Authentic Pho recipe from award-winning cookbook author and foremost expert in Vietnamese cuisine, Andrea Nguyen! With a broth that’s light yet so full of flavor, it’s infused with spices like cinnamon, star anise and cardamom. Utterly addictive!
Why This Vietnamese Pho Recipe Is So Good
- Uses the best kind of beef bones
- A clean, clear beef broth (no scum!)
- A deeper, more savory flavor in this Pho soup recipe.
Ingredients
For the Pho broth
- Yellow onions
- Ginger
- Beef leg or knuckle bones
- Water
- Star anise, whole cloves, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cardamom, fennel seeds
- Beef chuck (or rump brisket/cross rib roast)
- Fish sauce
- Sugar
For The Pho Bowls
- Flat rice noodles
- Cooked beef (from the broth)
- Round sirloin, London broil, flank steak or tri tip steak
- Yellow onion
- Scallions
- Cilantro
Fresh Garnishes for Pho Recipe
- Bean sprouts
- Mint
- Basil
- Chiles
- Lime wedges
How To Make This Vietnamese Pho Recipe – Step By Step
Make the Pho Broth
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Set baking rack 8 inches below heating element. Turn oven to low broil. Place the onion and ginger halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Brush the halves with a little bit of oil. Broil until the onion and ginger until slightly charred, about 10 minutes, turning half-way. Remove from heat and cool.
-
Parboil the beef bones: Fill a large stockpot (about 12 quart capacity) with water and bring to rapid boil. Carefully lower in the bones. Wait until the water returns to a rolling boil. Boil vigorously for 3 minutes to release the impurities. Dump bones and water into a clean sink, and rinse the bones with water to wash off any clinging residue. Quickly scrub pot clean and fill with about 6 quarts of clean water. Return bones to pot. Add the charred onion, ginger, spices, beef, fish sauce, and sugar to pot.
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Bring water to boil over high heat, and lower heat to gentle simmer. Keep at a low simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.
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While simmering broth, use a ladle or fine-mesh strainer to spoon off any scum that rises on top.
-
At this point, the boneless meat should be slightly chewy, but not tough. Use tongs to transfer the meat to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Meanwhile, maintain the broth at a steady simmer for 1 1/2 hours longer.
-
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve (or a coarse-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth) positioned over a pot. Discard the remaining solids. Use ladle or fine meshed skimmer to skim as much fat as possible from the top of the broth. Taste and adjust the flavor with salt, fish sauce and sugar. There should be about 4 quarts (16 cups) of broth.
Assemble the Bowls
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If using dried rice noodles, cover the top of the noodles with hot tap water and let them soak for 15 minutes, or until they are pliable and opaque. Drain in a colander. If using fresh rice noodles, untangle them, place in a colander, and rinse briefly under cold water.
-
Cut the cooked beef across the grain into thin slices. Freeze the raw beef for 15 minutes, then slice it across the grain into very thin slices. Set all beef aside. Ready the raw onion, scallions, cilantro leaves for adding to the bowls. Arrange the garnishes on a plate and put on the table.
-
To ensure good timing, bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat as you are assembling the bowls.
-
At the same time, fill a separate large pot with water and boil. For each bowl, place a portion of the noodles on a strainer (or mesh sieve) and dunk the noodles in the boiling water for 10 seconds. Immediately pull the strainer from the water, letting the water drain back into the pot. Empty the noodles into a bowl.
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Top each bowl of noodles with your meaty toppings (both cooked and raw beef), arranging the slices flat. Add a bit of raw onion, scallions, cilantro leaves to each bowl.
-
The pho broth needs to be boiling hot, to cook the raw beef slices. Raise the heat of the broth to a boil. Do a final taste and make any last minute adjustments with fish sauce and sugar. Ladle about 2 cups of broth into each pf your serving bowls. Serve immediately with plate of garnishes.
So, let’s get right to the Vietnamese Beef Pho Recipe!
The dish is pronounced “fuh” and not “foo” or “foe” or “puh”
Spices for Pho
It’s best if you can get each spice separately, but I do find that the spice packets are pretty convenient. They cost less than $2 and even come with a mesh bag to put all the spices in. Spices include cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander pods, star anise and cardamom.
Pho seasoning made into a paste can also come in a jar or can, so that you can make “instant pho.” I’ve never liked the pho paste, it tastes flat, usually full of MSG and too salty. It’s like using a bullion cube.
Best Bones for This Vietnamese Pho Recipe
Knuckle bones are the best to make the stock for pho recipe. The knobby knuckle bones, about the size of your fist, is full of gelatin – which gives body and richness to your broth. The knuckle bones make the biggest difference in your broth! You can find knuckle bones at Asian markets, but at regular supermarkets – you might have to ask your butcher.
Leg bones is also essential for the pho broth. Take a look at the photo below. The bone that’s at 12-o’clock position is a leg bone that contains marrow. The marrow is good, but it’s extremely fatty. If I have a lot of marrow bones, I’ll scoop out the marrow with a small spoon or knife and discard after the par-boiling (see below). Having too much marrow will give you a greasy film on your pho broth.
At Asian markets, bones for Vietnamese Pho are often sold in bags, already cut into 3″ sections, ready for broth making. Look in the freezer section if they don’t have the bones fresh. Nowhere near an Asian market? At a standard grocery store, ask your butcher for knuckle and leg bones with marrow. The leg bones is best cut into about 3-inch sections.
Can’t find leg or knuckle bones?
But let’s say that you can’t find leg/knuckle bones. That’s okay! Here’s what I use:
- 3 pounds of whatever beef bones my market has
- 1 pound oxtail bones
- 1 pound boneless beef chuck, rump, brisket or rib roast
Together, this combination will provide a rich, flavorful broth for Pho.
You must par-boil bones first
Bones are parboiled first in rapidly boiling water – this gets rid of the yucky impurities like blood particles and extra fat.
You’ll see pink or gray foam float up to the surface as you boil. Let it come to a rapid, hard boil. Then after 3 minutes, dump out all of the water, rinse out your pot, rinse the bones, and refill with clean, cool water. I know it’s an extra step, but this will give you the pure, clean-tasting broth.
Bone scum: this is what happens when you boil bones. That nasty stuff will end up in your hard-worked pho broth if you don’t dump it out!
If you have a lot of marrow bones, use a spoon or knife to scoop out and discard some of the marrow. Do this after the parboil, while the bones are still hot. The marrow can only be scooped out when the bones are hot.
If you have a lot of marrow bones, and don’t scoop out the marrow, it’s ok. The broth will be fatty, but you can also de-fat the broth by either of these methods:
- Use a scum strainer – an ultra fine mesh strainer that’s specifically designed for….uh….straining scum and grease. Like this one on Amazon. See below for more information on de-scumming and de-greasing pho broth.
- Refrigerate the broth for a few hours. The fat will solidify. You can just use a large spoon to crack and lift out the fat (marrow).
- But some marrow is beneficial….don’t get rid of it all!
Charring Onions and Ginger
Charring or roasting the onions and ginger gives you a wonderfully mellow and naturally sweet flavor. I used to char over an open flame on my stovetop with a pair of tongs, but that got pretty tiring. Plus, metal tongs + long time over flame = very hothothot hands. So now, I just raise my oven rack to the highest position and turn my broiler on. See how golden the ginger gets?
How to easily get rid of the foam & grease
So here is my broth boilin’ away with the mesh bag of spices, charred ginger, charred onions and beef bones. You can see floating bits of fat and the foam.
Fat & marrow bits = good eats. Try to keep that in the broth!
But gotta get rid of the foam or scum! I use a very, very fine mesh strainer ($10) designed just for scum. Straining the scum and foam keeps your broth pure and clean. The lower the simmer, the less scum you have.
A note on broth simmering time – I simmer the broth for 3 hours. According to both Andrea Nguyen and Corinne Trang (author of Authentic Vietnamese Cooking and former editor and director of Saveur’s test kitchen) – all of the flavors in the bone have been extracted after 3 hours.
Thinly Sliced Meat for This Vietnamese Pho Recipe
You can use a thinly sliced flank steak, london broil, sirloin, eye of round or tri-tip. Instead of beef slices, you could use beef balls (Bo Vien) found in the refrigerator or freezer section of your Asian market.
The secret to slicing meat for Pho, is to cut ACROSS the grain. You want your beef slices as thin as possible, and I always throw the whole chunk of meat in the freezer for 15 minutes to make it easier to slice thinly.
Pho Noodles
Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup typically uses rice noodles. You can buy them dried or fresh. I love the slippery softness of fresh noodles (look in the refrigerator or freezer section.) Most restaurants will use dried, flat rice noodles. Look for ones that are medium thickness and flat like these.
Low Carb Pho Recipe
To make Vietnamese Pho low-carb, substitute the rice noodles for Shirataki noodles, which are made from yam. Also, Korean sweet potato noodles make a fine low carb option, too! Here’s a recipe for Paleo-Friendly, low carb Vietnamese Pho (beef), and a recipe for Korean Japchae Noodles, which uses the sweet potato noodles.
Which Condiments Are Best For Pho?
Pho-tastic condiments! On the tables of every Pho restaurant, you’ll see these two condiments, Sriracha hot chili sauc) and Hoisin Sauce. You can squirt and slather as much of these two condiments as you want…but I’m a purist.If I’m going to spend a couple of hours carefully crafting a rich, flavor-packed, clean soup – I better taste every drop.
Though, sometimes, I’ll squirt a bit of each sauce in a little dish and dip my meat in the sauce as I take a bite.
Pho Vegetables and Herbs
Fresh mint, cilantro, basil, bean sprouts, limees, sliced chili peppers are just some of my favorite accompaniments. Set a plate at the table and your guests can pick and choose what they like. Here’s a great Pho-tograph of fresh vegetables and herbs.
Top Tips For This Vietnamese Pho Recipe
- Parboil bones first in rapidly boiling water – this gets rid of the yucky impurities like blood particles and extra fat.
- To make Vietnamese Pho low-carb, substitute the rice noodles for Shirataki noodles.
- The secret to slicing meat for Pho, is to cut ACROSS the grain.
- Straining the scum and foam keeps your broth pure and clean. The lower the simmer, the less scum you have.
More Pho Recipes
- Crock Pot or Slow Cooker Pho!
- Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup (Pho Ga)
- Paleo-Friendly Pho – made in pressure cooker
Have you tried this Vietnamese Pho recipe? Feel free to leave a star rating and I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Vietnamese Pho Recipe (Beef Pho)
Ingredients
For the Pho broth
- 2 yellow onions unpeeled, sliced in half
- 4 inch piece fresh ginger unpeeled, sliced in half
- 5 pounds beef leg or knuckle bones
- 6 quarts water
- 5 star anise
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds optional
- 1 pod cardamom optional
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds optional
- 1 pound boneless beef chuck, rump brisket or cross-rib roast, well trimmed, and cut into large chunks
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar or 1-inch chunk of yellow rock sugar
For the Pho Bowls
- 2 pounds small flat rice noodles dried or fresh
- Cooked beef from the broth
- 1/2 pound eye of round sirloin, London broil, flank steak or tri-tip steak, thinly sliced across the grain
- 1 yellow onion sliced paper-thin, soaked in cold water to cover for 30 minutes and drained
- 2 scallions green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leafy tops only
Garnish for Pho Recipe
- 3 cups fresh bean sprouts about 1/2 pound
- Mint
- Thai basil
- 2 Thai or serrano chiles thinly sliced
- 2 limes cut into wedges
Instructions
Make the Pho Broth
- Set baking rack 8 inches below heating element. Turn oven to low broil. Place the onion and ginger halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Brush the halves with a little bit of oil. Broil until the onion and ginger slightly charred, about 10 minutes, turning half-way. Remove from heat and cool.
- Parboil the beef bones: Fill a large stockpot (about 12 quart capacity) with water and bring to rapid boil. Carefully lower in the bones. Wait until the water returns to a hard boil. Boil vigorously for 3 minutes to release the impurities. Dump bones and water into a clean sink, and rinse the bones with water to wash off any clinging residue. Quickly scrub pot clean and fill with about 6 quarts of clean water. Return bones to pot. Add the charred onion, ginger, spices, beef, fish sauce, and sugar to pot.
- Bring water to boil over high heat, and lower heat to gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.
- While simmering, use a ladle or fine-mesh strainer to spoon off any scum that rises on top.
- At this point, the boneless meat should be slightly chewy, but not tough. Use tongs to transfer the meat to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Meanwhile, maintain the broth at a steady simmer for 1 1/2 hours longer.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve (or a coarse-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth) positioned over a pot. Discard the remaining solids. Use ladle or fine meshed skimmer to skim as much fat as possible from the top of the broth. Taste and adjust the flavor with salt, fish sauce and sugar. There should be about 4 quarts (16 cups) of broth.
Assemble the bowls
- If using dried rice noodles, cover them with hot tap water and let them soak for 15 minutes, or until they are pliable and opaque. Drain in a colander. If using fresh rice noodles, untangle them, place in a colander, and rinse briefly under cold running water.
- Cut the cooked beef across the grain into thin slices. Freeze the raw beef for 15 minutes, then slice it across the grain into very thin slices. Set all beef aside. Ready the raw onion, scallions, cilantro leaves for adding to the bowls. Arrange the garnishes on a plate and put on the table.
- To ensure good timing, bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat as you are assembling the bowls.
- At the same time, fill a separate large pot with water and boil. For each bowl, place a portion of the noodles on a strainer (or mesh sieve) and dunk the noodles in the boiling water for 10 seconds. Immediately pull the strainer from the water, letting the water drain back into the pot. Empty the noodles into a bowl.
- Top each bowl of noodles with cooked and raw beef, arranging the slices flat. Add a bit of raw onion, scallions, cilantro leaves to each bowl.
- The pho broth needs to be boiling hot, to cook the raw beef slices. Raise the heat of the broth to a boil. Do a final taste and make any last minute adjustments with fish sauce and sugar. Ladle about 2 cups of broth into each bowl. Serve immediately with plate of garnishes.
Nutrition
What the Pho?!
As an Asian cooking expert, it has taken years of kitchen experiments, eating out and scouring for good recipes for the perfect home-cooked pho recipe. The best recipe that I’ve found for Pho is from:
Andrea Nguyen’s Into the Vietnamese Kitchen
, which is one of the most comprehensive books on the cuisine of Vietnam. The book also won nominations for a James Beard Foundation award and two International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). Definitely a must-have book for Asian food lovers.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
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I’m making this wonderful recipe interestingly today. I’ve fluctuated the formula somewhat by amazing stuff.
I’m making this soup interestingly today. I’ve fluctuated the formula somewhat by Brulee-ing the onions and ginger in olive oil and skillet broiling the bones for 35-45 minutes in a 475° stove. Then, at that point, I added the caramelized bones, onions, ginger, salt, and 2/3 of the zest mix. When my stock has stewed for 3 hours I will strain and add 1 lb of ground toss blended in with 8 marginally whipped egg whites a the leftover 1/3 of the zest mix. Then, at that point stew extremely low for 30-45 min and serve soup as suggested.
Have A Good Day
Man do I love me some Pho
It was amazing!!!!
It was amazing recipe
I am impressed with this website, really I am a fan.
May be a silly question, but if we are using Pho spice packets, are we supposed to open the spice packet and empty contents into water? Or drop the bags into the water, keeping contents inside the packaged tea like bag? Thanks in advance!
It’s easier if you keep them in the mesh bag (if it comes in a mesh bag) so you don’t have to fish the spices out one by one.
Regarding bones:
“Bones are parboiled first for a good 10 minutes in rapidly boiling water – this gets rid of the yucky impurities like blood particles and extra fat.”
“You’ll see pink or gray foam float up to the surface as you boil. After 3 minutes, dump out all of the water, rinse out your pot, rinse the bones, and refill with clean, cool water. I know it’s an extra step, but this will give you the pure, clean-tasting broth.”
Would you please confirm if it’s a 3 minute or 10 minute parboil?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Priscilla! Sorry, I should clarify. After you add the bones in pot, it takes about 7 minutes to come back to a boil. Then you count your 3 minutes. I’ve edited the text. Thank you! Jaden
How big of a pot should I buy for pho?
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait to try it. Can you freeze fresh rice noodles? I ask because they come in huge bags at the Asian market and it’s too much for one dinner. I’m just not sure about the consistency after it’s frozen..
Hi Connie – yes you can freeze fresh noodles!
Best Pho I recipe ever, the family loves it.
welldone
hi do you know what kind of glass noodles to buy to substitute the reg pho noodles? Ive tried so many different ones but still cant find the clear glass noodles i would get at a restaurant. Thx
Look for “mung bean noodles”
Jaden,
My partner and I have made this pho about a dozen times and not only is it better than any pho we have had in the U.S., it’s better than any of the pho we had in Vietnam. We are fish sauce junkies so we end up using nearly half a bottle when all is said and done. The only problem is that it has ruined other pho for us! It’s hard to go back to over cooked slow boiled meat when this recipe is so tender!
Thank you so much Meghan!! Jaden
Excellent write up and informative instructions. I completely agree with keeping the hoisin and siracha out of the soup when eating, you want to be able to appreciate the flavorful broth, plus a side of siracha/hoisin dipping sauce makes it seem like your eating some BBQ when you dip the beef in it.
Love the spices combination. I made the vegan version which super delicious. Simply replaced the meat broth with veggie stock. Tofu, and fresh mixed green topping.
I have made the pho using this recipe for years! This is the absolute best recipe that is available. I have gotten many compliments. Thank you for such a great recipe!!!
Thanks so much Bri! – jaden
Really good recipe. The broth had the right smell and taste but like others I added more fish sauce. I guess I would ended up with a total 1/2 cup
I added a bit more fish sauce to season the way I like it. It’s a great recipe.
Hi Jaden,
Seems that your guideline did not mention when should we place the herbs (cinnamon, cloves, star anise) into the pot for boiling and for how long?
Regards,
Kelvin
Hi Kelvin, in step 2 of making the broth – you’ll add all the spices, along with the charred onion/ginger and bones to the pot. – jaden
This was mouthwateringly delicious. My guests loved it! Made 5-6 bowls. Thank you. Can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Thanks Amanda!
Hi I love Pho and I’m making my first batch! How are you cooking the beef? Boiling? Or just cooking it on a pan? I have been marinating my beef and I’m not sure how to go about it.
Oh my this was an amazing recipe!!!! Tasted very authentic, I love that it doesn’t use any MSG.
Hi Jaden, I want to try this recipe! I am a little confused though about how long to parboil the bones. On your description you say 10 minutes, but in the recipe you say 3. Also, do I also parboil in 6 qts of water or less?
Hi Caroline – hmmm, there must be a typo! It should be 3-5 minutes.
HI
I have been making this recipe for years now, and I like it better than going out. THANKS!
I went to refer a friend to this the other day, and noticed that the recipe has changed as of Oct 4, 2017. The new recipe is missing 1 tbl coriander seeds, 1 tbl fennel seeds, 1 cardamom pod in the spice mix. Was this intentional?
Otherwise, great recipe. I let the fat harden off over night then scoop it off, then add one tablespoon per bowl back in for extra flavor. I also use the “fresh” noodles in the refrigerated noodle section.. much better.
Hi Jonathan! Andrea’s original recipe doesn’t include coriander, fennel and cardamom. I’ve listed those ingredients as optional. Thanks for pointing out! Great tip re: adding the fat back in!! -jaden
Pho fan here. Perfect recipe!
SO GOOD!!
Hi I’m from Singapore and I have made my pho using your recipe and it was just incredible!! It was such a hit when I made them for eid. My guests were soo in love with it. Very much different from our usual Malay eid cuisine(with all the coconut and curries), it was indeed refreshing and so so comforting. It’s now our family’s once a mth ‘treat’ meal. My daughter loves it too! Thank you for sharing ‘as authentic as you can get’ pho recipe! Definitely a keep Pho-sho!
Thank you so much Kat!
For a clear and less fatty broth, I would strain the broth with a cloth and freeze over night. Then the next day, just scoop out the hardened fat on top and boil. Also I’d leave the marrow alone, that gives the broth good flavor.
Where can you get the Spice mix in a packet? Can it be ordered on line?
Hi Lora – I bought this at an Asian market. Look for an Asian market near you – you’ll find pho spice packets!
Hi Jaden,
Thanks for the laughs. Do you suggest roasting the bones, and if not, why?
