simmer the stock for 2 ½ to 3 hours, until the brisket is tender. Be sure to skim off any excess scum that rises to the top throughout the cooking process.
6. Remove the cooked brisket from the soup and remove most of the solids from the stock. Strain the remaining stock through a fine mesh strainer into either another stockpot or a clean container(s) for storage.
7. To serve, add a portion of cooked rice noodles to a large bowl, top with sliced cooked brisket, raw eye of round, 2-3 meatballs sliced into halves, thinly sliced raw onion, chopped cilantro and chopped scallion. Pour 2 cups of soup over the bowl and serve with hoisin, sriracha and a garnish plate on the side (see note).

Adam's Notes

• The garnish plate for this recipe consists of Thai basil, cilantro, mint, bean sprouts, limes, jalapenos (or birds eye peppers)
• Rock sugar is common in Asian markets. Rock sugar is more interesting than classic white sugar in terms of taste. If you can’t find rock, sub it out for regular white sugar.
• Rice noodles come in fully-dried packages, but if you live near a Vietnamese/Asian market and can find any fresh and/or frozen noodles, then I recommend using those.
• Make slicing easier by sticking the eye of round in the freezer for 45 minutes before cutting into it. The meat will firm up and make it easier for you to get really thin pieces.
• I prefer to use a mixture of joint (neck) and marrow bones (femur) for a balanced stock. The marrow bones give a certain richness where the meaty neck bones add lots of beef flavor. Both add collagen which gives the stock body.
• Be sure to toast your spices and smash your roasted ginger for a full-flavored stock. It does make a difference.
• Seasoning the broth towards the final few hours of cooking allows you to taste and adjust seasoning throughout the end of the cooking process. If your broth tastes flat, don’t be afraid to add more salt, sugar and/or MSG.
• Get the full Vietnamese Meatball recipe here.

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