Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
We're working to fix a technical issue causing problems with our broadcasts. We'll have it resolved as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Pho, the Nectar of Vietnamese Street Vendors

Tom Bauer

December 15th, 2013: Greg and Jon paint in broad strokes an adaptation of Mai Pham's recipe for the Vietnamese soup, pho. Along with beef broth and thinly-sliced beef, this pho is made from from fresh ginger, onion, star anise, cloves, Vietnamese fish sauce, sugar, rice stick noodles, scallions, cilantro, yellow onion, bean sprouts, chilies, basil and lime.

http://www.thebakingwizard.com/

The recipe here (adapted) is from one of Greg Patent's favorite cookbooks, "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" by Mai Pham (HarperCollins, 2001).

Vietnamese Pho Rice Noodle Soup with Beef

This beef noodle soup, a meal in itself, has two starring roles: Rice noodles and homemade beef broth. The noodles, known as rice sticks or Banh Pho, come in 1-pound bags and in various widths. Choose narrow rather than wide noodles. The broth, made with hunks of beef chuck and marrow or knuckle bones, is flavored with star anise, ginger, sugar and Vietnamese fish sauce. It needs about three hours of simmering to extract the beefy taste, so if you're pressed for time, I advise preparing it a day or so ahead and refrigerating it. It'll keep a good three days.

The broth must be clear, not muddy. To achieve that, make sure you cook the meat and bones as described. When ready to serve, bring the broth to a rolling boil and have the hot cooked noodles awaiting their beefy bath in preheated soup bowls. The garnishes should all be on the table when the soup arrives.

Mai Pham says that the secret to great pho is to serve it in very large bowls - one quart capacity or larger - with lots of broth. Allow 1 part noodles to 3 parts broth. I sometimes add a handful of fresh baby spinach leaves to the soup bowl just before ladling in the steaming broth.

Broth:

5 pounds beef marrow or knuckle bones or a combination

2 to 3 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of visible fat, and cut into 2 pieces

2 pieces fresh ginger, each about 3 inches long, unpeeled, cut in half lengthwise

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and halved

10 whole star anise

8 whole cloves

1/4 cup fish sauce (nuoc mam)

3 ounces palm sugar or 5 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon salt

Noodles and fresh beef:

1 pound dried rice sticks

1/2 pound beef sirloin, partially frozen, then sliced paper thin across the grain

Garnishes:

1 yellow onion, halved and sliced paper thin

4 scallions, sliced thin

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 pound fresh bean sprouts

3 fresh red chilies, seeded and sliced thin

Fresh basil leaves, if available

2 or 3 limes, cut into wedges

To make the broth, put the bones and beef into a very large stockpot (about 10 quarts) and add cold water to cover the beef. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil vigorously for 5 full minutes. You'll see a huge amount of scum rise to the surface. Set a large colander in the sink and dump the contents of the pot into it. Rinse the bones and beef well with hot water to wash off any clinging scum.

Wash the stockpot and add back the beef and bones. Add 6 quarts of cold water and set the pot over medium heat. Slowly bring the water to a simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary. If any scum forms, remove it with a skimmer.

Meanwhile, put the ginger and onions into a large heavy skillet over medium high heat and cook, turning the pieces occasionally, until the ginger and onions are charred but not cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Don't burn them. Add to the stockpot along with the star anise, cloves, fish sauce, sugar and salt. Continue simmering until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours (or more if meat pieces are large).

Remove one piece of tender chuck from the pot and set it aside to cool. Then cut into thin slices to serve with the pho. Leave the remaining chuck in the pot and keep cooking the broth at a slow simmer for another hour or two. It should be crystal clear and have a lovely light brown color. Taste the broth. It should be faintly anisey and only slightly sweet with a background gingeriness. If it seems salty, don't be alarmed; once added to the noodles and garnishes the seasoning will be balanced. If not salty enough, add more to taste.

At this point, strain the broth and return it to the stockpot. If you want to make the pho in a day or two, cool the broth completely uncovered, then cover and refrigerate.

For the noodles, put them into a large bowl and cover them with lots of cool water. They can remain in the water for a couple of hours.

When ready to serve, pour off the water and cover the noodles with abundant boiling water. The noodles will cook very quickly, in less than 1 minute.

To serve: Have all garnishes in bowls at the table. Bring the beef broth to a rolling boil. Drain the cooked noodles and divide them into large soup bowls. Add slices of cooked and raw beef. Ladle 2 to 3 cups of broth into each bowl. The broth will cook the raw beef instantly. Bring to the table and have guests add garnishes as desired. Squeeze on the lime juice. Don't be shy. You want the lime flavor to come through.

• Makes 6 main dish servings.

Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information
Related Content
  • August 18th, 2013: Greg and Jon revisit one of their very first "Food Guys" topics: "Follow-the-Sun Pickles." Cucumbers, spices and liquid are stuffed…
  • August 25th, 2013: Jon and Greg praise the seasonal Montana peach, and Greg explains how to make peach galette, a "sheet of thin, buttery pastry topped…
  • September 1st, 2013: Greg and Jon give free-form instructions for simple tomato sauce, using fresh, flavorful tomatoes of the season. Freeze enough of it…
  • September 8th, 2013: If an abundance of corn on the cob has left you indifferent to one of summer's highlights, Jon and Greg are ready with suggestions:…
  • Whether it's cute and spring-green or three feet long and perfect for batting practice, Greg and Jon have suggestions for how to cook or bake the zucchini…
  • September 29th, 2013: Jon and Greg discuss a New York Times piece by Mark Bittman on the practice of giving prophylactic doses of antibiotics to…
  • September 22nd, 2013: Jon and Greg open with a quote from Julia Child - "It is hard to imagine a civilization without onions" - then go on to recommend…
  • October 6th, 2013: “Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness” ~Jane AustenJon and Greg's annual homage to apples includes a…
  • October 13th, 2013: This week, Jon and Greg discuss: eating habits; holidays; familial mealtime and cooking patterns; foods pushed on kids; turkey as an…
  • Greg and Jon advise how to pick a ripe pineapple, why to stick to the fresh kind, and how you'll benefit from eating it.Pineapple originated in an area…
  • October 27th, 2013: Jon and Greg discuss a recent New York Times opinion piece by Jo Robinson called "Breeding the Nutrition Out of Our Food," which…
  • November 3rd, 2013: Greg and Jon reveals the foods that they detested, then came to enjoy: pizza, rhubarb, and organ meats.
  • November 10th, 2013: Jon and Greg distinguish the traditional Italian focaccia, which is not unlike pizza crust, from the fluffy stuff Americans call…
  • Food Guy Greg Patent, a.k.a. The Baking Wizard, points out the sticky spots involved in baking this classic French apple Tart Tatin: Tarte Tatin (adapted…
  • Food Guy Greg Patent describes how to roast a 3-5 pound butterflied whole chicken, basted with herb-garlic-butter paste: To butterfly a chicken, you'll…
  • December 1st, 2013: Greg and Jon discuss a November 2011 article in Food Safety News by Andrew Schneider, titled "Tests Show Most Store Honey Isn't Honey;…
  • December 8th, 2013: Jon and Greg lament a lack of accuracy on food labels, tying the problem to imprecise measuring. Greg recommends looking for…
  • December 22nd, 2013: Jon and Greg suggest three ways to cook leftover frozen duck breasts. Greg's easy method: sauté the breasts, then reduce them with…