I roast bones to give more savory, deep meaty flavor to broth. But, if I don’t have time, it’s no big deal, you’ll still get a great stock!
Jaden, if I were to roast the bones for the soup, should I roast and then parboil? Or parboil then roast.
Thanks
Yuri
Hi Yuri, generally, if I’m roasting the bones, I won’t parboil them. You can rinse the bones and give them a good wash with water before roasting. But if you would like parboil the bones, do that first before roasting.
My son is extremely allergic to fish. I’m afraid to add fish sauce. Can I use another seasoning maybe something from shellfish?
Sonya, you can add a bit more soy sauce, sugar and a squeeze of lime to replace the fish sauce. Is your son allergic to Worcestershire sauce? That has anchovies, similar to fish sauce. If he can have Worcestershire, he might be able to enjoy fish sauce.
i just want to say i love the sense of humor u added to this recipe,, thank you for making me laugh.
Pho-sho.. lol
Jaden, I am so excited. I purchased all the ingredients 3 days ago and today is set aside for finally making pho from scratch for the first time. I almost never follow a recipe exactly, but I will follow your excellent instructions as precisely as I can . The only question that I have right now is that I’m not clear on how much marrow to remove. If i don’t remove any, what will that do to my pho? How do I judge whether or not to remive any?
Hi Jay! Definitely remove most of marrow. You can set it aside, and stir it in again if you’d like. It’s really fatty and gives a greasy mouthfeel if you have too much.
Jaden
Marrow is delicious. Once cooked in broth, take the marrow out and spread it on bread. Toast it and add coarse salt. Or put it on top of a steak that has just been cooked and run it under the broiler. The ancient Greeks fed the stuff to their kids. It made them into heroes.
I love marrow too! I enjoy the bone cut lengthwise, then under broiler for a few minutes. Top with good sea salt and spread over bread.
I forgot the fish sauce at the market so I just omitted it. The broth is still simmering…. should I make another run to the market or is there a substitute?
There’s no real substitute for fish sauce, if you want a true Vietnamese flavor!
awesome recipe! can I respectfully add that once you take the brisket or whatever meat you cook it with out, it helps to put it in a container with water to keep it moist until ready to serve. I’ve had it dry out on me and it ruins the texture. I ran into a person at the chinese supermarket who noticed what was in my cart and asked if i was making pho. I said yes and he gave me that tip. also said his family recipe has a slight twist. a stalk of lemongrass and he said use some oxtail in the broth as well so I’m making a batch right now using those tips. Smelling great so far!
Great recipe. Clear instructions and it turned out DYNAMITE. Absolutely love it. I add Bok choy because our little town doesn’t have bean sprouts. That works great.
Thanks so much Marina!
I have made this recipe for pho many times over the years… thank you for the pictures and great step by step instruction! Tonight for New Year’s Eve I will be making this again for my family which will be a bigger crowd than usual and I want to double this recipe, but don’t want to lose flavour. Can the recipe be doubled, or should I make 2 separate batches of the broth? If doubled please let me know what to add more or less of for ingredients.
Again, thank you for this spot on recipe… Happy New Year! 🙂
My daughter loves Pho. When I google the recipe, yours came up first. What impressed me was what you said about finding the best recipe to come up with and you did. It was a big hit! Thanks!!
Thank you!
Hands down best Pho I EVER had! And wait, did it actually come from my kitchen? I’m so glad I followed my heart and chose your recipe. I mean, I can tell there is a lot of love in it. SO DELICIOUS. Excuse me while I cry tears of culinary satisfaction
Thank you so much Caroline!
I couldn’t find cardamom pods in my small town and knew that the ground would be too strong, so I simply omitted it. It’s still very good, but I’ll order cardamom pods online for my next attempt. Also, I used a pressure cooker and it was ready in about an hour (30 minutes under pressure and 30 minutes to release steam naturally). Finally, I didn’t have a mesh bag so just threw everything in loose and poured it through a strainer. It worked just fine. My family loves pho’, and this will now be a staple! Thanks for the wonderful recipe and clear instructions.
Good basic recipe, but I found the spices in the bag didnt infuse the broth as well as when they’re loose, so it was a bit milder tasting than I like.
How long will the broth keep refrigerated?
5 days refrigerated.
Good recipe, with one minor correction: the mint is supposed to be Thai basil, if you can get it. If not, I personally prefer a 3:1 ratio of basil to mint (i.e. 3 sprigs of basil for each sprig of mint).
Could we use these spices ground if we have them? I have them all ground and wouldn’t want to purchase them all in whole form..
Andrea- the spices ground would be too potent.
Ground spices also yield a cloudy broth, just as vigorous boiling does.
Would it work to make the broth ahead of time and then reheat it and and the meat and accompaniments? I’d like to make this for my book club which meets during the week and won’t have 3+ hours to prepare.
Absolutely!
Have tried making photo before but didn’t get the taste quite right – this sounds good enough to give it another go!
Just one comment from European cooking – I agree lots if marrow isn’t good in stock, but what a shame to throw it away. In my home region we save all marrow to make Swabian marrow dumplings – scoop it out carefully from the raw bones (usually you can just push with your fingers), then melt it down carefully. Combine with softened old bread, one egg, parsley, nutmeg and breadcrumbs as needed. We freeze them and serve them in European-style beef bouillon, very yummy.
Or for something a lot less laborious, Fergus Henderson simply serves marrow on toast, again with lots of parsley. Or use in a Milan-style risotto, with saffron and instead of butter… so many options.
Thanks for sharing; really very helpful. The photos illustrate; and you’re kind of funny too.
Im going to try and use a slow cooker for the final stages, have you ever haha?
Yes, we use the slow cooker all the time for Pho. Here is the recipe: https://steamykitchen.com/3136-crock-pot-pho.html
I made this and it was so good! I had a lot of broth leftover and it froze well.
Great recipe, thanks alot for sharing 🙂
The complimentart vegies are Thai Basil, jungle cỏiander (ngò gai), sprouts, lime.
Mint leaves do not compliment well w the pho broth…
I followed this recipe with the exception that I made the broth in my instant pot and it came out amazing! My kids thought it was the best thing I have ever cooked for them. Thanks!
Just finished making this recipe and we loved it! We were able to find knuckles bones and followed the recipe to an T, it is one that is going to stay in rotation! I loved the part at the end that tells you how to tweak the flavor. Thanks so much!
I’m super excited to try this recipe! My asian market only had huge trays of “beef soup bones.” I’m hoping it won’t be too greasy for the broth! I’l report back! 🙂
Wow! You are very beautiful! Oh……., yes……,great recipe too! Much easier to make than I thought. Great depth of flavor in that broth. Really, the broth is the “star” of this recipe. If anyone out there is hesitating on this recipe, don’t! You will be amazed!
When does the Hoisin come into play?
Cody – it’s meant to be at the table as a condiment. You can add a little to your bowl, if you wish.
Great recipe, I just tried my hand at it and loved it ! Try freezing the meat first before slicing it down, it really lets you control the texture.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve searched high and low for a good Pho recipe and this has a wonderful base. I have made it a number of times now and wanted to share the alterations I made and felt this got me the “perfect” flavor for my taste buds. I do add brisket meat for extra flavor, I also add a daikon into the broth to boil. I also found that the soup was too greasy if a lot of leg bones were used. If I used just a few leg bones and then used beef shank for the rest, the broth was not so greasy and tasted delicious! Thought I’d share!
One more thing I forgot to add, even though you mention that after 3 hours all of the flavors have been extracted, I tried doing it both 3 hours and 6 hours and now cook strickly for 6. It seems to effect the flavor of the broth. 3 hours is just not enough for my taste buds.
Visiting my daughter in Denver CO she took me to a Vietnamese resturant and enjoyed my first ever Pho! One of the extra’s was tendon. How is that made. It looked precooked and formed then sliced…How do I replicate this.
How much marrow do you want to get rid of?
Also, my local Asian market doesn’t have much choice for pho spices. The best I can find is a box of what looks like little teabags of already ground up spices. Will this work?
Yes, those teabags will work, but read the instructions, you might need more than 1 bag for your pot (depends on how much water/how big your pot is). As for the marrow – remove much of it for your first batch, then you can judge whether or not you want more marrow for next batch. The problem with too much marrow is that while it’s flavorful, it’s very fatty.
After 1.5 hr of boiling.. how do you strain it and do you take out the knuckle bones also?
Hi Shirley – I use a colander to strain out the big chunks in the soup first. Usually, that does the trick. Sometimes, I’ll further strain by using different strainer lined with cheesecloth.
I have been making this recipe for a year, about once a month. It smells amazing when simmering…there is a lovely Asian grocery in Savannah where l buy spices. I use marrow bones and short ribs. It is 80° here in South Georgia…but l had to have some!
Hi all,
I made the broth last night and put in the fridge for a dinner party tonight but I think I had the heat up a little too high and it boiled down too much. I would hate to dilute the likely delicious mixture but then again maybe it is now too concentrated. Any suggestions? I don’t think I have enough broth for 4 people now.
Thanks
Hi Mateyo – yes, go ahead and dilute with some water, season with fish sauce until the flavors are balanced. If you don’t dilute, it might be too salty or strong. A pho broth should be light, yet flavorful.
Where can one get the spice packet? Does Ranch 99 (Asian grocery chain in East Bay at N. Cal) carry them?
Hi Betty! Yes, Ranch 99 will have the spice packet.
Just made this today! Super satisfying. Next time I’m going to try to use the thinly sliced beef shabu shabu hot pot meat from my Asian grocer for convenience. Also realized I need to get a bigger pot!
Thanks Daniel! We have a giant pot just for the purpose of making pho broth.
I’m heartbroken…I was just introduced to Pho…and pork vermicelli…and the spring rolls….I crave the Pho….the people sold the business to non Vietnamese people and now it is terrible. My kids loved it there as well and are upset that the food isn’t the same…I really need to learn how to make it myself….there are no Vietnamese restaurants where we live…it is all Chinese buffets!!! One of these days I will try.
I’ve been a huge fan of Pho since dicovering Pho 264 in Victoria street Abbotsford in Melbourne about 5 years ago, I have tied a few recipes but none have been as good as this and since I now live 2800 kms away from Melbourne now this recipe is a Godsend, Many Thanks to the author
I made pho with a different recipe a while back but could not find it again. I am so glad that I lost it as it brought me to your blog! The only differences I made were that I couldn’t find cardamom, so I skipped it and I sliced up a daikon radish to simmer in the broth. It is so delicious! I couldn’t wait for my husband to wake up (he works nights) and went ahead and ate some right away. I know he will love it as much as I do. Thanks for making food we love accessible!
Thank you Shannon!
Thanks for the recipe! One recommendation I would make would be to use kelp noodles instead of rice noodles. Kelp noodles are better for the environment than rice noodles and they are rich in nutrients.
Hi jaden
I plan on making this for my family of 4 since my 2 kids and my wife and I love Pho soup. Question: how much water am I using? Fill up a 12 qt pot? The largest I have is a 6 quart pot. Do I need to go out and buy a 12 quart pot or can I use my 6 quart? Do I still follow the rest of the recipe quantity’s or do I need to reduce in half per my reduced broth amounts based on my pot? I appreciate your reply. Thanks. Michael wood
Hi Michael – yes feel free to use a smaller pot. You can just slightly decrease the ingredients and make a more concentrated broth that you can then dilute to taste as you need (freeze broth concentrate to store) — or just halve the ingredients for your pot.
I’ve been making your Pho recipe for two years by now. When I first told my daughter, who’s a chef in Buffalo N.Y. she would not believe it. Rice Pho noodles are not easy to get a hold of here in Argentina, but I did find a place where to get them. Your recipe comes out great every time. I add a bit more salt though. Geetings, Federico.
Fantastic Federico! Thanks for reaching out!
I really loved this recipe. I just finished making it tonight and it turned out great. I did add one more black cardamom pod, a few extra Ceylan cloves, and a lot more kosher salt. I can’t wait to make this recipe again! I also made sure I used high quality spices from Penzey’s rather than the cheap alternatives. It cost more, but I think it really contributed to the overall taste. Now I have lunch to eat all week. 🙂
Wonderful Katie!
my pho is about 1 hour from being done. Regardless of how it turns out I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide this recipe. I’ll let you know when it’s done!
Thanks Luke! I hope you enjoyed it!
I made it 3 times this weekend and finally nailed it. The first time i didnt boil the scum out of the bones long enough. The second time i ended up with too much broth and the color wasnt right. The third time it was on the money and i feel a little more confident in the process. I look forward to making it again!
Can I make a half portion? My biggest pot is only 5 quart and I don’t have many people either. What do I do in this case? Thank you.
Hi Taisiya – yes, you can!
Thank you so much! I will be making my way through these and introducing our friends to such delights! Non! 😃
Do you have a Vegan version of this Awesome recipe?
Please tell me how to print off the recipes, I would like to carry them with me so I can buy when I’m out shopping. Thank you so much!! I love the beef Pho…..I crave it and LOVE that I can make it at home!! <3
Hi Jo – there is a little print icon in the recipe box. Just click on that button!
Thanks! I can’t wait to try it!
I already have plain beef broth on hand, so about how long do you suggest I let that simmer with the spices? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Susan, Try 20 minutes.
Is the 1lb of beef meat optional? I forgot it at the store. Do I need to go back. Everything else is in the pot simmering except for the thick cut beef meat. Does this make the broth more flavorful?
Shanon – it’s fine! Yes, it will make it more flavorful – but don’t make a special trip just for the meat. Compensate with just a little more fish sauce.
Hi, thank you so much for this recipe! I made this yesterday and it was a huge success! Unfortunately there is a serious lack of Vietnamese restaurants where I live, so I will be remaking this over and over again! Which dish should I try next??
Hi Kaye – try the Vietnamese Chicken Pho (Pho Ga) or Spring Rolls! I have lots of Vietnamese Recipes right here 🙂
Where do you get the spice pack? Is there a brand I can search for or one you prefer?
Marie – you’ll have to go to an Asian market and look for the spice pack. I don’t really have a brand preference – usually the store only has one kind.
is there a Pho made with Vietnamese crab in a jar
That noodle dish is called Bun Rieu, one of my favorites!
What a awesome blog I am going to try this today I am excited I love pho always pay to eat it might as well make it myself. I have always wanted to open a Asian restaurant who knows maybe I might have to do so if I can master the art of pho lol.
I made this tonight and it was delicious!!! I didn’t have cardamom so I left it out but will get it for next time. Thanks for the recipe!!1
Thanks Rita!
How much stock does this make? can you freeze extra?
The recipe makes enough broth to serve 8 large bowls (sorry, I didn’t have an exact measurement) – and yes, you can freeze extra. I like to get resealable ziplock freezer bag, quart sized. Place the bag inside a tall, skinny bowl – so that when you pour the broth into the bag, the broth doesn’t spill out of the bag. Seal, but leave a bit of room inside bag. The liquid will expand a bit as it freezes, so you must make sure you have some empty space in the bag. Lay bag flat in freezer so that it will freeze flat.
I found this recipe to be very easy, compared to others. I love eating beef pho but as a African American man(I’m so Asian on the inside lol) who loves asian food and sriracha haha I was afraid to attempt such a traditional meal. However I made it! It was really good I even made some for my coworker, who I introduced pho to a few weeks prior. My only “issue” was a dark broth…but i still think it was great. Cant wait to make more especially now in cool January.
Thanks for this recipe!
Thanks for the article. This is how my mom makes “Phở” :}
I am a big fan of vietnamese food. This is the second time I made pho and first time I followed your recipe and I must say, your recipe is even better and will be sticking to making pho your way. The only thing I did different is i toasted the spices. 😀
Thank you so much Ann!
Don’t forget thin sliced onion on top. I love that little bit of crunch! Slice thin and cover with ice water for extra crisp….. This is my favorite meal!
Thank you, Sean! 🙂
Can I get the Noodle in China Town in Los Angeles, Calif. Thanks
hello,
whenever its breezy here in the windy city, my husband and I crave for pho, our comfort food… 😉
wish me luck as I will be trying this dish first time, hopefully It’ll be a success…
Tried the recipe today. Incredible. The smell reminded me of my childhood.
When you strain the broth, do you put the bones and all the other ingredients back in or do you just cook the broth only?
Just the broth.
This is a fantastic recipe, and I’ve made it several times for my family – thank you!
Quick question: Do you think it would turn out the exact same if I simply doubled all the ingredients? I always worry when “steeping” the pho spices. Any tips?
Double away! 😉
What a great recipe you have shared! Thank you so much for all your tips!!
Beautiful blog. I really enjoy your posts.
Instead of putting your pot in the freezer to get the fat out, try putting some ice cubes in your pot. The ice cubes will float and harden the fat and you can just scoop it out.
That is a fantastic tip! Thank you!
Thank you for much for the post. I have been wanting to make a pho that would rival my mother’s pho ga. It was amazing. I was hoping you could help me fine tune it to perfection.
Questions – My broth turned out really thick and would turn gelatinous when it turned cold. Is this normal? Or should I reduce the bone and increase the water mixture. (I had to use a smaller pot). It was also a deep brown color. Should I parboil the bones longer next time?
Thanks again!
What is the purpose of parboiling the bones?
The first boiling “scrubs” the bones of its scum. It rises to top and you rinse that off. The scum doesn’t taste good (bitter and yuck) anyways.
I roasted the bones at 400 for about 25 min before boiling. I figured it can only add flavor. it also eliminates that yucky boiled meat smell. I did the parboil, and got no scum!
Hi is it okay to do the soup the day before and then heat it again ?
Yes!
thank you very much.
I told my Vietnamese girlfriend and her friend, I know how to make pho, thy laughed at me, so I invited them to diner. Needless to say they could not believe it. They looked at me like I am from outer space.
Coming from the Middle east myself, we like to use a lot of the same spices you listed, I actually used a little more.
I used skimmer and paper towel to remove the scum.
Tanks again for making me look good
Georg – that makes me so happy! btw, my husband’s middle name is Georg (without the e at the end) and it’s pronounced it “gae-org” Is this how you pronounce your name too?
Thank you.
Great recipe, cooking it as we speak. Do you gradually add more water during the simmering process or no???
Hi Mai – No, I don’t add more water (which would dilute the pho broth)
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and I really like it except the meat I cooked comes out super hard. I pretty much gave it all to my dog because I could barely chew it. I also refrigerated then skimmed the top layer of fat that accumulated but I think that took all the flavor out. My advice is only skim it a little bit. A little bit of skim gets rid of the extra grease and too much skim gets rid of all the flavor. I also had to add more fish sauce/sugar/salt combination. Overall not a bad experience except for the meat. Maybe I just need to find a meat cut, or put it in the crockpot to soften it up beforehand. Thanks.
Hi Danielle, If the meat is really chewy, you might want to find a different cut (like the ones I’ve recommended in the recipe) – if you cook the soup low and slow (barely simmering), it should be good. Not sure the crockpot will help with it. Also try slicing it AGAINST the grain, slice very thin.
Made it, love it, YUM! I especially like the convenience of making a bunch and being able to freeze it. I have a big think for PHO lately and this is less expensive than buying it from a restaurant a couple times or more a week and super easy! Thanks for the recipe.
I love your blog. I happen to land on it by accident. Being a very close to my roots and at the same time very young. I love to cook many if the Vietnamese dishes out there. The way you cook your pho is the exact same way I was taught. My friends and family. Living in New Orleans we have a huge Vietnamese community and very competitive in the restaurant around here. We always have a annual pho festival every year around here. Surprisingly there is one this week coming up. No matter what I always cook all the meat to get all the gunk out. Yes you are right the meat and the spices do come all together to get the flavor. So the person on the top that had comment about the meat. They have no idea anything about pho.
If I am using grass-fed pasture raised beef bones do I still need to boil them and chuck the water first?
I would still boil and drain. It gets rid of some of the blood and bone shards (from cutting the bones)
I love this recipe. I seriously make it at least twice a month despite having several Vietnamese restaurants with delicious pho nearby. I live in a college town with tiny grocery stores so sometimes its hard to find certain ingredients, but even with using pre-made broth instead of making my own with bones (I use better than bouillon, which is delicious) it is still amazing. My vegetarian friend wants to try a veggie broth and tofu version so we’ll be experimenting with that tomorrow 🙂
Vietnamese Fish Sauce “nước mắm”
When our house boy came into the barracks after eating this, I went out the window.
