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May 25, 2023

Authentic Pho

I love the broad variety and depth of flavors that you get from many of the ingredients used in Asian recipes. This authentic Pho (I say authentic, trusting the many recipes that I used to combine and create) is not for the staunch 5 ingredient fix fans (I am a fan there, as well, but sometimes love a more complicated challenge), but if you can work with a few more ingredients, this recipe pays its’ weight in gold! If you are a straight 5 ingredient type of cook, try Jamie Oliver’s 5 ingredient recipes for free on his site. You will not be disappointed, but you will not be making Pho! hahaha

Making use of the ingredients

I have had so many people mention to me that they do not want to test into these types of recipes because once they buy the ingredients, they just sit and go bad in the refrigerator or cabinet. To that, I say, look for more recipes that will excite you to use those ingredients up! Planning ahead is key.

My advice: if you are planning to buy x amount of new ingredients and you are not sure you will use them, dig around on Allrecipes or on another recipe app first, searching by ingredients. You will find other recipes with that some of the same ingredients to see if you may be able to re-use for something else. If nothing appeals to you…move on. You will find something else in your wheelhouse! If you can find 2-3 recipes you can make within the next 10 -20 days that use some of the same, new, exciting stuff you are buying, go for it! I am not about waste, so only buy, if you feel you will actually use!

Why try to cook Pho from scratch?

Well, why not? It is not something that you can get easily in the area that we live in in New Hampshire, so recreating something I tried in Boston, Amsterdam or some other cosmo city seems to make sense! What is better than a bowl of deliciously flavored broth, with rice noodles, vegetables and super thinly cut and very tender beef? Here is where I will put a disclaimer that this will, in no way, be a dish that can be converted to a vegetarian or vegan dish. The flavor and heart of this dish is in the flavor that you get out of the beef bones, collagen, marrow and all. And, if you are a beef eater, this is something that will have you smiling weirdly, smacking your lips, and even dancing…the sprinkler maybe or for those with more flexibility, perhaps there is a twerking session with noodle spoon in hand! Send pics please!!

Another disclaimer here…this recipe will take between 6-8 hours, based on how you decide to cook it. The time invested is worth it…stay with me on this one!!

Ingredients

4 pounds soup bones
1.5 Vidalia or white onion
1 inch of fresh ginger, sliced
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 pods star anise
2.5 Tbsp. fish sauce
4 quarts water
12-16 ounce dried rice noodles (extra noodles can be reused in other recipes)
1.5 lbs. flank steak or sirloin – thicker cut of meat, sliced almost paper thin https://www.crowdcow.com/ranch/pastures-cattle-co—pasture-raised
1 .5 cups bean sprouts
.25 cup hoisin sauce
.25 cup Sriracha sauce
Handful of cilantro
Sliced green onion
Various radishes for garnish – red, daikon, etc.
Jalapeno, serrano or other hot chili – sliced

Instruction

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Place the beef bones onto 1-2 baking sheets and roast for 1-2 hours, or until all show signs of the marrow being just about melted
With 45 mins left on the bone roast, place onion halves onto sheet and brush with oil. Continue to roast
Put both the bones and the onions into a large pot. Add the ginger, star anise, salt, fish sauce and water
Bring to a boil, then reduce and let simmer on lowest heat for 6-8 hours
Strain the broth in fine sieve
Place noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling kettle water over to cover. Let sit for 4 mins and then drain in a sieve. Rinse and set aside
Place noodles in bowls with the thinly sliced beef. Ladle the super hot broth over top and stir until thinly sliced beef is cooked through
Garnish with cilantro, green onion, hot chili pepper, hoisin, bean sprouts, sriracha and any other desired vegetable or condiment! Bok choy or thinly sliced savoy cabbage would be awesome as well!

If you cook, save this recipe and plan to wow a loved one. If you do not cook, send this to the one you want to cook for you and make their plan easier, by knowing what you want! Either way, ENJOY!