Pho Broth Food

THE SECRET TO THE TASTIEST BEEF PHO BROTH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Rinse the bones and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
• Lay the bones in a baking tray and roast in the oven until the edges are nicely browned.
• Spread the spices in another baking sheet and roast in the oven until nicely charred.
• Dump the bones and spices into a pot and pour in four liters of water.
• Pour in a quarter cup of fish sauce.
• Bring to the boil. Allow to boil, uncovered, for about ten minutes.
• Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about three hours or until the liquid is reduced by half.
• Taste the broth occasionally and add more fish sauce, as needed.

AUTHENTIC PHO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Place beef bones on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until browned, about 1 hour.
• Place onion on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until blackened and soft, about 45 minutes.
• Place bones, onion, ginger, salt, star anise, and fish sauce in a large stockpot and cover with 4 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer on low for 6 to 10 hours. Strain the broth into a saucepan and set aside.
• Place rice noodles in large bowl filled with room temperature water and allow to soak for 1 hour. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and after the noodles have soaked, place them in the boiling water for 1 minute. Bring stock to a simmer.
• Divide noodles among 4 serving bowls; top with sirloin, cilantro, and green onion. Pour hot broth over the top. Stir and let sit until the beef is partially cooked and no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and chile-garlic sauce on the side.

BEEF PHO

Steps:

• Make the broth: Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Toss the beef shanks, onions, ginger and garlic with the vegetable oil on a rimmed baking sheet and season generously with salt. Roast, turning once halfway through, until the meat and vegetables are slightly charred, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a large pot.
• Meanwhile, toast the cinnamon sticks, star anise pods and peppercorns in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, 5 minutes.
• Add the beef broth, 2 quarts water, the toasted spices and the fish sauce to the pot with the beef shanks. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, skimming off any foam that rises to the top, until the meat is tender, 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the beef shanks to a cutting board; strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into another large pot. (The broth can be made up to 2 days ahead; let cool, then refrigerate in a covered container.)
• Shred the meat from the shanks with two forks, discarding any bits of cartilage, then stir back into the broth. Discard the bones.
• Cook the noodles as the label directs. Divide the broth and shredded meat among bowls, then add the noodles and roast beef. Top with the bean sprouts, basil, jalapenos and red onion; serve with hoisin sauce and/or Sriracha.

QUICK BEEF PHO

Steps:

• For the Pho Stock: Add the beef base and 1 quart water to a 2-quart (1.9-L) saucepan and bring to a low boil. Add the fish sauce, sugar, ginger, onion and salt to the stock and reduce the heat to a simmer. Wrap the cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it into a satchel. Add the satchel to the broth and simmer for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 45 minutes.
• Around the 30 minute mark, taste the broth to see that the spice flavors have been extracted, and adjust seasonings if necessary. Strain the aromatics and satchel from the broth, return to a sauce pot, and reserve for assembly.
• For the assembly: Bring the broth back to a simmer. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Using a sieve or basket, quickly dip the noodles into the water until they are hot and al dente, 10 to 20 seconds. Drain the excess water from the noodles and distribute the noodles between 4 bowls.
• Top each bowl with some sliced beef, basil, bean sprouts, cilantro, jalapeno, scallions and onion, or as each person wishes. Ladle in enough broth to cover the ingredients in the bowl. Garnish with a lime wedge. I like to serve pho with Sriracha and hoisin sauce.

BEEF PHO

Steps:

• Tip the beef stock along with 500ml of water into a large saucepan. Sit the onion and ginger in a frying pan over a high heat and char on all sides, around 3-5 mins (you can also do this under your grill). Once charred, add to the beef stock. In the same pan, toast the spices for 2-3 mins and once they begin to smell fragrant, add them to the beef stock as well. Bring the stock to the boil, then turn to a simmer and cook for 30mins before straining.
• Meanwhile, cut the fat from the steak and wrap in cling film, then put into the freezer for 15 mins - this will make your steak really easy to slice! Slice it thinly, then cover with cling film again and pop into the fridge.
• Taste the beef stock and use the palm sugar, fish sauce and soy to season. Cook the noodles according to package instructions and split between two bowls, topping each with the sliced beef. Bring the stock to the boil and then pour into the bowls (the heat will cook the beef). Top each with the spring onions, chilli slices and herbs. Serve with the lime wedges to squeeze over.

SIMPLE VEGETARIAN PHO BROTH

Steps:

• Scorch the onion and ginger by holding the pieces above a flame with tongs, or in a dry frying pan if using an electric stove. Turn the pieces until they are scorched black in places on all sides. Slice the ginger lengthwise.
• Combine the scorched onion and ginger with the water, leeks, turnips, carrots, mushroom stems or dried shiitakes, garlic, lemon grass, salt to taste and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Tie the spices in a cheesecloth bag and add to the soup. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the fish sauce if using, and simmer for another hour (2 hours total, with or without the fish sauce). Strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Taste and adjust salt and sugar.