This was my 1st time trying to make pho. I love this dish and hoped it would turn out great. I was not dissapointed! I followed the recipe almost to the letter. I bought my spices from a asian market in a pre-made packet. The first thing I noticed was that there were about 30 whole cloves in the packet. I removed all but six (as the recipe calls for) and used the rest of the spice packet. I also added one cube of pho bouillon which kicked the flavor up a notch. I served this to a Vietnamese co-worker of mine and she said she “wouldn’t change a thing”. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Thanks so much. This is the best Beef version I’ve found so far. Cooking it now and it’s all coming together beautifully. Found a fantastic chicken version here.
http://myhiddenkitchen.wordpress.com/.
Enjoy
Hi Jaden! Thank you so much for posting this recipe & I absolutely love how well you explained everything with such professional pictures as a guide. My husband is Vietnamese whose mother is from Vietnam & cooks traditional dishes so I wanted to surprise him. Together we’ve tried before but it never came out right…until 8 found Your recipe. The broth is perfect! Thank you!
Just a small note, I see a few recipes for “Nuoc Mam” here…leave us not get all dien cai dau! Nuoc Mam is nothing but “fish sauce”. Nuoc Mam is made by fermenting fish and trapping the resultant distillate.
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Looks great..recipe is nice and also herbs. Please understand something though…no flavor comes from the meat..it is akin the bones. Beef broth must be slow cooked for a very long time(12 hours or more) in order to release all the flavours. No meat needed until you serve..if you are using a tough meat like the shoulder, then in order to tenderize you should cooked it for at least five hours in the broth. Make no mistake..that meat is flavored by the broth, not the other way around.
That is both true and false.
The flavours in the broth and the meat balance each other out.
If you make broth/stock/bouillon with meaty bones, the flavour of the meat goes into the liquid. Camp stew, likewise. If you cook the meat in a strong broth, it goes the other way.
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thank you for posting this i have not had pho in 5 years. i moved back to the midwest where nothing but stupid restraurant chains exsist and you can’ t get food that i would not feed my dog anywhere. this was after living on the west coast for like 2 years. i appreciate you giving me a food boner im makin pho tomorrow
If you ever go to Sioux City, Iowa, there is a Vietnamese family restaurant called Da Koa. Order #7 (Rare Beef Pho). [Their Fresh Spring Rolls are wonderful, too.]
Would there be any benefit to roasting the bones, perhaps after parboiling, to get a deeper roasted flavor?
Many pho restaurants will roast the bones INSTEAD of parboiling or roast the bones AFTER parboiling (less common)
If you don’t Blanch the bones your broth will be darker. That’s why you have to blanch first and then rinse the pot and transfer to clean water. The red juices and whatnot darken the broth
I do this recipe as is but I add a couple of pho bo or pho go cubes. They come in a super small box that says simply pho Bo or pho ga…they’re like little bullion cubes. For me those cubes brought the bit of extra flavor I needed.
Roasting your bones is a good option as well. Roasted them will help to give your stock more body, a deep richer color and more flavor. I personally have never boiled my beef bones,,,, ever! Roasted them will also help to draw out the deeper marrow inside the bones as well. Hope it helps
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Don’t toast the spices!!
If worried about fat content,skim, but as ANY chef will tell you, ‘fat IS flavour’.
(esp. when it comes from marrow!!)
!! x
Great recipe!! been looking for too long! Have been after a generic Pho recipe one can adapt for ages, this hits what I remember, the balance is between mellow spice (stock) and zingy (fresh additions). thanks
B
x
if you put some celery it would make it translucent.
Good post however , I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this subject?
I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Cheers!
I’ve never made pho before but I tried your recipe and it was amazing! Thanks for posting this.
Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese dip sauce)Recipe
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
3 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup fish sauce
1-2 bird’s eye chilies, cut into very fine rings(or just regular chili flakes as alternative）
1 clover garlic, minced finely (optional)
Method:
Add fish sauce, water, sugar and lime juice into a small bowl and mix well until sugar is completely dissolved.
Add garlic and chilies and stir.
Use as tableside condiment as desired.
Just a comment on the condiments. I believe in america, the condiments aren’t used in the traditional sense. Putting hoisin sauce in the soup is like putting ketchup in a soup.
In Cambodgia, most will leave the broth untouched and will usually use a small side plate to put a bit of Sriracha and Hoisin side by side (http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2098/2343022736_46dda71903.jpg) and dip the meat on that.
Also using real bones adds a lot of proteins to the soup. Sucking those bones dry is something my family fights for when we make some.
how to make broth to make it look translucent or clear,
I made broth brown color
The sauce you are trying to make is called “Nuoc Cham”
Recipe can be found here: http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/basic-vietnamese-dipping-sauce-nuoc-cham.html
Yes, this recipe says to boil the stock (for 3 hours) with no lid. If you do it that way, it will be tastier. Maybe next time only add half the amount of salt, not the full amount. Some people might be more used to eating spices, so if you are, then add more so you can taste them 🙂
I followed the recipe and it tased good, but a little too salty, so next time I’ll add less.
Thanks for the recipe!!
Being part Vietnamese, I’m always interested discovering how others make dishes that I grew up eating. I’m fully aware of the variations in the ingredients, which I frown upon when I come across a flavor that throws off a dish. It’s interesting to see the “Pho spices” that are used in this recipe. My Mother only used Star Anise. She didn’t need any of those other spices. I’ve tasted Pho with some of these additional spices and was dissatisfied with the flavor. Who knows, maybe growing up in Vietnam she didn’t have access to any of them. Funny how your Mother’s dish is always the best. Oh, and yellow rock sugar? In Pho? Um…no.
the rock sugar has a less subtle sweetness to it that is not as over powering as cane sugar. My mother and grandmother both uses rock sugar in all their broths. Learn your recipes before you comment please.
Hi, I am not Vietnamese, but I married to one and I love to cook. Most of my cooking skills/recipes I have learned are from my mom in-law. She was an amazing cook. I totally agree with all the spices mentioned above. As well as rock sugar in the recipe. I have tried it, and my mom in-law used it. It makes the broth extremely flavorful. Interesting thing is that all of the spices mentioned above are available in Vietnamese as well as Indian grocery stores.
My bf just got back from Denver and said that he drove down a road just outside of the city and there were about 20 different restaurants with “pho” in the name. Good chance you will have luck there!
Made this recipe today, and everything went very well until I was adjusting to taste. When I first tasted the recipe there was very little flavor. You could SLIGHTLY taste the flavor of the spices, which I toasted before I added since I know that helps the flavors bloom, and that was all you could taste. It was fatty, slightly spiced water. So I started the fish sauce, salt, sugar routine and now… it is just a bit too salty and still is missing that aromatic flavor. Any ideas? Should I maybe add a potato (remove it later) to soak up some salt and boil it without the lid on to evaporate some of the water and condense the flavors?
Here is what I would try if it came out tasteless and greasy. Go to the Asian Market and buy Pho soup cubed spices add a little at a time until you get a stronger flavor you want or/and put beef into it as well as the bones for added flavor. As for the grease put the broth into the freezer and when the grease settles to the top spoon it out. Re heat simmer and if it still has to much fat back into the freezer again and remove any hardened fat you see. I have to do this with my chicken soup really is not much different to make. I go through many processes with the broth as I explained above. I have to add at least one can of chicken broth to get the flavor strong enough. That is only added at the end of every other process when I know the broth is clear and has very little or no fat left in it. It feels like cheating but it does taste wonderful.
I’m a NC mountain girl that loves asian so much I married one! He’s Chinese but LOVES pho. Over the course of our 15 year marriage, I have asked three Vietnamese friends numerous times to teach me how to cook it… or even to just let me watch them prepare it. I have even offered to pay them!! No one has ever fulfilled my request. I have searched the internet as well, but the recipes all seemed way too complicated. We have four children (ages 13-7) who also love the soup… but often, the forty minute drive to the nearest restaurant is too much to fit into our busy schedule. Well… I FINALLY discovered Jaden Hair and Steamy Kitchen!! THANK YOU!! I made pho for the first time last night and all five of them said, “THIS IS BETTER THAN PHO CALI (our favorite pho restaurant)! In fact, our oldest tends to order quail and our youngest only gets egg rolls because they are not particularly fond of pho. They loved it! So, because of the wonderful Jaden, no only can my family enjoy pho, but we don’t have to make the drive and they think it is better anyway!!! I haven’t looked yet – but since I mentioned the quail – wondering if you can teach me the “Vietnamese” way! LOL! Also the dipping sauce… seems all the stores have chili in them. Our restaurant only has the carrots. I’ve tried mimicking it to no avail. Anyway… <3 and {hugs} to Steamy Kitchen! Can't wait to try more of your recipes!
I live very close to Little Saigon in Southern CA and I just bought a soup starter spice jar the other day. Thanks for your recipe. I’m going to wander around today and see if I can find some Thai Basil because it is so much better than the other basil. None of my local markets have it. Will have to investigate LS with my Vietnamese girlfriend.
Biggest thanks goes for telling me how to say the word Pho. I meet regularly with a group at a local Pho restaurant and was never sure how to say it.
I’ve always wanted to know how to make good Pho. Now I’ve got a trusted recipe from YOU. Super awesome Pho Sho!! Thanks.
Best and most practical arrival I’ve found so far. Can’t wait to finally try to make my very own bowl of my favorite Vietnamese dish.
Hey, DO NOT DISCARD the beef phat (fat) ! You can use it as stir fry oil and it is absolutely delicious.
What a helpful blog entry! And I love all the comments. Let me pose a question for all Pho experts:
Would it not improve the flavor of the broth to first roast the bones before boiling them? That’s what’s recommended by this recipe…
http://www.hongkongpantry.com/blog/2011/06/beef_bombes/
And a long time ago when researching umami formation (umami is the amazing and elusive “fifth flavor”) I read that it is maximized by the high heat of roasting the bones, and then it is extracted by the boiling process.
Does anyone here know of traditional Pho recipes that require *roasted* bones?
Since cooking the broth with full ingredients and spices added for a long time tends to darken the broth and as water vaporizes, the broth loses its flavor. I would like to share some tips on improving the color and flavor of the Pho.
Slow cook the bones/meats with minimal water first as instructed by the author. Before serving, add more water to the pot as called for by the recipe. Bring it to a boil, then add the rest of the ingredients. let it shimmer for about 15-30 minutes. this way the color of the broth will be clearer with better flavor. you can double the bones/meats then divide the broth into two batches, saving the second one for later.
I am Vietnamese and I used to work in the kitchen for a Pho place when I was in college for many years. I helped the chef to prepare spices so I know what spices were used. I would like to point out some of the differences. I know that there are many versions and variations of pho flavor. The recipe only called for roasted star anise and cloves. They used charred charlottes, gingers and lots of green onions (1-2 inches in length from the roots) in the broth. However, those ingredients were added to the broth about 15-30 mins before serving. There was no fish sauce though. before Laddling: add finely chopped green onions, cilantro, and thinly sliced onions.
Herb:
No MINT
optional but highly recommended
Culantro, Ngo Om
http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Ngo_Om_680.php
THIS guy knows…from whence he speaks.
Pho in SAN is incredible especially Linda Vista shops…
Suzanne If you are losing to much liquid just add small amount of water to the pot as it cooks. Personally I don’t add water to it and just let it cook down a bit.
For a super clear and clean broth take your beef and beef bones and soak them in water overnight. This allows it plenty of time to release as much contaminants as possible.
Hi again,
Since I will be simmering this for 3 hours, I am afraid I will loose too much liquid in the steam. Should I not cover the pot at all? Thank you…it is smelling incredible already and I am just 30 minutes into the 3 hours!
Hi Jaden,
I plan to make the broth, chill, skim all fat and freeze it. Another commenter noted that the fish sauce makes for a very strong flavor the longer it sits. What are your thoughts about leaving it out until I plan to reheat and serve it over a couple of days? Maybe use half and add as I heat individual bowls? Can’t wait to start this tomorrow! Thank you so much!
Go ahead and create the recipe as -is….I don’t think that the fish sauce gets stronger the longer it sits 🙂
I was wondering if it is the ingredients are the same with seafood pho? because I really like seafood pho.
The ingredients are different, as well as the name of the dish as well. I’ll have to put that on the list of recipes to create!
Amazing!! I, I’ve just finished making this and the flavour is awesome. Definitely a winner recipe. I used beef bones and oxtails, yum. The meat is delicious and the soup is to die for, it tastes so authentic, thank you so much!
Did a version of this in the slow cooker. Easy and delicious. Started the broth early in the morning, ready at dinner time.Huge family favorite. Thanks for all the great tips.
How many servings does this make? Was going to try for an 8 person dinner – is this enough?
It’s made for 6-8 people. Increase all the ingredients by about 20% just to be safe!
We went to this restaurant on Federal Drive.
Dong Khanh
333 S Federal Blvd, DenverCO80219
It was really good. But if you keep driving south on Federal Dr., you’ll run into many more Vietnamese restaurants. My wife and I got a kick out of the fact that there are so many numbered ones, like:
Pho 79
Pho 55
Pho 27
etc
etc
etc
I have been watching videos about how to make pho on you-tube, and I have been reading the ingredients of 25-30 different recipes for pho off the internet. They are all basically the same ingredients.
What I do not understand is why, in every pho restaurant we have ever eaten at, and that is MANY, the soup broth always has MSG.
None of these recipes have MSG.
Why is that?
MSG is kinda bad for you, it’s a chemical, but it does some amazing things in terms of flavor. But I can always tell when a restaurant uses MSG – I tend to have an allergic reaction and get really super sleepy/lethargic afterwards.
That being said, I grew up in a house where my Mom used MSG in some dishes. It was common back then. An alternative to straight powder MSG is to use beef broth bullion or concentrate to boost the flavor. Yes, it still has MSG and I don’t know what else, but it does add a big kick of flavor.
Does anybody know of any restaurants that serve pho in Nebraska or Colorado.
I went to my local grocery store and they had beef bones pre packaged. Had meat on it still but I didnt get any of the scum and it came out amazing. Make sure you use enough salt. I also used regular sugar because I went to three supermarkets 2 of them asian and no one knew what yellow sugar was
You should be able to buy the bones at most Asian grocery stores with a butcher section. They will usually have bone (often with some meat still attached) in the display with all the other bone-less cuts, so if they don’t speak much English and you can’t communicate in another language, you can just point to which piece you want. Otherwise, if you have any butcher shops near you where they do the cuts themselves in the back (instead of getting shipments of pre-cut, pre-packaged meat), you can often ask for the bone by request even if they don’t have it on display.
Hi, I was wondering where I can find leg/knuckle bones. ????
I am very new to cooking, and I love Pho. 🙂
To Patty
If you spend more than 7.50 on a bowl of pho your getting ripped. I am in NY and for an XL bowl never spent more than 8.50. You can go to sf and go to pho garden and get a 4lb bowl for only 22 dollars and if you eat it in an hour its free.
On a side note my gf found this recipe and I will be using it to make only the 5th dish of my life today( just currently got into cooking) any prep tips would be appreciated.
I love Pho. I used to live in Orange Country in Socal and finding good Pho was no problem. Now I live on the Central Coast of California, and we have some great restaurants, just not restaurants that serve good Pho. So this recipe is going to be a life saver. Thank you so much for the post. Can’t wait to try it.
NO! It’s packed full of flavor. Besides, I usually slice and divide among the many bowls. Different cuts work just as well. Enjoy!
Awesome recipes and super funny? What talent!! You had me at pho-king! I love it. I’m making this recipe and I had to try it 10 minutes into the simmering and it tastes wonderful. Can’t wait for the finished product. I just had surgery and you have me laughing, which at this point is pretty painful : )
Well done! I’ve seen some badly thought recipes phor pho ;p. This is spot on. I feel I should point out though that may help answer some questions… Pho is a bit like bolongese sauce or other home made dishes in that there are as many ways to flavor it as mothers in the world. In my travels in SE Asia I had too many variants to count including pho with local grubs. My favorites were Pho with cross rib beef cut, tripe, tendon , and tounge and a fish pho that was more like a bouillabaisse. Bloody brilliant! The northern north western styles lean more to beef and land critterswhile south and se was more fish and water critters. Just be creative after trying this delicious recipe.
Side note, 17 dollars for pho? That’s robbery! I dont think i ever saw it for more than 10 dollars in the U.S. in seven cities!
Wheres the Beef Balls and Tripe? This is not Pho without testicles.
Made mine today. NICE!
Hi! Fellow Tampanian here. Just wanted to say I made your pho this past weekend and it was awesome. Thanks for the recipe! Mine was a bit greasy, but i used a lot of bones with marrow. I just let it sit in the fridge overnight and was able to skim off all the fat the next day. It has such a great depth of flavor. So much better than any pho i have had in town (except for BT’s, hers is pretty amazing). I used fresh noodles for the first time from Oceanic. What a difference they made.
I took me 2 tries to get this right, but when I did…oh so wonderful! I strain my broth through cheesecloth to get it to the same looks as my twice weekly Pho purchase from my fav restaurant. It goes so fast in my house I just can not make enough!
Thank you Jaden for such easy to follow and visually appealing instructions! I am a fan!!!
Hi Salynah – you can refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze the soup. Just make sure that you don’t have noodles in the soup – just freeze or store soup only. The cooked noodles will get soggy and gummy if stored.
Thank you for the recipe and well done explanation :).
wondering, how long can i keep the soup? should i keep in the freezer?
Wanted to add…. We add Daikon when we simmer the broth and it is removed when the ginger, onion etc is removed. Also we have had wonderful results when we skim off fat and impurities as the broth simmers. This way there is no need to refrigerate overnight and you get a clean clear broth. We skim several times as it cooks. And last… one person asked about the bag for the spices. What a pain to have to try and get every little seed from your broth if you don’t use one. If you can’t find one then you could use cheese clothe, tie it and float it. we also tie it to the handle of the pot so the very top does not dip in and let the spices loose in the broth. Hope that makes sense.
I am making the broth right now. It smells so good. After paying 17.00 for a bowl of Pho at our local Thai restaurant I knew I could do it myself. I used beef knuckle bones and chef’s low salt broth to beef up the soup. I love this recipe. I’ll let you know how it turns out!!!
Man I spend 25 bucks a day to eat pho at my favorite place!! I told myself I wanna make it to save me money…. I’ve looked and looked for recipes and found this one!! I’m making it right now.. It’s simmering smells sooo good!! Cnt wait to eat it
The purpose of the spice packet is to keep all the spices contained. Sometimes the longer you cook the spices it could overwhelm the broth, thus allowing the removal with ease.
I made pho for the first time using this recipe. It turned out wonderful. We cannot eat pho outside because our beef has to be Halal. I wasn’t always a Halal eater so i knew what pho was and really missed the taste.
Now thanks to you Jayden we can indulge ourselves again.
george what a great whinger you are weather its spelled pho phu fue or what ever, you are going to end up a foe (do you know the mening of foe tosser?)one word of advice to you george go on ebay and buy a life.once again youre a tosser and a looser ask everyone haha.and jaden did a great job with this recipe i lovedddddd it weel done jayden.
Using another recipe, and just found this one! I’m confused if I am supposed to throw out the chuck roast that I am cooking with the marrow. In this recipe it is listed as optional. I just need to know, since I just spent $11 on it.
Hey Pat George, sorry for your wife. You seem like a bit of a tosser.
To the author of this recipe, thank you, Pho (however you say it) is one of my favourites. I am eager to try this.
To jayce….if you had real pho there’s no way on earth would you eat something like you mentioned and call it pho! Disgrace.
Really?? That’s your gripe? How incredibly lame! You should really get a life.
Really, If you are going to pronounce something correct and tell people that this is the only way to say it, you better know where the word comes from. Pho is pronounce as “fuh” in the north of Vietnam only and Foe in the South of Vietnam. I know this because one I have been there and my wife is Vietnamese. So, please before correcting anyone on how to pronounce something remember that some say tomaytoe some say tomotoe, for the word tomato. This is one thing I can’t stand.
we can simplify the process by using New Choice Pho flavor Beef Broth made her in USA. All you need is slice eye round, noodle and vegetable and you still can have a delicious bowl pho in less than 10 minute.
Reminds me Pho from Hanoi, 1$
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgOUK3RboZU
incredible recipe and VERY simple!!!
i used my toaster over to do the charring and used some left over (frozen) beef stock since i had no beef bones. it work like a charm!!
thank you!!!!!!!!!!
