Rare Steak, Tendon & Meatballs Recipe

Char aromatics

Place the halved onion (cut side down) and ginger on a dry skillet over medium-high heat or directly over a gas flame. Char until blackened in spots, about 6–8 minutes, turning as needed. Remove and set aside.

Toast spices

In the same dry skillet, toast star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods over medium heat until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan to avoid burning.

In a large stockpot, combine beef bone broth and water. Add the charred onion and ginger, toasted spices, rock sugar, fish sauce, kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes to allow the aromatics to infuse the broth. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce or salt as needed. Keep broth hot while you prepare other components.

Prepare tendon

If using raw tendon: add tendon to the simmering broth at the start of the 30-minute simmer and simmer until tender, 1–2 hours (depending on cut). If using pre-cooked tender tendon, heat in the hot broth for 10–15 minutes until warmed through, then remove and slice into bite-sized pieces.

Make meatballs (optional, if using fresh)

In a bowl, combine ground beef, minced shallot, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Mix just until combined (avoid overworking). Form into 8 even meatballs. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown meatballs on all sides, 4–5 minutes, then transfer to the hot broth and simmer for 8–10 minutes until cooked through. Alternatively, poach raw meatballs directly in gently simmering broth for 8–10 minutes.

Prepare rare steak

Freeze the steak for 20–30 minutes to make slicing easier. Using a very sharp knife, slice the steak as thinly as possible across the grain. Keep the slices chilled and covered until assembly. To serve rare, the hot broth will cook the thin slices briefly when ladled over them.

Prepare noodles per package instructions: typically soak dried rice noodles in hot (not boiling) water for 6–8 minutes until pliable but still slightly firm, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. For wider noodles or fresh rice noodles, follow package timing. Reheat briefly in hot water before serving if needed.

Divide drained noodles among 4 serving bowls (about 3 oz noodles per bowl). Arrange several slices of the raw steak on top of the noodles, add 2 meatballs per bowl, and a few pieces of prepared tendon.

Bring the broth to a rolling simmer. Ladle very hot broth directly over the steak slices, meatballs and tendon in each bowl so the steak cooks to rare/medium-rare (about 20–40 seconds for very thin slices). Ensure meatballs and tendon are fully submerged and heated through.

Top each bowl with sliced scallions and chopped cilantro. Serve with Thai basil, bean sprouts, sliced chiles, lime wedges, hoisin and sriracha on the side so diners can customize.

Optional finishing: add extra fish sauce or a pinch of salt if the broth needs more seasoning, and cracked black pepper to taste.