House Pho Recipe

Blanch bones

Place beef bones and oxtail (if using) in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat for 10 minutes. Skim and discard the gray scum that rises, then drain bones and rinse under warm water to remove impurities. Clean the pot.

Char aromatics

While bones are blanching, cut the onions in half (keeping skins on) and split the ginger lengthwise. Char the onion halves and ginger over an open flame, in a broiler, or in a dry skillet until nicely blackened on the cut surfaces (about 5-10 minutes). This adds depth and a faint smoky note.

Toast spices

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast star anise, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and coriander seeds for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Transfer toasted spices into a piece of cheesecloth or a spice infuser and tie securely to make a spice sachet.

Simmer broth

Return cleaned bones to the large, cleaned stockpot and add 6 liters of fresh water. Add the charred onion and ginger, the spice sachet, rock sugar, and 2 tbsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer (not full boil) and maintain a gentle simmer for 4 to 6 hours, partially covered. Occasionally skim any foam or impurities from the surface.

Season broth

After simmering 4-6 hours, remove bones and strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Discard solids and the spice sachet. Add fish sauce (6 tbsp) and taste; add additional salt or fish sauce to balance (up to 1-2 tbsp more if needed). If desired, add 1 tsp beef bouillon concentrate for extra umami. Keep broth hot over low heat until serving.

Make meatball mixture (if making fresh)

If using homemade meatballs: combine 1 lb ground beef, minced shallot, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Mix gently until combined but not overworked. Using wet hands, form into 12 uniform 1.5-inch meatballs.

Cook meatballs

Bring a small pot of water to a simmer. Gently poach formed meatballs for 6-8 minutes until cooked through and springy. Remove to a plate and keep warm, or place into the hot finished broth to heat through before serving. (If using store-bought meatballs, reheat in simmering broth for 3-5 minutes.)

Prepare raw beef slices

For the raw beef eye of round: to enable very thin slicing, place the beef in the freezer for 20-30 minutes until slightly firm but not frozen solid. Using a sharp knife, slice across the grain as thinly as possible (paper-thin). Keep refrigerated until assembly. The hot broth will gently cook these slices in the bowl.

Prepare rice noodles

Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with very hot (just-boiled) water. Soak according to package directions (usually 6-10 minutes) until tender but still slightly chewy. Drain and rinse briefly under warm water to prevent sticking. For quick service, you can briefly dip noodles in boiling water for 10-15 seconds right before assembling bowls to reheat.

Assemble bowls

Divide the drained noodles among 4 serving bowls (about 4 oz cooked noodles per bowl). Arrange slices of raw beef on top of the noodles (about 4 oz per bowl). Add 3 cooked meatballs per bowl. Scatter a few slices of thin white onion over the meat. Ladle the piping-hot broth (about 3 cups per bowl) directly over the raw beef and meatballs. The hot broth will gently poach the raw beef to medium-rare/medium.

Garnish and serve

Serve each bowl with a plate of bean sprouts, Thai basil, cilantro, mint (if using), sliced chilies, and lime wedges. Offer hoisin and Sriracha on the side. Diners squeeze lime, add bean sprouts and herbs, and mix sauces to taste.