Will be trying real soon!
you’re hilarious – and your pictures rock! this is one of the best, most thorough, succinct recipes I’ve ever come across (I read A LOT of them – also used to be a professional chef) Thank you!
We made this tonight with broth from local wild elk knee bones…WOW! And I was lazy before and didn’t char the ginger and onions but we did it this time…it made a TON of difference. Our kitchen smelled like a Vietnamese restaurant all night. Mmmmm!
This is a detailed recipe. There are small mistakes: we do not use cardamom (instead we use black cardamom) nor fennel.
Regards.
If you’re going to save some for later (entire pot won’t be served the day you make it) then don’t add the fish sauce to the pot. Add it to taste in each bowl. I added mine to the pot and it tasted great that night. But the portion that sat in the fridge over night was FAR too strong to eat the days following and I had to throw it all out. When I talked to some Vietnamese friends they said that if you add the fish sauce to taste in each bowl, that will solve the problem. Happy cooking!
Too eliminate the fat from this soup I have a very simple method.After the broth is done and is only liquid put it in the fridge over night. In the next day you have something looking like this http://www.culinar.ro/forum/uploads/monthly_01_2009/post-41452-1232309685.jpg so you have to realize how much fat can be in these bones.The link is from a Romanian forum about the same kind of soup but a little bit different. Basically the making of the broth is similar to Vietnamese Pho soup.
I am wondering if I need to put the spices in a spice bag? Since I am going to strain everything after the 3+ hours second simmering, won’t that clean out the spices enough? Just curious, and trying to cut out a step?
If there is a need for the bag, will someone please tell me?
Thanks, Mary
This recipe looks pretty good, but your stock procedure has a major flaw. During the initial blanching process, you should NEVER boil the bones. You should cover them with twice their volume with water and bring only to a low low simmer. Proceeding otherwise will coagulate the albumin in the bones and prevent all of the impurities from being released. The bones should be simmered only lightly for 10 minutes while being occasionally gently moved but NOT STIRRED (this will agitate the impurities and emulsify them into the liquid). After this, shock in an ice bath and rinse. And then proceed with similar caution in the actual stock-making. This will expononentially improve the flavor and clarity of your stock
This was the most beneficial tip I used for making pho, hand down.
Where did you get these fabulous white bowls with the straight edge and with the matching plates to hold your delicious looking pho? Thanks for a great site!
Cheers to steamy kitchen for such an awesome recipe and entertaining tutorial. I made it for the first time last week, and friends and family are already lobbying for another batch, so here I am!
Both times, it’s been plenty flavorful. I’m not sure how previous commenters are ending up with bland broth, because the water:bone:meat ratio seems pretty dead-on to me. I think more likely, people may have failed to season properly.
I changed it up a little this time, and used 4# of laterally-cut beef leg bones and 3# of beef shanks. I highly recommend using shanks; they add a lot of flavor, and they are a very budget-friendly cut. However, their meat is not really good for serving in the broth.
I’m sure I’ll be making this again soon. Thanks again for the great recipe.
Wow. I live in Hawai’i. I went down to Chinatown and got everything I need for this for less than $25 (already had hoisen and fish sauce and Sriracha–all essential ingredients for my pantry). $5 for noodles, $8 for pork bones, $4 for beef balls (liked these better than the thin sliced meat in my pho), $1.50 for a pho spice packet, and $2 for onions and the ginger, and then $4 for the basil, mint and sprouts. Not to shabby for a meal that serves 8! I guess, though, you might spend $40 or $50 if you buy the condiments and sauces just to make this recipe, though . . . so, just cook for Southeast Asian food!
Trickwood–it isn’t fish. It is fish sauce–while made of fish, the taste is totally different and totally essential for pho.
This was soooo good. I salt it would be too salty but with the meat and noodles it was perfect. I threw in some broccoli and carrots with the noodles too so we had a complete meal. Unfortunately I didn’t slice the meat thin enough so I had to take it out of every ones bowl and dip in the boiling water but it was still super.
That pho looks delicious, I want to try to make some myself, minus the fish sauce, I’m not a big fan of fish, but other than that Im really going to try to make it right, I have also found some great recipes here http://www.vietnam-travel-and-food.com/easyvietnameserecipes.html more that I will have to try myself 🙂
Lot’s of whiners here. Too bad!
Interesting recipe, am cooking it now and it’s packed with flavor.
I can’t wait until done and I collect the goodness within me and
my family cheers with joy at the sweet nutrition.
Oh, yeah, I skipped the fish sauce. Just didn’t grok that.
really? for me to go to the 6-7 different grocery stores to get all of this and the time to make it and the cost of each item added up….
I have a great pho shop 2 miles from my house and its $5 a huge bowl. I understand the idea of making it yourself but really… way too much prep time for soup. i think the PHO_KING idea of this is authentic for $5 not the $40 i would spend in prep and items.
Tried this recipe. Bland and greasy. Adjusted the ingredients and the recipe and it turned out wonderful.
– 2-3 lbs knuckle bones, 2 lbs of ox tail, and 1 lb of beef brisket.
– Half a radish (daikon) instead of sugar.
After you strain the soup, put the beef brisket and soup into the fridge and leave it over night. 1 hour before your meal, remove the layer of fat on the soup and reheat. Reduce the soup until the flavour is concentrated.
I found the Pho spice mesh bags at a vietnamese food store! I googled vietnamese food store and found the closest one to me!
where did you buy the mesh spice?
Hello. I tried the recipe and it seems all I taste is the fish sauce. When I eat Pho at Vietnamese restaurant, I usually don’t taste much of fish sauce. What do you think?
Hi. Just wanted to say that this recipie is amAzing, and super easy. I have loved pho ever sinced I lived in Boston, now Im im Mexcio and no Vietnamese retaurants here 🙁 So this recipie really hit the spot on how I used to remember it. Thank so much!! Making it today for lunch! Yum and YuM!!!
Try reducing it to concentrate the flavor (i.e. cook it longer). Also make sure you add salt it’s not going to taste savory unless you season it enough. If you skim the scum and fat frequently (i.e. don’t abandon your soup for too long) that will prevent it from getting as cloudy. Also don’t boil it too hard, a simmer is good. Boiling will mix the scum in with the broth making it cloudy. Simmering will leave the scum at the top so you can skim it off.
I’m excited to try this recipe. Nothing says warmth and comfort to me than a steaming bowl of pho. All the aromatics and rich broth make every part of me feel good.
Zac, I’m not sure how you made it, but I am Vietnamese and I have never made this, I followed her recipe to the T, and it turned out soooo authentic, my grandmother praised it. If you’re just a crappy cook, you can’t blame the recipe. Sorry, but true.
I just wanna say that this recepe is excellent. I just tried it and all my friends love it. It was even better than most Vietnamese restaurant’s pho recipe.
Thank you so much
Yup, definitely bookmarking this recipe!
Is it okay if I use Chinese five spice powder?
To keep the soup from getting cloudy, DON’T LET IT BOIL!
A simmer where the liquid is just rolling is fine. Any higher, and the proteins coagulate in the liquid: like egg-drop soup.
I set my cooker to 90C. I don’t know how accurate it is, but it seems about right for stock.
Having a recipe and getting the pho to taste the way you want is another thing.
Cooking pho takes a lot of practice and basic understanding of cooking, don’t be upset at the person providing you the recipe, perhaps it’s the person that tried to make it.
amazing dish – great recipe. We made this few days ago and it was one of the best pho’s i have ever had. thanks for posting and nice photography.
this is a very similar way to how I have made mine for quite some time , but a trick I learned to keep the flavors popping is to add a second spice bag ( with about 1/2 the amounts of spices as the first) at the beginning of the last hour or so of simmering ( I do simmer mine for a minimum of 4 hours , (often closer to 5 ), I do not add more sugar or fish sauce , but in my spice bag I do add about 2 tea. of freeze dried onion )–hope this is helpful !
Nice post!!
Nice recipe at pho and give good results…
This will be my second time making this soup! I can’t wait to eat it again! I loved it the first time even tho I did not have all of the spices! This time I am going to a Vietnamese Market to get what I could not find at the grocery store! I am so excited!!! I am hoping that sence I loved it the first time I am going to really LOVE it this time!!!!
I chose this recipe to make my first Pho and I think that it had a wonderful balance. The only amendment I made was slightly toasting the spices on a dry pan before putting in the bag.
I couldn’t get knuckles but made do with regular beef bones and chopped shank. I was amazed how much gunk came out of those bones, but the advice for the initial step of boiling for 10 minutes was appreciated. Nasty!
Due to the meat/bones I chose, I knew I’d have a lot of fat to contend with, but found that straining through cheese cloth helped a lot. Also I googled extra fat removing tips and found a great little tidbit where you gently drag parchment paper over the top of the soup…turns out oil loves it and will just stick to it! I did that a few times until I got the perfect oil content.
Thank you for all of your hard work trying this recipe so many times to come up with this lovely, simple process for us to follow. It honestly tasted better than any Pho I have had in Vietnamese restaurants in Toronto Canada.
My first attempt at Pho and it came out great, the broth was the best part. A little on fatty side but not too bad at all. I used the wrong noodles which was my mess up. My family said the broth was the best they have ever had.
I am making it again right now WITH the correct noodles.
Made it just a you said and it is GOOD!!!!!! I think next time I might add a bit of beef base (Tone’s) just to deepen the flavor. Whenever I make a new recipe, I do it as the recipe calls for then tweak it! I did use the beef shins and had plenty of marrow. I could have just served it without cooling and skimming the broth, but I cooled and skimmed! We are 200 miles from any kind of restaurant that would serve pho, so to me it was HEAVEN!!!!!! Thank you SO much for sharing your recipe!!!!
Oh this looks sooooooo good! Marrow and sriracha? What a match made in heaven. I can’t wait to try this broth!
I used this recipe and it went surprisingly well–I thought it might not turn out! The broth was flavorful, but greasy. I spent some time carefully spooning out a majority of the grease and then in the last leg, refrigerating about a pint(by that point I was collecting good soup as well). I did leave some grease in the pot for flavor.
One extra step I tried is to toast the spices in a pan before adding to the broth. I didn’t have a herb ball or mesh bag, so I threw them directly in the pot and had to strain them out each time I removed scum, as well as at the end of cooking.
But this recipe and technique is solid. Thanks for a great entry.
You’re very welcome Jamie!
I am cooking this right now and had a question about the spices / spice packet. I bought my spices separately, and added them individually into the broth pot. There is no mesh bag to keep it together. Other than it being a big pain to scoop around (hard to separate foam and fat when I accidentally scoop up the spices), is this going to negatively affect my broth?
Nope, not at all. (sorry for late reply – we were on vacation!)
Can not find “package of Pho spices”
Any online store you guys could recommend?
Best Pho recipe and detailed explanation of how to do it. Thanks for the effort you’ve put into this.
pho palace opened in phila northeast. i went there and enjoyed the pho. i wonder if anyone else knows other places to get pho. i know there is another one on adams but i don’t see any other places listed in the phone book. email me if you know at dinner4singles@hotmail.com thanks
I’ve tried many different recipes including this one. Always tasteless. Tried different bones and adding beef. Doubling spices and bones. Don’t understand what the deal is. Always end up with a brown greasy cloudy soup that tastes like nothing. Refrigerate over-night and skim fat relentlessly. For as much as it costs to make I am better off paying 5 dollars for a bowl at a restaurant.
Mine turned out horrible, it just tastes like cinnamon.
there are a few basic procedures not covered here, like additional time for more flavor and removing excessive oil from broth (I leave mine overnight or put it in fridge). The ones in restaurants are full of MSG, so that is one reason home cooked Pho will always be different.
Aloha yall, I think this is the ultimate pho recipe, maybe the bad experience from some comments is due to low quality&quantity beef bones & meat, this dish is all about the beef, stuff as much beef as you can into it=stronger beef taste. I had that problem the 1st few trys, too watery, not potent, got me some high quality beef & stuff the pot silly, it tasted Pretty Pho-king amazing…
I also found that if I added the spices about 1 hour before done, the spices shine, but if cooked too long it tasted stale-lish…
Also instead of rock sugar I use parsnip, has the sweetness & cardamomly taste.
Gotta have the thai basil, has that licorice kick, fresh layer of it to compliment the star anise, fennel…
Havent found any fresh noodles without preservatives, maybe I should start making fresh noodles???
Pho cubes, leave them as air freshener, DO NOT EAT!
Thanks for hooking us up with some Pretty Pho-king amazing good eats. Enjoy…responsibly…do not over eat…more than twice a day.
Pho Vietnam always have a magic power which attract foreign. I like Bun Oc Ha Noi. It’s very sweet.
I’ve followed this recipe and ended up also with fatty broth. So I’m following the instructions for chilling and separating the fat. But i’m thinking there’s a ton of flavor in that fat, so is there something else I can use the fat for?
My mom was a chef and made pho almost every week. If you want a less greasier broth, use beef neck bones instead. I DON’T recommend those pho bouillon cubes. Definitely not the same taste because they’re missing a lot of the key spices and herbs. Sounds like there’s too much fish sauce in this recipe and the rock sugar is unnecessary though a teaspoon of sugar can be used. I’d also recommend slicing the ginger up and pound softly in a mortar and pestle to release more of the flavor. Also cut out the coriander, fennel and cinnamon and reduce the cloves.
ADD 1 roughly sliced (2-inch portions) up stalk of lemongrass and 1 teaspoon of whole peppercorns. Slice the onions into rings to release the flavor, don’t keep them halved/whole.
After it boils for about 3-5 mins, then reduce the temp and let it simmer for about 3 hours. Check and stir every 30mins-1hr to remove the dirty broth that’s risen to the top.
This was the recipe I used for my first pho attempt. It came out okay, it was really greasy but I think that was the bone choice as well as the fact that I threw in oxtails for more flavor. I also ended up using the wrong noodles. I will be making it again, I’ll perfect it eventually. Thanks for the recipe!
This was by far the easiest receipe to follow and produce the best beef broth soup.
I have to agree that it was the blandest Pho I have ever eaten and we are an asian family! I almost doubled the spices, added more fish sauce and I had some PHO cubes laying around and added them also for good measure that did the trick! Most of my friends just use the PHO Cubes but I do it her way and add them for more flavor and it is a big hit at my house!!
I have a question about the parboiling. My local asian market only sells frozen beef bones, and so the “boil vigorously for 10 minutes” takes way longer than ten minutes to get it to boil vigorously enough for all the scum to bubble up. Does your recipe have thawed bones and I just need to add more time to accommodate my frozen bones, or do I have to be patient enough to thaw my bones before trying to make my broth?
Go ahead and add your frozen bones, just add 3 minutes to your time.
I used regular italian basil and it tasted just fine. It is a little different, but not in a bad way.
What kind of basil do you use for the condiment? Can I use regular italian basil?
I am making this recipe as I type 😉
thanks for the super easy steps-
the only thing that I didnt take note of and that I didn’t have was a 12-qt capacity pot- so I just cut the ingredients in half =D yay pho!!
Made your recipe n followed it to the last details. Sorry to say it is one of the worse tasting ever. Somehow it doesnt taste like a vietnamese pho im used to. Anyway, good effort on your side in writing them . love the picture too :-). thank you.
Hi,
I was just reading up on your recipe and it sounds delicious. I plan to make it later this week. Just one question, how much people does your recipe serve?
May I suggest people try Mi Quang, Bun Bo Hue and Bun Rieu. Mi Quang is my fav.
I love Bun Bo Hue!
Candida,
I think you are referring to Mi (Noodle) Quang (Central region of Vietnam). It originated from the region near Da Nang, Vietnam. It is also yummy. Hard to find a restaurant in Australia for that too. This is all making me too hungry…salivating think about Mi Quang…grrr.
I was a bit confused on the scum bag part, was the mesh spice bagyour “scum bag”
Hi, I started to make pho using this recipe a few days ago (Wed). And I followed what most viet restaurants do – that is to boil the broth overnight and keep refilling the stock over a day or two in order to maintain the taste. However, after leaving it overnight I still felt something was missing. The beef broth tasted good but it lacked a certain tangy-ness.
Went looking at other recipes and realized that Lemongrass is a key ingredient that is not added to the soup. To improve this recipe, I suggest adding lemongrass.
I *love* lemongrass! I had a massive bush growing in the backyard in old house. I’m going to have to grab some to plant before the house sells
What do you do to the daikons?do you char it like the onions and ginger?
No need to char the daikon, just peel (with veg peeler) and cut into large chunks to add in if you’d like.
Great job,
I don’t know why you pull the meat out after 1 1/2 hours though? I’d say get fresh FRESH meat to slice in RAW at the end, that’s how they do it in Vietnam. Jut drop it in and wait 30 seconds
Holy crap! Thanks for the detailed directions and colorful commentary. I will have to bust this out when I have a long day in the kitchen.
See this link for saw grass description: http://www.justphoyou.com/ingredients.asp
What is the name of the green leaf that you get with uour Pho at restauants? I am not talking about the basil, someone called it sawgrass from Viet Nam… could you please tell me where it comes from…Thank You
Thank you for making a one-stop, Pho-making website. I looked up a lot of different recipes for Pho, but you made it easy to understand by explaining all the key ingredients and what flavors they add. So I’m making my first batch and it’s smelling really good…
I see in your picture you have brown (looks like indian) cardamom…. can i use green cardamom or will it be to sweet?
Try adding a small to medium size daikon, it adds so much to the broth it is amazing. Oh, hahaha I see someone already suggested that, well I will just keep the comment to suggest to other readers. Our recipes are almost the same except I add carrot and daikon and use salt instead of fish sauce. My other secret is adding culantro to the platter of herbs. You can find it at asian stores almost always, smells so good. I look forward to trying the crockpot versions 🙂
agree with pho eater 🙂 really good recipe but add diakon it makes the broth “sweeter” enhances flavour of bones!
SO AMAZING!!!!!! I’ve been craving pho since I’ve moved to the UK! This was sooooo delicious! And So much better than a restaurant version! I usually get bloated after eating the restaurant version due to all the salt in their broth. Not to mention, I get all the meat I want!! Thank you sooooo much!
Thanks Belle!
One thing these guys didn’t tell you is the Diakon needed for the flavor. It’s the secret ingredient in these Pho soups. It’s what sells. Now go make them pho’s and stop paying $6 for pho
I’ve only made this recipe once and it took parts of 2 days (counting time to cool and remove fat) but it was worth every minute that I spent on it. My house smelled heavenly while the broth was cooking and my husband (who is a meat and potatoes man) loved it!
THE BEST TIPS IS BBQ A WHOLE GINGER TILL THE SKIN IS BURNED ,MODERATE SMASHING IT …..D
$11.00 EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GET PHO (ALL IN ONE)SPICES AT AMAZOM.COM SEARCH FOR (JustPhoYou Spice Sachet House Blend) (ALL IN ONE) GOOD LUCK ON THE TRIP … YOURS TRULY DELEMERE
GET PHO (ALL IN ONE)SPICES AT AMAZOM.COM SEARCH FOR (JustPhoYou Spice Sachet House Blend) (ALL IN ONE) GOOD LUCK ON THE TRIP … YOURS TRULY DELEMERE
I tried this today, and I thought I follow the instruction closely, but the soup is tasteless. It has too much of a sour taste… ending up dumping the whole thing…
I am going to attempt to make this dish Friday! I am soooo excited!
Why bother with the bones and all that extra boiling and scum skimming? Isn’t store-bought beef stock the same thing?
Hola!
Awesome recipe and pictures! I used it has a rough guide and this is my result – http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.215430771808731.62273.174418105909998&l=087505fa48
Thanks for the recipe! I am going to continue making this every 2 weeks or so to work on it!
Actually it’s best to start your bones off in cold water after blanching, and bring them up to a simmer gently — you’ll extract more collagen and end up with a richer, silkier broth.
I definitely recommend adding 3-4 pieces of oxtail bones and short ribs. But mostly definitely the oxtail bones because of its unique, rich flavor. A time saver tip is to have 2 pots of boiling water going: one for parboiling, and the other is for the actual soup pot. This saves about 45 minutes of cooking time. None of the cookbooks will tell you this is how long it takes. It’s a very time consuming recipe. I usually cook my pho for 5 hours. Never understand the 3 hours recipe.
