Best Beef Pho Recipe

This Pho Recipe works!!!

Prep Time10

Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: authentic pho, Beef pho, best pho

6 lbs beef bones some with meat I used marrow, femur, and neck. The neck will give some good meat for the soup
3 lbs eye of round
3 lbs brisket, bottom round, whole shank muscle, or mock tender braising meat that can be sliced
1 lbs ginger halved lengthwise
3 medium yellow onions halved
2 carrot halved lengthwise

12 star anise
6 cinnamon sticks or 12-15 grams Use good cinnamon. It should be thin like bark not the hard sticks. Vietnamese if you can find it.
15 whole clove
2 tbsp fennel seeds
4 tsp coriander seeds
2 black cardamom
4 green cardamom
10 black pepper (optional)
3-4 tbsp rock palm sugar or regular sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce (optional) I liked it better without it but it adds some umami but also some bitterness
4-5 tbsp vegetarian seasoning or 2 tablespoons MSG this is very important, read above, can't make it without one or the other. It give the umami and mouthfeel you need!
salt and vegetable seasoning to adjust. the broth should be a little salty because you are adding a lot of noodles and other goodies.

Bring a gallon of water to a boil. Blanche the bones for 5 minutes. Blanch the braising meat and eye of round* 1 minute. This will get some of the impurities out and help make a clearer broth Let it cool and rinse everything off. Throw out blanching water and clean the pot.
Char the cut side of the onions and ginger. I do this over a gas burner but it can also be done under the broiler. Don't char the carrot. Scape of any burnt onion skin and rinse of loose char on the ginger. Lightly smash the ginger so it opens up a little.

Put bones, braising meat, salt, and vegetables in the water and bring to a very low simmer. Just little bubbles. Simmer for 3-4 hours until the braising meat can easily be penetrated with a skewer or knife. Add eye of round for about 3 minutes. Remove the bones and veggies and let them cool. You can also strain the broth but you can also wait until the end to strain.
Wrap the spices in a cheese cloth or you can just strain them out later. Simmer on low for another hour with the spices, fish sauce and sugar.
When your broth is just about done adjust the salt. Make your broth a little salty because you are going to add a lot of noodles and condiments. Don't be afraid it is very important to be a little salty. It may take a couple tries to get it right.
Also If you feel the broth isn't flavorful enough add another round of spices. Spices are always different and many times they are old but just add more until you get what you like. This broth takes practice and is not easy but once you master it you will be so satisfied.

you can leave the eye of round raw but for catering I blanche it for 2 reasons 1. it is easier to slice on my slicer 2. the meat doesn't bleed when presented o
This is the most important tip!!! You cannot make Pho without msg or vegetarian seasoning. Don't listen to anybody that says they can!!!