Beef pho recipe for a weekend

This beef pho recipe is built for a weekend: start the broth in the morning, let it simmer gently for six to eight hours, and serve big bowls of phở bò with tender brisket and paper-thin steak for dinner. Most of the time is hands-off, and the result is a broth that tastes like it came from a pho shop.

If you have made the clear, deep pho broth before, this recipe takes it all the way to the table.

Your weekend timeline

• Morning: blanch the bones, char the aromatics, start the simmer.
• Midday: pull the brisket once tender, add the spices later in the afternoon.
• Late afternoon: strain and season the broth, slice the meat, prep the herbs.
• Dinner: cook the noodles and build the bowls.

Ingredients (serves 6 to 8)

For the broth:

• 5 to 6 lb (2.3 to 2.7 kg) beef bones, a mix of knuckle, marrow and oxtail if you can find it
• 1½ lb (680 g) beef brisket in one piece
• 2 large onions and a 4 in (10 cm) piece of ginger, both unpeeled
• 6 quarts (about 5.7 liters) cold water
• Spices: 5 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 cloves, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 black cardamom pod (optional)
• 4 to 5 tbsp fish sauce, 1 to 2 tbsp rock sugar and salt to taste

For the bowls:

• 2 lb (900 g) dried flat rice noodles, or fresh noodles if available
• ¾ lb (340 g) beef eye of round or sirloin, for the thin raw slices
• 1 onion, sliced paper-thin; 4 scallions, sliced; a bunch of cilantro, chopped

For the side plate:

• Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges and sliced chilies
• Culantro (ngò gai) if you can find it
• Hoisin sauce and sriracha, for those who like them

Allergen note: fish sauce contains fish, and hoisin often contains soy and sometimes wheat. Check labels if you are cooking for someone with allergies.

Steps

1. Blanch and rinse. Cover the bones with cold water, boil hard for 10 minutes, then drain. Rinse each bone and scrub the pot.

1. Char the onions and ginger over a flame or under the broiler until blackened in patches, about 10 minutes. Rinse off loose char and slice the ginger.

1. Simmer. Return the bones to the clean pot with the cold water, aromatics and brisket. Bring just to a boil, then turn the heat down to the barest simmer. Skim often for the first half hour.

1. Remove the brisket after 1½ to 2 hours, when a fork slides in easily. Soak it in cold water for 10 minutes to stop it darkening, then wrap and chill.

1. Spice it. About 1½ hours before the end, toast the spices in a dry pan until fragrant and add them in a spice bag. Remove the bag when the aroma is strong but still pleasant.

1. Finish the broth. After 6 to 8 hours total, strain through a fine sieve. Season with fish sauce, rock sugar and salt, a little at a time.

1. Prep the meat. Put the raw steak in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes so it firms up, then slice it as thinly as you can against the grain. Slice the chilled brisket thinly as well.

1. Cook the noodles according to the package, drain, and portion them into warm bowls.

1. Assemble. Top the noodles with brisket and a few slices of raw steak, then onion, scallions and cilantro. Bring the broth to a hard boil and ladle it straight over the raw beef, which cooks in the bowl. Serve with the side plate.

About the thin raw beef

In pho shops, thin raw beef is called tái, and it cooks lightly in the hot broth. The broth must be at a full boil when it goes in the bowl. If you prefer your beef fully cooked, or are serving young children, pregnant guests or anyone who should avoid undercooked meat, dip the slices in the boiling pot for a few seconds first.

Common pho shop cuts

If you want to go further, pho shops offer many cuts:

• Tái: rare thin steak
• Chín: well-done brisket
• Nạm: flank
• Gầu: fatty brisket
• Gân: tendon
• Sách: tripe
• Bò viên: beef meatballs

Tendon takes several hours to turn tender, so add it with the bones if you want to include it.

Northern vs Southern bowls

Northern-style phở bò, associated with Hanoi, is often served simply, with scallions, a squeeze of lime, chili and sometimes garlic vinegar. Southern-style bowls usually come with a generous herb plate, bean sprouts and sauces on the table. Neither is "correct," so serve it the way your table likes. The pho toppings guide explains each one.

Leftovers

Keep broth, noodles, meat and herbs in separate containers. The broth keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes for about 3 months, so a weekend pot can mean an easy weeknight bowl later.

Warm your serving bowls with hot water before you assemble, because a hot bowl keeps the broth hot enough to cook the raw beef properly.