For those who can’t find the spice packet, don’t sweat it. At the asian market, buy the individual bags of spices (coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, star anise, and cloves). Place a tablespoon of each spice, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 4 star anise into a skillet and roast it for 3-4 minutes before tying it up in a piece of cheese cloth. Then store the remaining spices in a plastic shoebox container. Whenever you feel like making pho, it will all be there in one container. This is cheaper than buying the spice bag for $2-3 each time. I hope this helps.
I had never made pho before. I’ve always been afraid of messing it up, but one day I decided to jump in and make it. After looking through several recipes I stopped on this one. I’m really glad I did. My very first pot turned out wonderfully! The details at the top with the pictures were wonderful and the instructions were easy to follow. Thank you so much!
Hahaha! This post just popped into my head because I remember you talking about the scumbag strainer. Will we see that in the Steamy Kitchen store soon? 🙂
I’m in Hong Kong and I’ve been using this recipe for months. I have lots of good spices on hand (from India and Hong Kong) and I just throw them in and let them settle to the bottom. I use Australian oxtail and flank and ribeye steaks in the bowls. I slice them thin using one of the very nice carbon steel knives in my collection. I’ve never tasted pho better than my own. I’ll be in Vietnam later this year, so that’ll be the true test. 🙂
Can you link me to this? I am having trouble finding a good seasoning packet in richmond, va. May try to order something from the internet
Can you link me to this? I am having trouble finding a good seasoning packet in richmond, va. May try to order something online
Hello! If I cannot use fish sauce because I am allergic to it , what can I use instead?
Today is my third attempt at making Pho, the first 2 have turned out absolutely brilliant! I live near an Asian community so access to the finest ingredients is no problem for me. I find that purchasing the pho spices at a chinese herbal store is much more convenient and makes the broth more aromatic and even makes the soup taste better! As for the pho noodles I use the fresh ones from the asian grocery store counter (not freezer), (Not sure if they have them in the US) but the logo is a red letter “U”. As for hoisin sauce, I’ve grown up with the brand Tung Chun (glass jar with red lid), and chilli sauce my husband has converted me to the brand ” Koon Yick Wah Kee” tall glass bottle with white lid and picture of a ship. I wish I could upload the pictures to show everyone!
Hi Kim, that’s great! Glad you enjoy the recipe. The fresh rice noodles are the best.
I made this today with my own spin…I am known for my chicken and beef stocks, so I used my own beef stock recipe, added the spice mix and other ingredients, and volia, the best pho soup I’ve ever had! Thanks for such an accessible recipe! 🙂
When I was single my roommate and I lived just down the block from a fabulous Vietnamese restaurant. It was run by a husband and wife team. He ran the front of the house and she ran the kitchen. We ate there about 3 times a week because we were: 1. Single 2. Too lazy to cook and because the food was simply fantastic. To this day nothing says ‘comfort food’ to me like pho. It cures the common cold, too.
In Toronto–in a restaurant that sadly folded–I had curried pho that was so good, I dream about it. But I can’t find a single recipe online for curried pho, although some restaurants are mentioned where it’s served–none of them unfortunately anywhere near me. Does anyone have a good recipe for curried pho? It clearly wasn’t “traditional” since I think it had shrimp in it, although you could opt for chicken or beef.
My Vietnamese mother discards it as well, for what it’s worth.
I am going to use your recipe to submit for Vietnamese booth at my school culture of festival. Thanks for wonderful job explaining the process and ingredients.
They asked for how many people does this recipe serve.
Yes, an Asian market is the best place to find beef bones. I have used beef neck bones and cow/ox tail bones as well. (The cow tails have more meat on them) Try Googling Asian or Viet supermarkets. We have a place called Hong Kong Supermarket where I always go here in Texas. The pho noodles should also be nearby the bones.
While this was time consuming it was the best pho I’ve tasted! It has a rich, full bodied broth that I crave and love. So delicious.
Pho is awesome but you got to have the tripe in it
I’ve been looking all over the internet for a decent pho recipe, but you’ve made it very easy! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try this out.
Very detail description. Great job!
THANKS JOHN-I DID FIND MARROW BONES AND ALSO LEARNED THAT LEG BONES ARE UNAVAILABLE HERE–SOME RULE ABOUT BUTCHERING THE MEAT AT SA CENTRAL POINT BEFORE IT IS SHIPPED. I CAN GET OXTAIL AND SHORT RIBS, THOUGH AND WITH THE MARROW, THAT SHOULD DO.
I am a student living in France until May and I would love to cook this to remind me of one of my favorite restaurants at home. Can you please provide a link to the Golden Flower spice packets so I might be able to order them and have them shipped? Thanks for the recipe.
Linda,
If you can locate the local slaughterhouse/custom meat processing shop you will be able to ask for soup bones and it should be fine since many just throw them into the inedilbe barrels.
Got some, but Three Crabs nuoc mam lists “hydrolyzed vegetable protein” as an ingredient. Any other brand recommendations?
Hi.
My son with a cold asked for Pho, so I’m taking a shot at it. The local Hispanic market did not have beef bones, but did have cow feet (sliced crosswise into thin sections). Would this make a reasonable substitute? Looked like it has a lot of connective tissue.
I’m sure it would work just fine
Jaden,
Was wondering where to purchase the pho soup bowls and plates that are displaying your wonderful pho soup, would like to give them as a gift.
Hi Lisa,
I think I bought those bowls either at Ikea, Crate & Barrel or CB2 (part of Crate & Barrel)
I can’t find leg or knuckle bones in southern Virginia supermarkets.
Would an Asian market be a better chance? The butcher here said ther is some law agaist shipping beef on the bone–butchering is done elsewhere, so they have no soup bones available.
Used short ribs and beef shank, but stock not as rich as I would have liked.
Suggestions much appreciated.
Jaden, Thank you for the recipe and John for brand recommendations. Question: Is discarding parboil water necessary? I would think in a traditional village culture that might be considered wasteful of nutrition and flavor? Also, do the Vietnamese have any use for the blood curd?
After making quite a few pots of this soup, both bo and ga varieties, and comparing them to pho purchased at vietnamese restaurants, I can tell you that Jaden has definitely nailed it. You won’t find a better, more authentic recipe. Also, for those of you looking for a particular brand of pho spice mix, after trying quite a few, I’ve determined that I personally think the Golden Flower brand that comes with the little tray in the package with the red and gold border is the absolute best one. I refuse to use any other now. Also, Three Crabs fish sauce is the best fish sauce to use. 🙂
I’ve been searching for the perfect Pho recipe for weeks now. I would usually come across one that “looked” good, but then change my mind based on the comments (ie doesnt taste authentic Pho at all; the soup is tastless; etc). Reading through all the feedback on this recipe, I guess I might have found the perfect one indeed! Will definitely try this out during the weekend. I cant wait!! 🙂
I cooked this Vietnamese beef noodle last week. The taste is incredible good and exotic. As per instruction I seared the rib first and throw every thing ( rib, garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick ,clove, onions etc) into the pressure cooker and cooked it for 1.5 hrs. The soup turned out amazing well. On top of the recipe I added some shredded carrot and shredded pungent Bombay onion. Believe me or not, the spiciness of onion is good accompaniment with the pepper mint and coriander leaves. Luckily my husband bought me a madoline slicer as Xmas gift, or else I have to spend hours in the humble kitchen to prepare the meal.
Thanks for sharing the recipes.
I love pho! I think I have found a place where you can buy the pho spices online. http://vietnamesesupermarket.com/firstworldmixedspicesforpho16oz.aspx
Thank you for posting this Pho recipe!
Hi, I used to live in the Spokane area and had good luck finding bones at Sonnenburgs, they were frozen if I remember right. You might also try the butcher in Deer Park, they do a lot of custom stuff and could probably set aside some good stuff for you. Good luck!
I couldn’t find the Pho Spices package at the chinese supermarket. Any suggestion.
Los Angeles Resident
You live in Asian market mecca! Any Los Angeles Chinese/Vietnamese Asian market will have the spice package.
Aww… I finally found a recipe for Pho. I can’t wait to try this recipe this weekend. I live in a very small town. Only one restaurant sells pho soup but it is very costly $11/bowl. And to me, it is not very authentic or that good. So, I will make my own pho with your recipe 🙂 Wish me luck! Thank you much!
First, let me correct something I said about my broth. Transparent was the wrong word, it was more like a golden/brown. I’m not sure if it was because I strained the broth through chinois and then ran it through again, but this time I lined it with several layers of cheesecloth. It seemed to hold onto most of the fatty oils, and left a cleaner broth. I have to say, that was better then any Pho penny and I have ever had, and we have tried several places over the last 15-20 years. I believe it was because I controlled the seasonings. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. Again, Thank you.
Thanks so much Ed! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Hi Jaden,
Found your site yesterday, and making the soup today. The only thing I added was a few parsnips to the stock. It’s outside cooling (30 degrees)so I can remove some of the fat from the top. There is not much, but wanted to make it as clean as possible.
The color is great (transparent), and the flavor is spot on. I added a touch of salt-sugar-and fish sauce to bump it up a bit after I strained it. I’ll let you know how the final dish turns out, but how could it not be great?
Thank you!
I had to order it through amazon.co.uk Jaden but is worth it. Wonderful stories and recipes. Don’t know why it’s no longer available through amazon.com (US)!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Songs-Sapa-Luke-Nguyen/dp/1741964652/
Oh, and I hope you don’t mind but I like to share a link with Pho recipe with video from Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam:
http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/lukenguyen/recipes/detail/recipe/11006
see what you think!
Thanks Jaden.
Love Luke Nguyen! I haven’t seen his latest cookbook yet but do love the first book.
Thanks for the step-by-step Jaden. Great results. There are so many variations on the spices that could be added to any Pho but I think I have narrowed it down to 3; star anise, cassia bark (or cinnamon sticks) and cloves. I would use them sparingly or else the broth becomes dark and heavy with spices; subtlety is the key to a light clear but fragrant Pho. Perfecting the final taste is also tricky. I use a little palm sugar, a little salt and some fish sauce for balancing things out at the end. Oh, and the best noodles, if you can get them, are the fresh flat ~0.5cm wide ones. I also used to make a mistake of putting too much Hoisin and Sriracha and drowning out the actual Pho taste. Now I use a little lot less! 😉
We tried Pho at a Vietnamese place in Montreal this past summer, and I FINALLY got the courage to make some at home tonight. I found this post and was on a mission to crank this stuff out. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!! You never cease to blow me away…YUM!! I posted a link to your post, and my results over on my blog. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow 🙂
Thanks Ashley!!!
Just one question. I’m using oxtail in my recipe. Should I parboil the oxtail with the bones or just add them when I’m ready to simmer.
Thank you so much for the instructions!
I would parboil the oxtail bones!
Just had to chime in, this is the best recipe ever, my wife and I have made it our signature dish! we make it as a show stopper for friends and love it! we use venison most times and lamb as well…we first had it a pho pasteur in chinatown, Boston, but we line on an island and rarley get there…we cant thank you enough for having this recipe up, perfect directions and easy to follow…we have frozen venison Demi i make from roasted bones i bake off during hunting season…great flavor for those hunters out there…thanks again!
Brian and Kate Athearn
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I live in a small mountain town and the closet Pho is over 2 hours away. We made it last weekend and loved it so much we are making it again today! Yummy!
I just want you to know I made this soup last weekend and it was wonderful. I was so glad to have all your tips and cool photographs. It really helped me since I am a beginner cook looking for adventure! I enjoyed the whole process and enjoyed it ALL week! Thank you for making it easy and fun to follow your recipes!!
Thanks Jill!
You did a great job with the Pho recipes! My mom makes the best Pho, I don’t make them though. But with this recipe, I will finally be able make it! Thanks!!!! ^^
You’re very welcome! Thanks for coming by!
Thank you for such detailed instructions on making this soup! However, all I could find was ground cardamom rather than the pod. What amount would be equivalent to the one cardamom pod? Thanks!
Hi Karen, considering the pod gets removed and discarded later, I’d go light on the ground cardamom (it’s a very strong spice!) and estimate to add just 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom. You can also leave out the spice altogether and the pho would taste just fine! 😉
i noticed you said you were from spokane, as am i. my favorite place to eat pho is vien dongs on sprague. sooo good. which place did you find such good bones? i haven’t had great luck as you have. Thanks.
Pretty Pho-king amazing! lol Thx for the good info!
I am making this (for the first time) as I type. Hoping for the best!! God bless the Hong Kong Food Market for having EVERYthing, even if I had to pretend to know what I was looking for! A friend of my husband’s gave us the seasoning packet that you have on your site, so I knew I’d landed the recipe I wanted. My house smells yummy already. The ingredients all together were a bit pricey, but I guess for several bowls instead of two from a restaurant, it’s a bargain!
Hi, I made this last night & I don’t know if I did something wrong, maybe I put too much oxtail in it.
1st-I used about 6lb’s oxtail, 1lb-pork tenderloin, 2lbs.-bo vein beef balls & 1lb.-bo vein pork balls I was told you could use as much meat as you want. Is that amount of meat far too much.
2nd-I didn’t get any knuckles, so I skipped the part about par-boiling the oxtail & just boiled all the meat for about half an hour then adding chared ginger, onion, & spices.
3rd-I brought all to a boil, simmered for 2 hours, then turned oven down even lower & let it cook over night. It reduced quite a bit of liquid. When I served it the next day it seemed very greasy & the flavor seemed good, yet strange to me.
4th-broth wasn’t really at all clear like in the restaurants, pretty cloudy, greasy & yellow. I strained scum out of it many times.
5th-Could you please let me know what mistakes I made, I want to get this recipe right so I want to know a better way of doing this, any help would be appreciated. Thanks
My broth comes out pretty dark brownish (still tastes really good) but I’ve eaten at restuarants that keep their broth pretty clear. Is there a trick to keeping it a clear colored broth?
Great tips Peter!
I love this recipe! I cook my pho soup always by myself for the whole family for 2 days. It is maybe cheaper to go out but you never know what they use to cook the soup. They always take the cheapers meat, maybe old and frozen for years??…you never know! Our Pho restaurant is by a Asian Market and the meat there( they get the meat and everything over there) is just gross! For this reason we don`t go out and just cook at home. It is a easy recipe and you don`t have much work. Once you get your all spices the soup is done! I also used another fresh beef bones and the soup was fantastic even with different bones! Thanks
regarding too much fat! skim the fat, strain it, and serve it warm with green onion sections…this is the traditional “fatty broth” a spoonfull or two adds a great “mouth feel” to the pho!
I am looking for a recipe or preparation instructions for the thinly sliced “trimmed flank” for pho. if you have such a recipe, please email it to me at dmreed@dmreed.com
thanks
I just had Pho for the first time the other day at Ha Long Bay here in St Pete. It was amazing and I will definitely have to try this recipe!
Yes I do. We host a weekly potluck at my house so I’ve acquired a few large cooking and serving tools. Do you think I should use all three spice packets?
I’m making this tomorrow, I bought ingredients for a 3x recipe for a crowd. Any adjustments you think I should make? Use all three spice packs? I got 15 pounds of leg bones and eye of round.
I hope you have a big enough pot! 🙂
I definitely will try this recipe out. Thank you so much for the clear instruction. We love Pho!!!
Hi Jaden,
the recipe is amazing.
I made it yesterday with a friend, we followed it almost to the letter (except we were too impatient to wait the whole three hours, but we got very close!) and it turned out heaven.
Can’t wait to cook it for more people, and also to try more of your recipes 🙂
Big thank you from Germany
….sorry typo, i meant the classic French technique in making brown veal/beef stock.
Fantastic tips!
Thank you very much for this recipe. I did the recipe with a bit of variations. Instead of parboiling the beef bones, I roasted them in the oven for around an hour, just like the classical french technique in making dark veal/beef bones. I used knee cap, knuckle and marrow bones. This process gives a darker color and intensifies the flavor of the broth and evaporates all the scum and impurities. I simmered the broth for 3 hours. I also realized that I have to make the broth slightly salty because the first time I poured a ladle of the broth, the noodles and raw beef absorbed a lot of flavor.
I am so excited to make this recipe! It’s so much less expensive this way. Here in Spokane, WA, it’s tough to find good Pho, and tougher to find a bowl under $7 or $8.
Today I went out and got all my ingredients (going to put together my own spice bag using the measurements listed!) and was so pleased to find that at the butcher counter of our local natural foods market that not only did they have bones (giant, amazing bones) but they were also willing to chop them down to usable size for me! I’m pregnant, and all I’ve been craving is Pho, so I can’t wait to try this.
On another note, I have a loaf of No-Knead Bread rising for baking tomorrow… I love your recipes!
I think i’ve got all the ingredients and garnish except one big part… the bones! I found some frozen soup bones at Harris Teeter in 2 pound bags, but they looked really….frozen. maybe frost bitten is a better term. Anyway, the 2 asian markets I went to didn’t have them and I also tried Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart said they haven’t had beef bones in a long time, so my search begins for a place in Raleigh, NC or the surrounding area for some beef bones. Once I find them, I’ll be ready to make this. I’m so excited because I really love Pho! Thanks for the guidance!
Try a small local butcher for bones!
I tried making this the other day and my broth tasted a little bland – not beefy at all. Could it be because I omitted the 1 lb of beef that cooks in the broth? Should I have maybe let it simmer for longer than 3 hours?
Thanks!
Natalie
Yes to your first question
Made this over the weekend and it was delicious. However, there is one correction to the recipe; I believe it should be *five* 5-star anise, not one 5-star anise.
ah, I see where you are confused. I changed it to 5 whole star anise.
Usually, star anise is just called that, not “5-star anise”
Splendid! My city has a rapidly growing population of Vietnamese and I discovered Pho a few months ago. I have been lunching at my favorite restaurant at least once a week because I love the taste of Pho. After reading your article today (hilarious, by the way), I went to the nearest Vietnamese Grocery and purchased all my ingredients. My first home-made batch is simmering as we speak and my family keeps asking me what smells so good! Thank you for the easy to follow recipe. All the best! – C.
you are my hero.
I look forward to trying this recipe. The ingredient list and instructions are very thorough. I noticed that some people were having trouble boosting the flavor of their broth. Every chef I know roasts beef bones before boiling. This imparts a richer, nutty flavor to the marrow. Roast the beef bones at 400 degrees until they are nicely browned, at least 15 minutes. Do not allow them to char or burn.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
I have searched in libraries, and everywhere else for the recipe for this soup!
I have tried to get it right from memory and taste, but never could I get it to taste exactly right! Well you have done it! Thank you again, as I live in VERY rural North Carolina, having lived all over the world, and Vietnamese being my MOST favorite food, I am in heaven with this recipe!
My the Gods smile upon you!
Just wanted to say I made this tonight and it came out really good! Thanks for a great recipe! I liked how easy it was to follow. I think I simmered it a little hard at times, but it actually worked out because the broth became more concentrated (even though it was fairly cloudy). A little confused about “skimming”; there was really nothing to skim off the top while it was simmering, and then I just strained it through a mesh colander at the end. Also added a good amount extra of fish sauce/salt/sugar because I like a nice strong broth. So happy I have pho for the rest of the week!
Great recipe but WHY WOULD YOU DISCARD THE TALLOW?????
Refrigerate, remove the tallow that solidifies on top to keep the broth from becoming to greasy, and then save it for frying, baking biscuits, or making pie crust.
WOW OH WOW!!! I LOOOOVE PHO! Ok so i was just telling myself that i was gonna make some because i seriously eat the stuff like three times a week and i though i was spending to much money on it but now it seems like i will save money just buying it from the resturant. I live in STL and we have alot of Vitanemese restuarnts but there are only two that i have come to love so much, I have tried alot of Pho and urs looks great but i dont think i have the time or money to make my own but i will deffinalty put it on my list of things to do 🙂 Thanks for the insight.
If you could post the nutrition info with your recipes it would be a wonderful addition.
Made this today. It turned out DELICIOUS! My mom would be so proud. 🙂 Thank you for being so specific in your directions, it really helped me to make a nice clean broth with lots of flavor and not too oily.
i’ve made this 3 times, and i have to tell you its never strong enough.
Ive played around with adding more spices and less water and it still came out abit weak. I’ve let it simmer longer on the stove too.
Once i tryed double the spices and used the required amount of water called for and still weak.
I can not seem to get the broth strong enough.
i ended up buying a packet of instant pho, and adding it to the soup, then it turned out better.
