P1. Special Pho (rare Beef, Beef Ball, Beef Brisket) Recipe

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place onion halves and ginger (cut side up) on a baking sheet and char in the oven 20–25 minutes until deeply browned at edges; alternatively char over an open flame until blackened. Set aside.

Blanch bones and short ribs: place beef bones, short ribs (if using) and brisket in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water (about 4 L). Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and boil vigorously 10 minutes to remove impurities.

Drain the pot and thoroughly rinse bones, meat and the pot under running water to remove scum. Return cleaned bones and brisket to the pot and add fresh 4 L cold water.

Add charred onion and ginger to the pot. Tie the spice sachet (see next section) in a piece of cheesecloth or use a tea infuser and add to the pot. Season with 1 tbsp coarse salt and 1 tbsp rock sugar.

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low so the broth barely simmers (small bubbles). Skim foam occasionally during the first 45 minutes. Simmer for 3–4 hours for a clean, rich broth; for deeper flavor simmer up to 6 hours. Do not boil hard.

During the last 45 minutes, add 6 tbsp fish sauce and adjust salt to taste. Continue to simmer gently.

Remove bones and large solids. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pot or large bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce or a pinch of salt or sugar if needed. Keep broth very hot until serving.

While the broth simmers, reserve the cooked brisket from the pot, cool slightly and refrigerate or keep warm. Slice thinly across the grain to serve.

Toast whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant and slightly darker (about 1–2 minutes). Be careful not to burn them.

Place toasted spices (coriander seeds, peppercorns, cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon) into a small square of cheesecloth or a reusable spice infuser, tie securely and add to the broth when you add the charred onion and ginger (see Broth directions).

If using pre-cooked beef meatballs, warm them in the hot broth for 3–5 minutes before serving so they heat through. If raw, cook them in simmering broth until fully cooked (internal 160°F/71°C).

For rare beef slices: freeze the beef lightly for 20–30 minutes to firm, then using a very sharp knife slice as thinly as possible across the grain. Keep chilled until ready to assemble.

For brisket: after simmering in the broth until tender, remove and slice thinly across the grain. Reheat slices briefly in hot broth when assembling bowls.

Prepare noodles according to package instructions: soak or briefly cook in boiling water. For dried pho noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil, add noodles and cook 30 seconds to 3 minutes depending on thickness until just tender but not mushy. Drain and rinse briefly under running hot water to remove excess starch and prevent sticking. Shake off excess water.

To assemble each bowl (serves 4 total): divide cooked noodles between 4 warmed bowls (about 3 oz dried noodles per serving).

Arrange proteins on top: a portion of thinly sliced raw/rare beef (about 2 oz per bowl), 2–3 slices of brisket, and 1–2 beef meatballs halved.

Ladle very hot (near boiling) strained broth over the arranged meat and noodles, pouring enough to submerge the raw beef so it cooks to rare/medium-rare from the heat (about 20–30 seconds). Ensure each bowl gets equal amounts of solids and liquid.

Serve each bowl with garnishes: a handful of bean sprouts, several sprigs of Thai basil, a few cilantro leaves, thinly sliced chilies, and lime wedges on the side.

Offer hoisin and Sriracha at the table. Add thinly sliced red onion or shallot sparingly for bite. Encourage diners to squeeze lime, add sprouts and herbs, and mix sauces to taste.

Leftover broth: cool quickly and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.