I did add the good bones that had marrow in it and used quite abit of oxtail too and still just can’t get that strong taste flavor.
Try adding more fish sauce & salt. Fish sauce will add more flavor to the soup. However, you need to add both fish sauce and salt because Pho is not a seafood dish, if you add too much fish sauce, it will have a “seafood” taste which is wrong for Pho. Adding only salt will make the soup salty but it doesn’t have the “complex” salty flavor of fish sauce. That’s why you need to add both, but don’t make the soup too salty because it will be more difficult to correct later. If someone wants it more salty, he can add more fish sauce while eating it.
By the way, your a packet of instant pho probably has a lot of MSG in it. That’s why it may taste more flavorful. A lot of restaurants use MSG to add the “sweet” flavor to the soup to make it more complex. But MSG is bad for your health. I prefer to use sugar to balance out the salty taste rather than MSG.
Thanks for the great instructions. I had a recipe I was using from Cooking Light mag but wanted one more authentic. My whole house smelled great all afternoon as I was cooking–this was a plus to me, I can’t vouch for my neighbors. It turned out great & I will definitely be making this again. Thanks
I’m just getting started on my first batch of Pho after gathering all the freshest authentic ingredients possible in a small town in Central Arkansas. I have a couple of questions before I get too far. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
1. I couldn’t find yellow rock sugar, but I have Raw Sugar or Turbinado sugar. Can I substitute this for yellow rock sugar? At what proportions to the amount of yellow rocksugar called for here?
2. I’ve read that Daikon can be substituted for the rock sugar. Daikon is a radish, would any kind of radish do or must it be Daikon?
3. Is the Crock Pot method really as good as using stovetop? should I leave the crock pot uncovered just like on the stovetop?
I’m par-boiling my bones now, so I’m kind of leary of what to do next…
Any help????
Thanks
1. I couldn’t find yellow rock sugar, but I have Raw Sugar or Turbinado sugar. Can I substitute this for yellow rock sugar? At what proportions to the amount of yellow rocksugar called for here?
Any sugar will do. The secret to Southeast Asian cooking is to balance the flavors (salty, sweet, hot, etc). You add to sugar to make the soup more flavorful and to make the salty taste less salty and more subtle. If you just add the salt and the fish sauce, it will just taste salty. But if you add a little bit of sugar, the balance will come out much better so that it’s less salty and it’s more complex. Just remember that you are cooking Pho — a salty soup, not making a dessert, so just a little bit of sugar (1 tsp) will do to make the salty flavor more complex. Do not put too much sugar in there so the soup has a sweet taste — it will destroy the soup.
2. I’ve read that Daikon can be substituted for the rock sugar. Daikon is a radish, would any kind of radish do or must it be Daikon?
I think the reason Daikon radish is mentioned is that it has the sweet taste so you can use it to balance out the salt & fish sauce. If the other kind of radish is not sweet, it doesn’t serve this purpose.
actually the fat on top of the broth should be saved and used sparingly…maybe a spoonful or so in a bowl of pho! according a a Vietnamese expert (cookbook writer/blogger/etc.) this is classic deluxe pho because there is so little fat with so much broth. adds to taste and mouth feel. if you want to throw it out…send it to me!
my site http://dmreed.com includes my Asian cookbook collection and some Asian recipes plus a lot of other stuff.
Thanks for recipe. We are very exicted to try it out. Do you know if the broth freezes/stores well? We would like to make a large quantity so we can have it whenever we like.
Thank you for the Pho recipe. I used to labor for hours to make Pho and it still doesn’t taste good. But I found this awesome new Pho-making kit called Happy Pho by this woman who used her grandparents’ recipe to make them. They come in a box with a spice packet and a pack of pho noodles for 2 people. I was skeptical at first, but they have a simple recipe at the back that takes 15 mins. All I need to get is some chicken or beef broth and fresh ingredients, and the Pho that came out is absolutely delicious! It’s also all natural and organic and made with brown rice. Check out their products here http://staranisefoods.com/our-products.aspx. I got them from Whole Foods in SoMa. But you can also get them from Amazon.com I think. I’ve also joined their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Star-Anise-Foods/111447418877428 — and just went to their product demo for some free tasting of all flavors. Love it!
thanks for the lovely recipe!:) I really enjoyed it.
I’m currently making my 2nd pot of this, the first pot was absolutely divine. One difference I do is I toast the spices in a small skillet for couple of minutes before bagging them and putting them in the soup. Seems to bring out more flavor. I also put too many noodles in the bowls the first time, ended up with way too many noodles and not enough broth. The broth is what is so beautiful about this dish in my opinion. Thank you for such a fantastic recipe… I think my next Amazon order is going to be your book! 😀
Just wanted to say thank you jaden… This soup turned out fantastic!!! Cheers!
Thank you Eman!
Hi
Just a note to say thank you. I made this soup for some friends and it went down and absolute treat. I have to confess myself even I really enjoyed it which for me is unusual when I cook.
Well done
Paul
Well done to YOU! 😉
Hello…
I’m a giewlo or haole living in Asia for many years. I love ur suggestions on food. I’m trying them out will update u. Danke Danke.. Merci..Todd
Even with two Asian supermarkets not too far away, I can’t find any beef bones except neckbones. They’re very meaty, and so even without as much marrow I’m sure they’ll give a decent flavor, but still . . . Any suggestions on getting the leg and knuckle bones in whitebread Atlanta?
Is there a particular brand for pho spice mix you use??
Hey Ari- I don’t remember what brand I use – each time I go to the Viet market, it’s a different brand!
This got made on Sunday! I have made your chicken pho recipe previously (well the recipe from your blog). Now, we loved that one. This beef one, we also liked, BUT (of course!) we found that the broth ended up very oily!
I guess the leg bones I had contained too much fat, which melted into the broth? I will try to trim most fat off the bones next time, all I did this time was plunk them in, parboil, rinse, then boil broth.
For our second meal, when the broth was in the fridge we skimmed off the solidified fat and that should be much better, less oily. Great flavours, though! I think we will add 2-3 dried chilies to the mesh spices next time, we love heat.
Oh and we have tons of good pho restaurants here in Ottawa, Ontario (large Vietnamese population), so I am lucky enough to know a good pho when I taste one!
I made it!!!! Everyone at home said it was delicious.except for, I wasn’t hungry, cause I tasted it so many times during the preparation phase… lets hope tomorrow I can appreciate it more =)
The best pho I ever tasted was in Seattle, @ Pho Than Brothers.I would have my pho there every other day.I tasted it @ many other places, it never tasted as great and addictive.
Thanks for a great recipe, it was fun making it, and turned out pretty close to what I was used to.
ahahaha… i just made it but for one mistake, 1/2 cup of fish sauce instead of 1/4, so i added a bit more beef and water to compensate, hope it’ll be alrite lol…
Can you use purchased beef stock and add the ginger and spices or will it not taste right? I would love to try this recipe but 3 or more hours seems so long!
Well, for Chicken Pho, I would say, YES! But canned beef stock tastes like crap. Do you have a slow cooker? I have a recipe for Pho using slow cooker – there’s a link for it above!
Hi Angela,
I just made the Beef Pho Soup with a mixture of Knorr Beef Broth and Beef Bovril and it was excellent. I also added 3 garlic cloves halved. I didn’t put the spices in a bag – I just strained the broth once it was done. I cooked it for approximately 1 hour. I took out the cinnamon stick and half of a star anise after 15 minutes, because the tast can be overwhelming. When serving the soup, I added hoisin sauce, chili sauce and Kecap Manis (it’s like a thick sweet soya sauce) – Absolutement YUMMY…
Hope this helps !!!
Josée
Very good!
I agree it tastes wonderful. How do I get rid of the oil in the soup?
You can refrigerate the stock for a few hours and the fat will float up to the top and solidify. Otherwise you can just skim top with a large spoon.
Thanks for this recipe. I made the broth last night and put in the fridge overnight. Before I did, I tasted and it still was missing something, though maybe it just needs the sugar/salt/fish sauce addition. Do you not typically leave the onions in (sliced up) or green onions, cilantro etc?
As I mentioned in the recipe- you have to adjust the broth with the fish sauce, sugar!
When adding water for the stock, can i replace half of the water needed with chicken stock to give it more flavor???
yes you can if you would like!
Thanks, I’ll try that next time. I’m a foreigner to the kitchen, so it’s all a learning process for me! Your descriptions, pictures and directions are PERFECT for a novice like myself. Thanks so much for all of your work.
-Lisa
I’m almost done with the simmering and heading towards preparing the Pho to eat. However, the liquid level in my pot keeps getting quite low, so I’ve added about two additional quarts of water during the simmering process. Is this supposed to happen, or have I been cooking the broth at too high of a temp?
everyone’s stove is different – your’s might run hotter. sounds like you’re almost finished w/the simmering so– just stop and serve!
We have tried this recipe for the first time today, it smeels really good but tastes pretty plain. We visited Ho Chi Minh city in Jan and want to get the same flavour we tasted there! Oh well we will keep trying.
If the broth tastes bland, add another 2 teaspoons of fish sauce! That’s how to adjust the flavor of pho.
I’ve made this recipe a few times and in order for me to make it work was to finely strain the broth with a coliander lined with paper towels. Otherwise it will come out greasy. The paper towels will soak up the excess grease and you will have a very clear broth. After that it’s very very good!!!
Michael – I found the problem of the fattiness of broth! And of course I have a solution – see above update inside the post – bold and red text.
Hi!
I have made the beef pho but I have not tried the chicken….my family absolutely loved the beef, especially with the fresh limes and herbs and bean sprouts….I am going to try your chicken recipe….thanks for posting it!
Just wanted you to know that I’ve made this recipe three times, the last time I used a roast beef (not flank steak) that was leftover and all the juices from it for the broth, sans the fat which I peeled off the top. It really tasted very close to the original. Also, made my own home-made rice noodles from scratch with a steamer, it was pure heaven. Thanks so much for posting this recipe and making feel so easy to accomplish!
I live in Northern Virginia, They have a huge Vietnamese-American shopping center. I think They have the best Pho-Vietnamese food I’ve ever had. It’sa in Falls Chhurch,Va. And you have to try each and every restaurant in there.
I noticed that the marrow was not all dissolved out of the beef bones, there was still some in there, perhaps a longer simmer would give my broth more flavor and help bring that marrow out?
Thanks Steamy Kitchen for this recipe. When I was growing up, my Dad used to make pho every weekend. We were so spoiled! I haven’t had Dad’s pho in years and made this recipe for my family this past weekend and fell in love with pho all over again. I even called my Dad to tell him!
I’ve tried this recipe twice and I just can’t seem to get it right. The first time I used some frozen assorted beef bones from my Asian market and the broth came out very dark and sick looking. I’m pretty sure they were the wrong kind of bones because they didn’t have much marrow and there were not as many leg/knuckle bones as the others. The broth tasted very bland which was surprising as it smelled very nice while it was cooking. I figured the reason for the blandness was the wrong type of bone, so today I purchased some “beef marrow bones for broth” from a chain grocery store that appeared to have a lot of marrow and appeared to be leg bones though they weren’t labeled as such. This time around the broth came out looking more like how I’m used to seeing it in restaurants and when my aunt makes it, but the taste was still very bland and watery. I had the broth simmering VERY low but I thought that as long as there were still small bubbles going it should be fine. I used regular sugar (2 tbsp.) because I couldn’t find rock sugar and I didn’t add any of the optional sliced beef to the broth to simmer both times. I was skimming oil and filmy residue off of the top of the broth every so often so I don’t think that was a problem, it just didn’t seem like there was that powerful beef flavor in the broth like I am used to. I’ve never made a broth like this before, any idea what I could be doing wrong?
@hjk You should try following my recipe as-is first before making variations. It’s really hard to help you if there are so many variables! Bland stock may mean a) not enough bones b) bad quality bones. Next time, add a tablespoon of fish sauce to see if the flavor wakes up!
also a note to @hjk and @joyce the quality of your stock all depends on the quality of what you start with – the bones. And that’s try of any soup/stock/broth recipe. Remember that soup is just bones and/or meat plus water. So if your soup is greasy, and you didn’t add any grease…then it must have come from one of your ingredients.
I am a caucasion and a strict vegetarian. My wife is Chinese-Vietnamese and loves Pho. I won’t go to a Pho restaurant because apparently the very nature of Pho is that it contains animal flesh. My wife knows how to make it, but, won’t bother, because I won’t eat it. Are there any recipes for Pho which can give the same flavor without animal flesh?
Use a vegetable broth but with the same charred ginger/onion and spice packet.
my broth turned out to greasy. i used all beef bones and skimmed during simmering. any suggestions what went wrong?
Hi Joyce,
Did you pre-boil the bones? Did you follow the directions exactly? Hard to tell you an answer without seeing photos or knowing what you changed in the recipe.
i preboiled the bones for 10 min. as stated and used the suggested bones. i did not remove the extra bits attached to them. could that have something to do with it or maybe i simmered it to high? i followed the recipe exactly, i even looked it over and over to make sure i didn’t overlook something.
Found the solution! See above update inside the post – it’s in bold and red.
Hi! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post; it’s really marvelous of you to display your efforts here and share!
But I have a question: in addition to the simmered spices that you mention, i was instructed by one cook many years ago to also include sliced betel-nut. Have you ever heard of using this ingredient in pho? I, myself, have yet to see a printed recipe that calls for it, although that could be because it is sometimes difficult to find here in the states…or it could have been her personal twist- I have no clue!
I think it’s a personal twist- I haven’t seen a pho recipe that called for betel nut
Here’s a chuckle: I did some searching and found absolutely nothing that indicates betel-nuts should ever be included in pho bo (short of beef wrapped in betel-leaves), but…I think I solved the mystery! I found there are some who add grated or sliced nutmeg to pho! 🙂
So…either I misunderstood, or the lady at the shop confused the English name for these with that of betel-nut.
I suspect, Pelicano, that the cook of years past whom you referred to, really meant Cardamon pods or seeds as these do look somewhat like betel nuts. I think this is a very likely scenario…?
My beef pho must have turned out O.K. cause hubz kept saying, “umm, delicious, very good.” Very pleased with my first attempt. Your instructions were very helpful, I could decide what I wanted to leave in or take out cause I understood WHY, always a good thing. Thnx for guidance.
Your beef pho came top when I searched and I understand WHY, wonderful post with the step-by-step and GORGEOUS photos! Love “scumbag strainer” idea, very funny. Well, I have to sub a lot with this, don’t have half of stuff. Your handwriting is so artistic.
Thanks Eleanor! jaden
OMG…just checked your bio on this blog. You are like a asian Rachel Ray but ONLY BETTER b/c you KNOW asian food and I feel like Ms. Ray just does goopy generic foods…. Your technique on the detail, say for example on this pho dish, has the same level of detail that I see on sites like Martha Stewart, which I highly respect. I would compare you to Martha Stewart as far as technique and good food goes but your blog on this recipe is too happy (and not uptight) to be 100% Marthat Stewart!! Maybe now you can search out more fantastic asian foods…like some authentic Thai or Asian Indian food….so I will definitely be returning here to see what other great asian recipes you have! =)
Thank you so much for posting this online! This saves me a trip from visiting the local Pho restaurants on a daily basis b/c I love eating this so much! now I can just make my own–all with organic ingredients….b/c who KNOWS where those mom and pop vietnamese restaurants get their beef to make the broth!!! Now I can avoid the restaurant staff more frequently b/c as anyone who patronizes vietnamese restaurants know, the service is always poor but the food is always cheap and delicious!
SteamyKitchen, Thanks for sharing the pho recipe and it works great at my kitchen too.
Check out here: http://www.mywisewife.com/home-kitchen-recipe-vietnamese-noodle-soup-pho-with-pork-balls-and-spare-ribs.html
Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to do with the pho spices I bought. Many thanks again!
April Roberts: that’s tripe! Cow intestines. I’ve never tried it in Pho but I go all the time with my friends and they love it. Maybe I would have tried it if I didn’t know what it was…
.. anyone working in the kitchen of PHO HOA in El Cajon Blvd. San Diego? Dude.. share us the secret of your broth! You have the best pho soup broth, the bench mark that I compare with of all the phos I’ve had!
We decided we needed to get our Pho on… so we went to our local Ranch 99 (The power of Ranch 99 is amazing!!). As we were searching for the Pho spice pack (they didn’t have the one this recipe mentions) we moved down the aisle to find yellow sugar when we ran into another caucasian couple asking an employee questions about spice packets for Pho. “So are you guys making Pho too?!” They said, “YES!” I asked, “Where did you get your recipe from?” They replied, “Steamy Kitchen!” You my dear, are everywhere! We were in Cupertino, CA.
Great Recipe. I made pho for 10 of my friends and they all agree that this pho recipe is better than some of the pho restaurants they’ve tried….and we’re from northern va! so that says A LOT.
Amazing recipe! I’ve started substituting a fresh pineapple instead of sugar in the stock. Acid helps tenderize – along with the sweetness.
I’ve have Pho on several occasions, but this is the first time I’ve made it. I followed your recipe, and it turned out great. This will be my go to recipe the next time I have a craving for pho.
I made the ‘Pho-Shizzle, My Bowl-o Noozle!!’ the other day. It turned out terrific! Our VN exchange student was gone that day so I had him try it when he returned home. He said it was better than his own mother’s. Ok, probalby best for him not to tell her that. Much thanks!
I never laughed so much reading a recipe, as that for your pho! “Damned scumbag!” Oh my goodness, you made reading this so much fun, that what started out as a half-hearted attempt (the soup I’ve tasted from Paris to Flushing has been so outstanding) to one giving my best effort! Wish me luck, and no matter what, I’ve really enjoyed your site. Thanks again!
Soak 3-4 lb oxtail with salt water for 2 hrs. Clean bones well and placed in slow cooker machine (I used a 7 quart slow cooker machine). Bake 1 onion and ginger in oven. Remove from oven, sliced ginger, and placed onion and ginger in slow cooker machine. From the oven, cook water in another pot. After it boil, pour in slow cooker machine. Set high for 6 hours. Go to work, school, sleep, or wherever.
Now just add seasoning. The soup base is very clear and taste way better than restaurant. No need to be around the kitchen. Good luck.
When it comes to finding the right beef, I have found if you go to an Asian market, they will sell the flank steak and other types beef sliced very thin already. Tripe and other hard to find product will be there too.
I was looking up a veg version and wanted to ensure closeness in technique to the beefy one; I found your explanation of the step-by-step technique really useful! Thanks for demystifying this! (veg pho rocks, too, btw!)
The way you describe stuff is soo fun! The pho is gonna be delicious because i’m making it now! I am adding meatballs, and tend ant.
I completely agree with you! I am such a purist with my pho. I want to appreciate it the way it was made, that’s how you know you have a good recipe or chef=) My husband on the other hand has this ritual where he takes longer to add ingredients than to eat it, lol.
I made the Pho soup and my family loved It !! I recently moved from California to Germany and have not found any good Pho restaurants here in Germany. We are so happy my family especially my German husband to have this recipe. It was absolutely YUMMI !
Thank you so much for posting your recipes online it was fantastic.
Nicole Kretz
Interesting recepe, but we always order vegetable pho with egg noodle
Do you have any recipes. The pho we get at the restaurant has baby bok choy,
broccoli,carrot,bamboo shoots,and other vegetables, and has fried tofu also.
They bring us a dish with fresh bean sprouts,sprigs of basil,sliced jalapeno peppers,
and weges of lime. Not sure if the broth is chicken,beef, or pork.
We don’t text.
Thank you
Ron-You can always make the pho as is, but also add some of the sliced vegetables that you’ve mentioned for a couple of minutes to cook.
Might also like this one: https://steamykitchen.com/139-vietnamese-chicken-noodle-soup-pho-ga.html
just add the vegetables to boil at the last minute.
jaden
April Roberts-
The description you you put down ” its long and flat looking like a noodle,pale too. it has almost spiney like things on it and it has a very distinct taste “…….I could be wrong, but are you talking about beef tripe? or it could be dicon?…….
how can I find tendon, tripe, fat brisket, etc. Please.
Thanks for what looks like a very tasty recipes.
I have made beef stock like this in the past for french onions soup and found that browning the bones a hot oven for 30 min to an hour really ups the taste, although probably not “original” in the cuisine. Also, never let the stock come to a boil, it will stay much clearer in the long run.
Now, off to the butcher to order my bones.
Thanks again.
CalvinD49
I also add thinly cut tripe to the top of the bowl of steaming pho – it adds crunch. Has to tripe that’s prepared for pho from our Vietnamese market near by. It’s very clean, thin and white.
I’ve used your recipe now three times and love it! Thanks! A Vietnamese almost-cousin-in-law recommended your web site to me.
I use oxtail instead of knuckle or leg bones. After about 2-3 hours of simmering, I take the nuggets of meat off the oxtail and return the bones to the pot.
I’ve added some pre-made beef or chicken stock to the broth toward the end because my broth wasn’t flavorful enough (good organic kind that’s not too high in salt).
Hi April Roberts and all the folks that love Vietnamese cuisine,
Google ‘Vietnamese herbs’ and you will come across a site compiled by WhiteOnRiceCouple that shows photographs and descriptions of pretty much every possible herbs and spices used in Vietnamese cooking. I am intrigued by your mystery ingredient as well April Robert. How is it served? Is it in cooked in the broth or sprinkle on top as garnish? Is it presented in the same plate as the ubiquitous garnish plate with herbs and beansprout? You piqued my curiosity…
April Roberts- what you’re describing sounds like the lining of cow stomach… also know as tripe.
Thanks very much for this recipe. I’ve never made pho from scratch; instead I’ve always used canned broth or pho base paste from a local Asian market.
My new partner is on a reduced sodium diet so I decided it was time to find a recipe. Yours looks delicious, and the clear instructions are also excellent. I can’t wait to make this — with less salt, of course. Thank you very much for sharing this.
hey there!! i LOVE pho but im trying to figure something out. at the restraunt i go to alot they started putting this vegetable or noodle or something in it and i cant figure out what it is. they dont know really good english just the basics so they dont really understand when i ask them what it is. its long and flat looking like a noodle,pale too. it has almost spiney like things on it and it has a very distinct taste…..almost kinda lemony. its not sawgrass or lemongrass so does anyone know what it is? thanks very much.
Take a photo next time you go! We’ll help you solve the mystery….
If you make it to Lincoln Nebraska any time, make sure you stop in to Pho Nguyenn… it’s amazing!! (27th & Q streets)
I’ve made this twice now, using this exact recipe, and it’s awesome. Don’t forget to toast your spices, too. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Pho is such a great comfort food and I made it earlier this year by using daikon radishes as the noodles. It added some crunchy goodness and was a lot of fun. http://www.austinfarmtotable.com/2009/03/pho-magic.html
I love pho and had eaten pho numberous times at different places, including Vietnam. Nothing beats my mom-in-law’s pho. She cooks well. Her recipe matches closedly to yours. For the ginger and onions, she just microwave them for like 40 sec. That’s easier than roasting. As for spices, she bought them separately. She uses a slow cooker and left it overnight with all her ingredients. In the morning, her pho is unbelievable tasty. Happy cooking.
You have a wonderful way of explaining stuff. So much fun. I am now really in the mood to make this wonderful beef Pho. Diana…I sometimes spread the marrow on toast. It´s something close to heaven, I believe! (Ok, only once a year or so)
this is a great recipe.. funny website!! “cock sauce= sriracha sauce… hahahha.. lol.. love it. and “scumbag” is great too. fun and easy instructions. good job! thanks for sharing your recipe! i love bone marrow.. i actually scoop it out and eat it in my pho.. tastes like foie gras!! =]
Photos of the spices used for Pho is a great help. I will look for these spice bags in Chinatown in New York and hope to find it. Otherwise, I will have to purchase these spices separately while I am there. Thank you.
Chào Cô!
I lived in Hanoi from 1999-2005 and these days crave so many foods I used to eat there. I did a couple things differently, but your excellent recipe helped me make my own phở so I don’t have to crave or pay $9 for a poor imitation of phở in Ann Arbor. There’s no one making it well here.
I wonder if you can tell me how to make quẩy nóng? Phở just doesn’t seem complete without them. I have found several recipes in Vietnamese but they contain words for ingredients that I don’t know and I don’t want to make mistakes.
Thank you so much for your help. This is a wonderful site.
-Kristin “Thủy Tiên”
I grew up eating Pho, but have never tried making it, even though I am now a chef.
But at the moment, I have a gigantic pot of your pho sitting on my stove simmering away. I am making it for my dad’s birthday. Seeing him make the soup as I grew up is what I think has inspired me to become a chef.
And after about 2 hrs of simmering, I must say, this is probably one of the best broths I have ever tasted.
I really do appreciate all your research. I am sure he will love it!
also, a little secret I have from my child hood:
I always saw my dad putting apples in it. Probably just because they were laying around, but I know now that it is a great way to add extra flavor instead of just putting blandly sweet sugar in the soup. give it a try!
thanks again!
cook this
I missed an optional but authentic ganish ingredient: sawtooth herb (aka kgo gai in Vietnamese).
Get this herb if you can as it enhances and completes this soup in a unique and delicious way. Wash, dry, julienne it and sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of this
on top of your bowl and enjoy!
P.S
I live alone and yet I always cook the amount I suggested in the recipe above (same amount of effort whether you cook more or less!).
I just date, label and freeze any remaining broth in used tofu or margarine tubs.
Those who are in the same situation as I am know and understand that sometime (or often) when you get home from work tired and hungry, the last thing on your mind is to start cooking.
In the past (and still do now) when I got home from work, I would opened the fridge door, surveyed the beautiful produces, meat, fruit I had purchased over the weekend
and pondered what to cook. Then closed the fridge door and proceeded to watch the news on tv while eating a …peanut butter sandwich. 🙂
Serving time:
Have your mise en place ready (see garnish and prep work section)+hot, simmering broth on stove top.
In each 3-cup capacity size bowl put in:
1 tablespoon of undiluted fish sauce (to taste)
-half a teaspoon of sugar
-crack fresh pepper( to taste)
-approx 1-1.5 cup of cooked and still warm rice noodle or vermicelli
-shredded roast chicken (1/4 – 1/3 cup per serving- up to you)
-sliced onion
Top with very hot (but not boiling) broth
-garnish with cilantro,shredded scallion and two or three slices of red chilli pepper
Serve immediately with Thai basil and lime wedges on table to be added by dinner.
Bon appétit!
I usually make the broth the day before I serve this soup as its flavor improves over night.
Garnish and prep work( I will leave the quantity to your preference):
-Dried rice noodle or vermicelli (I prefer the latter) pre-soak in hot or warm water, rince and parboiled, the same way as you would in regular beef based pho.
-1large boneless and hand pulled home made or store bought roast chicken-not bbq flavor-(salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of room temp butter rubbed inside out of whole chicken and bake in 425 degree F oven for 1h to 1h 15mn: I butterfly the whole chicken to reduce cooking time).
-shredded scallion
-chopped cilantro
-thinly sliced onion(red or vidalia- medium size)
-sweet (Thai) basil hand torn (an important and required ingredient)
-1 or 2red chilli pepper cut diagonally (if you eat spicy)
-fresh lime wedges (I prefer it to lemon as the latter has a strong and distinct flavor that reminds me of western style dessert-which I love- but interfere with the flavor here)
Here it is folks, the world best (arguably) pho gà recipe. Do try it and promise me to post your feedbacks. The recipe is for 6-10, a necessary minimum quantity for the best possible flavor and cost efficiency in ingredient purchase for most cooking-from-scratch
broth based recipe in my humble opinion.
For the broth:
-1 large (3-4lbs) old stewing hen (from a better Chinese grocery store in ur area)
-10-15 whole sprig of scallions, cleaned, folded in two and tied up with cotton twill (this is the secret to authentic and exceedingly fragrant Japanese and Chinese basic meat broth).
-8 inches of pelled dikon cut into 4 sections
-1 large or 2 smaller dried squid, washed
-5-8 dried shitake mushrooms,washed
-1 large onion, pelled and halfed
-15-20 black peppercorn lightly crushed (to add in the broth only after skimming
away all the brown foam produced when stock starts to boil)
-2-3 tablespoons of kosher salt
Put everything except crushed peppercorn in a large stock pot+enough cold tap water to cover chicken and bring it to a boil on high heat. Skim any brown foam
away and reduce heat to simmer (3-4 on knob) and leave it for…3-4 hours.
Add two cups of cold waters half way.
The stock is ready.
Thank you for posting this recipe. We tried alfalfa sprout instead of mung bean sprouts. Bleah! Stick with the mung bean sprouts. Someone mentioned sawtooth herb. I think this is culantro or recao of puerto rico as well (as a cross reference). It is a pain in the butt to grow. The bones we used were beef femur/knee and some oxtail. I left the oxtail sections whole and made them part of the final bowls. Mmmm. Is there anything better than the gelatinous connective tissue after a few hours of boiling. thanks again!
Dr. Phil
I have been looking for an authentic Pho. This recipe is original, flavourful, just fantastic.
Thank you
This is my first time making pho’ on my own and boy does this recipe smell delisssh!! I did however add different bones… I used cow neck, ox tail, and knuckle bones. Also, the local Asian food market (Hong Kong Food Market) didn’t have the Cardamon, so I used a prepackaged “herbal mix” (no idea what the characters mean, but on the back it says, “Nguyen Lieu Nau Pho”). It had all the spices, except there was two additional spices in the mesh package… Guanua and Licorice. But! It still smells ummm good! And I’m presently taking a few slurps, here and there, as it simmers. So far… so good! I’ll update later on, when my fiancee comes home from work… she’s going to be VERY surprised!!
first of all, thanks for sharing! great recipe. this is my second time using your recipe. the first time i made i added one big chunk of rock sugar, my mistake. and it turned out too sweet.
the supermarkets around me don’t sell beef bones from legs or knuckles i always have to use oxtail or the usual beef bones. one day i will try to find the knuckles with marrows. it sounds like it made the soup so great!
Hi Simon. As for your chic pho secret ingredient…i could only guess either miso or dashi (but then again, it’s made from bonito flakes!) So where’s the recipe??
Hi Steamy Kitchen. Is it ok to omit the sugar as I prefer to keep broth natural as possible? Thanks
You can omit the sugar if you want, but it’s an essential ingredient to authentic pho. jaden
You are pho-king hilarious! Can’t wait to try my favorite meal at home! 🙂
I have worked out a great 2dye4 chicken pho recipe and will share it with ya’ll next time. I promise u will all love it! Hint: I borrow a secret ingredient used in making Japanese udon broth and no, it is not bonito flakes, lol. Can anyone guess? 🙂
A question for all u fellow Vietnamese cuisine’s lovers: what is the secret to crispy yet tender but non-chewy Vietnamese spring rolls (cha gio) using rice paper wrapper and not Chinese egg roll wrapper? I don’t seem to get consistent result and would love your thoughts. Many thanks.
One ingredient I find that elevates its a notch by giving it that authentic and unmistakable “Tonkinoise* ” flavor is beef shortrib. Try adding ~1-1.5lbs for every 2 gallons batch with all the usual kuckle bones, oxtail,etc and let me know what you folks think.
* This soup is said to originate in the region at around the guft of Tonkin of formerly North Vietnam.
I found PHO in VANCOUVER WAHINGTON on my Christmas vacation and once we ate it it was to die for. My husband I live in Texas and we founf PHO in Beaumont and went crazy for it. I will be trying this website and the recipes. We can eat this everyday. I love it with the sauces and I love the idea of putting EVRY meat in it including shrimp!! Do you have a recipe for spring rolls? We are still looking for a Vietimesse Market so if you know anyone in South East Texas give us a shout. We are by Port Aurthur and Beaumont Texas.
Great spring roll recipes at http://www.whiteonricecouple.com ~jaden
What other meats can i add to my Pho?
The best Pho I have ever had in Pho Cuong at nw 30th and Classen in Oklahoma City. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM… I wish I could make it at home too. Where do I get beef bones and the rest of this stuff?
This is really good stuff!!!!!
Thanks for the recipe and pho-king great humor!!!
My boyfriend and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Pho but we are sick of having to go to the restaurant all the time. It is cheap but we are college students so sometimes we have to go without, not to mention its a pain having to go out each time and I’d love to eat Pho morning, noon and night! This recipe looks pretty complicated though, especially since the most complicated thing I’ve ever made myself is spaghetti but I think the boyfriend and I are going to give it a try, hopefully it works out! I’ll keep everyone posted on what happens! Hopefully we don’t burn the kitchen down! (kidding…kind of)
i’m cheeky. But i agree.
aussie married a vietnamese lady. we love to eat “Pho”. we eat it out alot but never been able to cook it at home and nail it. i followed the steamy kitchen recepie for “Pho” to the letter and my wife says we don’t need to eat “Pho” out any more.
Too cute. Thanks for coming by and letting me know. Say hi to wife for me!
will tomorrow she is asleep (catching up on sleep) with our first baby at the moment. do you have a recepie in the same format for “Bun bo hue”.
Not yet! But maybe time to get my butt in the kitchen and make Bun Bo Hue (one of my fav noodle soups) to document step by step.
Am I right in thinking that the recipe above calls for black cardamom? Green cardamom seems much more like something I’d think to put in pho, but the photo of the spices clearly shows black cardamom.
It’s what came in the pho spice bag… I am almost sure it was green. lighting was horrible in the kitchen you can’t really see what color it was.
Hm. I didn’t see your reply until after I’d gotten to the spice bag adding stage of the broth, and ended up using black. We’ll see how it tastes in a couple of hours! It’s certainly smelling good.
Black should be fine – I’m sure you’ll still love it!
For the spices, will it be okay to substitute with ground cardamom and coriander seed vice the whole ones?
I agreed with Peter, mint in Pho is just weird.
We always eat Pho with Ngo Gai, never with Ngo Om, sound interesting though. Peter, is the intense aroma from Ngo Om kill the aroma from the broth?
Well, unfortunately, I can’t get ngo gai at my markets. So we make do with the fresh herbs we can get at the market here locally.
Plus, I’m from the anti-food snobbery camp that believes in makin’ it your way…as long as you enjoy it. 😉
I’ve actually found that mint is a better substitute for thai basil than sweet basil is. Mint tastes great.
Wooow!!! Good work!
I appreciate the fact that you did your research thoroughly before speaking/acting, and I love that. My comment though on your “Vegetables and Herbs” for Pho (I understand they’re your favorites, not necessary everyone’s) is not to eat Pho with Mint (trust me on this – I speak Vietnamese fluently if you wonder how I know). Instead, you may want to add Sawtooth Herb or coriander (Vietnamese: Ngo Gai) as it is known in English (Eryngium foetidum) – just google it. In addition, some Vietnamese families (mostly in the South) even add Rice Paddy Herb (Vietnamese: Ngo Om; English: Limnophila aromatica) to Pho. I did try it and loved it. Thanks again for the article – Two thumbs up!
does using rock sugar really make a big difference versus regular cane sugar? i really want to make the stock but dont have any rock sugar on hand at the time. i do have regular sugar and some palm sugar. thanks in advance for the yummy looking recipe.
Use whatever sugar you want. Rock sugar is more traditional, has deeper flavor. Sub with palm sugar or 1/2 brown sugar + 1/2 white sugar.
Mmm thanks so much. I made this yesterday n found it to taste even better today. The soup became much more fragrant n flavorful after resting in fridge a day. Yummy!
I tried this recipe. It’s the first time I’ve ever made stock. It’s still simmering but for some reason the broth looks really gray and unappetizing. I think I got some bad bones or something. =(
What does it smell like? It shouldn’t be gray. What kind of bones did you use?
The smell wasn’t pleasant, but it is hard to describe. My local grocery store didn’t have any beef bones at all, but when I went to the local Asian supermarket to get some fish sauce, they had some, so that’s what I bought. However, I’m not sure what kind they were. They didn’t seem to have any marrow at all.
Your recipe looks incredibly delicious, though, so I plan to try it again tomorrow if I can locate some ingredients that are more along the lines of what you recommended. I’ve learned my lesson and I won’t improvise next time! =)
Quality of broth totally dependent on quality of bones! You dont’ have to use leg bones with marrow – any type of bones will do. That harsh boil at the beginning is essential. Next time harsh boil a bit longer to get more of that “guck” out.
This is super good! Makes a ton though, if you live alone you’re going to want to cut this recipe in half.
Or you could freeze the broth!
LOL That’s what I’m planning on! I’m cooking this for my 3 year old son and myself so I know we’ll have tons of leftovers.
Great recipe!! I tried a very similar recipe once before but used ox tails instead of beef bones. It lacked body so I think the marrow in the bones is the key to your recipe. I can’t wait to try it again!
Also, I have found using the thin slices of sukiyaki-style rib eye that they sell in the asian grocery stores (fresh meat dept) works great as well.
I also load mine up with plenty of siracha and thai bird chilies/jalapenos table-side. If I’m not crying, it’s not spicy enough 🙂 Don’t forget the sugar too!! Adds good blance…
Great post on a popular Viet noodle dish. I especially enjoyed your illustrations. The article itself is a very nice recipe, but done in such unconventional manner that it’s also a fun read even if one has no intention of cooking pho him/herself 😉
For help pronouncing pho correctly, here’s a helpful article on Pho Pronunciation.
I just tried your recipe and it turned out reall really good! My boyfriend loved it! Thank you soo much for sharing such an awesome recipe with us!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! A group of us (myself and some friends) are going to try this next month. I was so glad to see that you had star of anice in the recipe, as my dad (Santa Claus…YES REALLY! That is his legal name) says that that is the ingredient that makes the soup! My dad has a website if you want to check him out. I believe it’s santainmarysville.com….then you can see that I’m telling the truth!
Of course in the restaurants I always add nuoc mam (Can’t remember the spelling, but it’s Fish sauce…which you want the lighter colored as the really dark colored is really really strong!) and fresh lime as well as some chili/pepper sauce. Not the one that is dark and oily, and not the one that is a lighter red with no peppers. It’s closer to the one that is lighter red, but has peppers in it. By the time I get done “doctoring” it up, it usually has a red ring around the bowl…but will clean up or rather drain your whole sinus cavity and give your lips a little zing!
the lips stinging is the BEST! love spicy spicy. ~jaden
KICK IT UP A NOTCH!
Okay, I won’t ruin a great thing. This recipe is exactly the way I have made Pho for years with the exception of the cardamon and I add one more item: 6-10 whole dried thai chili. This dish is so wonderful on a cold day that when we add the dried chili, it warms the soul even more.
Now, my wife is Lao and I have had many of her aunties Pho (which the Lao call “Fir”, but the Lao version is very bland as served since they prefer to add much of the fish sauce and soy sauce at the table.
But, they do have one unique add to the meal. Have fresh Thai chili at the table. After a spoon of broth or bite of noodle, bite a small piece of the chili. To westerners, it may seem harsh at first but, over time you will find the experience actually accentuates the taste. Yummmm yummmm. Another rush of warm. Try it, but remember a tiny bite of the chili.
Oh! One other helpful hint. To slice the beef super thin, as suggested here, place your beef in the freezer for 1-2 hours before slicing. The beef will be firm and with a sharp knife, you can slice perfect thin slivers.
Thanks Erica. Great recipe! Oops, add some sliced spring onion and fried garlic to your veggies too.
P.S. RE: A Previous Post: MJ needs to get out more. Culture doesn’t ring the door bell at the Penthouse…..Beef Brain, HA!
hey! i have also never posted on a blog, but this is awesome! Browsing thru your site has made me soooo hungry!! I adore pho, and i love that at the local viet rest, it is always packed but silent except for noodle slurping….ahh, heaven. The broth always makes my eyes roll back in my head, i swear.
on condiments…does anyone know what the jar of hot chilis w/oil in it is? It tastes roasted, and a *tiny* dribble of the oil makes it amazing. I brought some home in a tiny take out container, yum.
And now, i can make pho! I have looked at other recipes/websites, and the recipes just never seem right. The combo of ingredients, photos and YES the humor is perfect! Keep on rockin!
Lovely, lovely recipe! My husband and I are pho crazy and tonight’s meal with your recipe was fantastic! (Or should I say pho-ntastic….) I do have a comment and question. I noticed your recipe adds just beef. We really like tripe and tendon too, so I made sure Chinatown in Chicago had a special visit from me today to find these two ingredients. I wasn’t sure how long to cook them, so I threw them both in the broth for 2 hours. Tendon was maybe a little overdone, tripe seemed like it needed much less time. Any experience cooking with these tissues? This was my first attempt.
Your site is great, Jaden. I’m always looking for food that is fresh, Asian, and all around fun.
you are the pho-king pho king man. (unless you’re a lady)
Great recipe thank you. delish making it as i write. Phee Phi PHO Phum!!! Denise
LOL!!! too cute! ~j
I looooove asian food and love to try my hand at cooking recipes I enjoy! I just recently became a pho addict, and this recipe is wonderful. My boyfriend hates to try new food and he loves it……oh, and I have to say I enjoyed the pho-humor on the site!
Thank you for such an easy to follow recipe (the humor was also appreciated). I was able to create an even more tasty version of my weekly addiction. I look forward to trying more of your recipes!
Oh your legend Andrea my ability of cooking and eat Vietnamese food great relied on my strained relationship with my mother and I love pho!
So this is definitely going to save me a few quids at the restaurants which it goes without saying is my only refuge when when mum and me are having a blue which way too often
but more over it’s been the bane of my existence that I’m a Vietnamese chic who can’t cook Vietnamese, pho or anything really – except finger foods to be honest – kind of like an Italian who can’t cook pizza or anything well would feel undoubtedly defunct – of course if your of the later I do sympathize with you – Ironically I’m Vietnamese who cook better Italian then Vietnamese.
Though in mum’s defense she has begrudgingly taught me how to cook but cultural and personality gaps are too wide and with so much angst in the kitchen I refuse to go through the torture ‘love is suppose to go into good food not angst’ – we really do epitomize the analogy of You Can’t have too many Cooks in the Kitchen.
While there’s other Vietnamese cook books – let’s face it they all kind of lack the authenticity and the ones that are authentic are written in Vietnamese and no I don’t read Vietnamese either
you see my delma and I lost my Woman’s day Vietnamese Cookbook too and they didn’t bother printing updated version either – bastards! I will be ordering a copy if it’s available to Australia otherwise it’s great that some of your recipe are accessible online that it self and narrowing the cultural divide!
Many Thanks for your Enterprising Spirit
please contact me if you need any pointers on how to get out there I’m a Business Developer and of course I’ll be more then happy to helping you get it out complimentary to all that appreciate good Vietnamese cuisine and all the ‘defunct Vietnamese chics’ as I do have contacts with all the publishers globally and I suspect in your neck of the woods as well so forward me a email address and I will steer you in the right direction.
Sue Beverly Hills Sydney & RIC OPTIMAL AUSTRALIA ricsupport@live.com
I am making this soup for the first time today. I’ve varied the recipe slightly by brulee-ing the onions and ginger in olive oil and pan roasting the bones for 35-45 minutes in a 475° oven. Then I added the browned bones, onions, ginger, salt and 2/3 of the spice blend. Once my stock has simmered for 3 hours I will strain and add 1 lbs of ground chuck mixed with 8 slightly whipped egg whites an the remaining 1/3 of the spice blend. Then simmer very low for 30-45 min and serve soup as recommended. I’ll post my results later.
Has anyone tried using the consomme technique? I like a very clear broth and whipped egg whites are great for reducing particulate and don’t affect the flavor of broths.
No, I haven’t – seems like a lot of work! You’ll have to tell me how it goes. ~j
Hello I am really a Pho addict and I would like for someone to give me a real easy recipe and shrimp is my choice of meat. I eat Pho for lunch almost twice a week and I love it some much I hate to get up from the table to come back to work. So now I would like to make it for myself at home. Please help
just stopped by to say i really liked your site – you’ve obviously put some hard work into it!
I am a Pho addict and have spent soooo much money at the local Pho shops that I decided to make it myself and….
Oh My Damn, This Recipe Was Awesome! The bones give it such a great flavor and the ingredients were spot on. I used a beef roast for the meat and it worked great. Miss Jaden, I am dedicating myself as your Pho slave!!!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for sharing your Pho Wisdom with us! :0)
Thank you for this post. As a professional cook with over twenty years in the restaurant industry it is always a pleasure to find a passionate and well trained individual who is willing to share one of their favorite recipes. I think the emphasis on fresh herbs, and finding bones with marrow (read ‘love’) is a key for this dish.
Almost every cuisine i have explored has some type of slow cooked soup that essentially equates to ‘comfort food’. Certainly your pho is an excellent representation of one of the most aromatic and wonderful of these dishes.
This recipe is so helpful, but there are still some things I have questions about, things that aren’t intuitive to me. If anyone knows the answers, please help! 🙂 —
—How do you identify a ‘good’ knuckle bone? The bones I find don’t have that yellowish color in the marrow like in the picture above, they are more greyish brown. (also, do you leave the fat on it or take it off before cooking?)
— my broth ended up being pretty cloudy, unlike the tasty clear broths in pho joints in seattle. I parboiled it, strained it constantly, but it was still murky. Could it have to do with the beef knuckle that I bought?
I wonder if pho joints just use pre-made beef broth or if they really go through the painstaking broth making process. Also, do they use MSG? My flavor just wasn’t as robust. I’m now here in rural idaho so I have to count on myself to make it good (thankfully SLC has good asian markets) 🙂
Hi, I tried this Vietnamese pho recipe and taste beautiful. The aroma of the broth fill up my kitchen :). I used beef meatball instead of sliced beef. My kids love it.
Great! Thanks for letting me know! I’m glad your kids loved it. ~j
I’m making the broth right now. I put the onions and ginger under the broiler, but it was taking FOREVER to char them. So, I whipped out my handy creme brulee torch, and finished them off in seconds! Also, I do have some optional beef (the thin end of an eye roast). Instead of putting it in the pot at the beginning, I’m going to put it in at the 1 1/2 hour mark so I don’t have to refrigerate it in the middle. Does that sound OK to you?
Sounds great! You are so swift with that torch! Love it.
will you be slicing the eye roast for serving? If so slice superthin, and put the raw slices in each serving bowl. When you pour the hot broth into the bowl, the slices of beef will cook.
If you’re using the roast to flavor the broth than you can add any time to the pot. ~j
My friend tells me that vinegared onions are often added to pho before it comes to the table. She loves them so much, she orders a seperate plate of vinegared onions, and adds them to her bowl.
Is this authentic? And, if so, how do you make the onions?
yes! they are. slice onions super super thin and soak them in white vinegar. I love them too. ~j
Hi, I cant understand how to add your site in my rss reader. Can you Help me, please 🙂
In your RSS reader, add “https://steamykitchen.com/blog/feed” ~j
I only do very basic cooking but you made this recipe sound very doable for someone like me! My dad and I simply love the Vietnamese beef noodle soup available at a restaurant that is a 10min drive from my place! I’m gonna try out this recipe as a part of my birthday gift to my dad!
great! happy bday to your dad! ~j
this was very well done and entertaining. i like your style.
I can’t believe you use such words as “beef balls” and “cock sauce”….there are better and more elegant ways to describe those food items you know.
Wow, I had no idea people are coming to my blog looking for elegancy. ~jaden
hehehe thank for the easy to follow recipe with a great sense of humour :). I’ll be confident making pho for my in-laws next week, my first time, finally hubby will get to try my long waited pho i told him century ago i would make.
my friend gave me a recipe that his mother uses. it included everything that you mentioned plus an apple. i was pretty intrigued. i haven’t tried it because i’m never home. have you ever used an apple in your pho?
Thanks a whole lot for this, I’m from El Salvador and we have a similar soup sans the noodles and this is just awesome similar yet different and I love it a whole lot, I been eating restaurant Pho for too long I’m gonna be adventurous and make my own soon.
It is 1:45 am now . So hungry while reading the post
Love the play on words with the letter ‘Pho’. Especially Pho-king amazing.
Hello.. just want to know if you just used one cardamom pod. I plan to make the soup this week.
I use to make pho with that jar of “pho” flavoring and can tell you that it was aweful compared to this recipe. I threw those things out.
I made this at a friends house and although I cooked it in a relatively short amount of time compared to what the recipe says, it still turned out marvelous! Thanks very much for what I think is a very good, authentic recipe!
I’m making it this week. I have never made beef pho, only chicken. So same concept except with beef bones. Can’t wait. Great post!
Great recipe. We made a quick and reduced calorie version of this last night and it turned out well. The augmented recipe can be found at http://www.cibusvitae.com/archives/14-Quick-Pho.html. Thanks again!
Very authentic recipe! We love Pho but we moved recently and have just one French-Vietnamese restaurant in the area and the pho gets kind of pricey so I decided to try it at home. Easy to make and delicious. Thank you! Once again, very authentic!
Thanks for this recipe!!! This was pretty easy to make and tasted absolutely delicious. Any one should try it if you have the time! Thanks again!
Thanks for the recipe! For a white girl like me who is not well versed in Vietnamese cooking this was perfect! It was so very detailed and the pictures were also very helpful! Thanks and wish me luck!
I was directed here from a different site. This is the way I normally cook pho, cept I usually simmer for a bit longer. I would say pretty much your method of doing things is almost spot on to mine.
For the raw beef though, I would recommend eye round, its what most restaurants and grandmothers use.
PS, remove all reference of play on words using the word “pho”
kthxbai.
There is nothing like pho and getting it right at home has seemed an impossibility until now. These directions make it sound so absolutely easy that I can’t wait to try it. I’m truly glad to find this blog.
This is one of the best article about Pho, Pho-sure I will keep following your website and the wonderful work you provide for us. I find your writing very comprehensive, methodical yet whimsicle and captivating. Alejandra Cortez (my daughter’s mom) is opening the FIRST ever Pho establishment in Baja California and she will use your article as her mantra. Again, thank you for all your work.
This is one of my favorite dishes at some of my local Asian restaurants. I particularly love to eat it when I’m feel a cold coming on.
And it must absolutely include Jalapeno slices for me.
I had always wondered what the recipe was. I can’t wait to try it myself.
Thanks!
This looks really good,I”m going to have to try this someday,I’ve had pho,but wondered what was in it.I believe I allready have a few things in stock allready.*I hardly post in blogs*
I love this and make loads of it usually in the winter. I freeze the broth in large, single serving containers. I usually simmer it for about 12 hours or so as I don’t like to leave it unattended overnight but if you say 3 hours is enough, I’m MORE than willing to try it. Also, I have tried buying frozen knuckle bones from Asian markets and unfortunately, they usually don’t have a “sell by” date on thier packaging.
If you’re reading this and have not tried to make this, you must try it. The smell that fills the house is amazing!
You RoCk!! I CANNOT Wait to try this…. my mouth is watering!! Thanks for posting this and having a great sense of humor at the same time 🙂
i just made it and it’s delicious. I like all pictures that demonstrate the steps and help me a lot! Thank you very much!!
Amazing website!! I have never been to vietnam but was introduced to pho soup in 2003 and have never looked back, made it once, but this recipe with amazing photos has inspired me to have another go!! can’t wait! will let you know!
Yes!!! Went to the asian market yesterday and found all the ingredients to make this and your mom’s egg rolls. Thank you so much. Love your site!
Generally Ido not post on blogs, but I would like to say that this post really forced me to do so! really nice post.
Thank you for the recipe! I order this every chance I get from a my local thai restaurant. yes, I know this is a vietnamese dish but the thai is just as wonderful and the same ingredients. Of course I’m not a true asian connoisseur who has had the opportunity to try the soup in Vietnam, I just know that I enjoy immensley the lovely spices and herbs in that velvety broth of goodness. 🙂 With this recipe posted above I’m now going to make my own pot of Pho. Thank you for this recipe again and wish me luck!
Alicia–In Vietnam, phô restaurants are named by “Phô” followed by the street name. So it is common to see restaurants named “Phô [## road]” or in this case, “Phô Pasteur” for the location on Pasteur Street. In short, the name of the spice mix is a location (and also a mediocre phô restaurant in Boston).
As recommended above, you’re best off purchasing your own spices. Lemongrass is great in some dishes, but not for phô (savvy store owners have to make a living somehow). Most of human sense of taste is related to smell, so avoid mesh bags made of plastic in the broth (which give it that “mesh bag” smell). If in doubt, use cheesecloth or even a large strainer for tea (metal).
Hope it goes well!
I’ve been searching for a recipe for Pho because I am moving to Augusta where there isn’t any Vietnames restaurants to speak of and wanted to make sure that I could make this dish, not just from memory.
The ingredients are exactly the same as the ones my mother uses when making Pho. It’s really important to do the pre-boil, it makes such a big difference.
Jaden, you did an ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS step-by-step instructions, just the way my mother does it!
Thanks!
You are so amazing!
I am a talened amature cook.Most part I have done the same thing as yours. Your techniques are so special that I learned. For example, boiling beef bones in 10 minutes and get rif of first boiling water (I guessed to make clear soup purpose). I roasted ginger and put in soup, but not onion. I will try baked onion, put in soup next time.
Your recipies, detailed techniques, visual pictures (marrow, name of seasoning) would be appreciated to support cook.
Thanks so much
I’ve been making Pho for many years and now my wife, who is Lao, and all of her relatives love my Pho better than theirs.
I kick it up a notch though. Try adding 4 – 5 dried hot red chilies to the broth while it simmers. Yum yum!
This recipe is awesome. My broth is coming along nicely as I write this. I actually managed to find the Pho spice package, mesh bag and all, at an asian grocery store in Montreal.
Just want to caution you on the fish sauce. It’s very pungent. I put less than the specified amount and drained the whole thing and restarted my broth from scratch because the fishy smell was too strong to my liking. I usually enjoy fish, but this fish sauce is really fishy, baby !
We’re lucky in Montreal because Vietnamese restaurants abound ! However, it’s always nice to have Vietnamese beef soup at home. I think I’ll fix some spring rolls too !
Thanks for the great and authentic recipe !
Hi Alicia – Lemongrass is an herb – and yes, very healthy for you! I grow it in my backyard.
I don’t know what “Pho Pasteur” is. Let me know how it goes! If it doesn’t taste right, gather the seasonings yourself from good quality spice company and make your own bag. Your previous attempt at pho might have failed because the spices were old.
So today I went to the hong kong market to get the things I need to make pho again and this vietnamese lady told me not to add the mesh bag untill 15-30 mins before it’s done. SHE said cook for 3 to 4 hours then add mesh bag for 15-30 mins she also gave me this box that has the 2 mesh bags ready to use called “Pho pasteur” is this accurate information?
The last time I made pho, it tasted to much like the mesh bag of seasoning so im going to “Try” it this way I guess. Can anyone tell me what Lemon grass is and what you use it for? This lady said it was good for the digestive system
To me it tasted a little to much like that season bag, the way it smelled if you know what I mean. I used almost the whole thing. The next day it wasnt as bad, I diluted it with water a tad bit. I eat mine with a whole lime, I LOVE lime and cilantro. I like to use that oil with the crushed red pepper in it and I bought some from the HOng KOng market but to me it didnt taste the same as the kind I use at this place I am a regular customer at called “Pho Vietnam” so I didnt really use it. Now I need to master the Salad roll with peanut sauce…LOL cause it was missing that. My lady calls it salad roll and puts shrimp, lettuce, bean sprout, noodlles and vietnamese pork YUMMY!!!! I LOVE her’s
Oh! I used I think a 12qt pot
Alicia – It’s perfectly normal! How did it taste?
So I just got sdone making my pho and to me it tastes like the way the Pho seasoning packet smells and my broth was clear at first but I let it cook and extra hour and for some reason it turned a light brown. Any ideas why this happened to me?? Anything I should have done different?
Depends on if pack of spices is meant to be made with a big ass pot of water. Normally, when Vietnamese make pho at home, they simmer a gigantic pot. What size pot are you using?
I LOVE Pho!!! I am so glad to have found this recipe. I am five months pregnant and crave this daily. Im making some at the moment. Except, the lady at the vietnamese market told me to use only half of the pho seasoning packet so im not sure what to do about that. Use the whole thing or half?????? I know it wasnt easy dividing it up.
We love Pho. My husband and I always eat at a Vietnamese Restaurant in San Mateo. Every time I go to San Mateo we eat at this restaurant since the time they open. I don’t go to other restaurant anymore. Their Pho was very good, there is no comparison with the Vietnamese Restaurant in my area. I was looking for recipes in the internet and found some recipes. I just started cooking the broth. Now that I found this website I will try another recipe. I ordered the book authored by Andrea Nguyen and also got Mai Pham. I’m excited to make this recipe. What is the Pho seasoning? Help! Please explain the Pho seasoning.
This is excellent! I’ve been dying to make my own pho. I will try it this weekend. I normally boil the stock for 2 hours. Who knew an extra hour would make a big diff!
Thanks so much for sharing!
I’m making my first batch as I type, about an hour to pho.. Jaden, you rock !!!! and you’re gorgeous!
Sunny: Try slowly ladling the soup in the bowl instead of pouring.
Gentler, the better!
I was able to get a Pho recipe from my friend’s mom. She left out a few spices compared to your receipe, everything else was exactly the same. Excellent recipe! I’m guessing she didn’t know how to describe the rest of them to us.
I had one question though… How do you prevent scum from overtaking the pho when I pour hot soup over raw beef slices? I skim and skim and skim when boiling the soup and when it comes time to eat, with raw beef slices, it’s everywhere! The raw beef at the end just wastes all my efforts. It gets all mixed in with the meat and noodles! Yuck. How do they do it at the restaurant? Any suggestions?
once, when i was about to make pho, my viet friend stopped me, telling me about a viet myth. supposedly, if a non-viet person tried to make the noodle soup, it would taste like blood or worms or something equally disgusting. and as absurd as it was, it scared the heck outta me and i didn’t attempt it. but maybe…maybe, i’ll throw caution to the winds this time. nice pics!
Cloves are a common spice. So look for the spice called cloves, either at the Asian market or at the standard supermarket.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clove
For the pho spice, the ingredients include “6 whole cloves” … 6 whole cloves of what?! Will I be able to find this in an asian market too?
Thanks so much for posting this recipe!! I’m so anxious to try it!!!! <3333333
Ahh…I just returned to the States after 3 months in Ha Noi. I live in an area where I can’t even get westernized/bastardized Pho, so your post is a godsend. Using your instructions and a bit of ingenuity it’s simmering as I type…smells like victory!
hmmm… i will have to share this with my (vietnamese) mother and see what she thinks of the recipe. she makes a mean bowl of pho. it’s a shame i never really learned much vietnamese cuisine from her. and she is one of those cooks who never writes down a recipe!!! i should get her to write a cookbook 🙂 everyone is always telling her she needs to open a restaurant, but she doesn’t want to do that. i swear she is one of the best cooks i know, and i’m not just saying that b/c i’m her offspring 😉
i’m also surprised you didn’t talk about the intonation involved in pronouncing the word. when pronounced properly, it sounds like you are asking a question. kind of like “HUH?!”
I’ve been looking for a good solid pho recipe for awhile now, and this is the most comprehensive one I’ve found!! Pho is definitely my favorite food…I would eat it every single day if I could afford that, but spring break is coming up, and I’m very excited to try out this recipe!
My secret? I simmer for over 6-8 hours (usually overnight), whereupon the “scum” mysteriously collapses back into the broth, and then I strain, then cool, then skim the sheet of pure fat that collects on the top, then strain again. OCD works miracles.
I just bought this cookbook because it fit all of my finicky requirements – 1) the author must be native of or have lived in the country for a longer period of time than it requires to get drunk and fraternize with the locals, 2) there must be stories!, and 3) the recipes have to taste good, duh!
I actually just finished my last bowl of this exact Pho Bo not 6 hours ago. When I made the broth, after fine straining there were still little bits in the broth. In comes my personal quote “Laziness is the mother of invention.” So INVENTIVELY, I grabbed a clean towel and strained through that.
Also a large stock pot with a spaghetti strainer insert is AWESOME for initial large stuff removal.
Oh, Jaden, I love me some pho!
I just don’t love the smell of the bones when I do the first boiling—you know when you get all the gick to come out before you dump out the water, rinse the bones, scrub the pot and start over with fresh water.
So, I only make it in spring, summer or fall when I can have all the windows in the house OPEN to get that smell out! Few cooking smells bug me as much as the smell of the beef blood boiling out of bones. UGH!
But the results are fantastic.
BTW–I love those cookbooks, too! They are great.
Now I feel the need to make some pho as soon as spring arrives. We can have a pho party to celebrate the first bloom of the crocus!
Now that’s love! Vietnamese cuisine is probably my favorite and you have no idea how this bowl of soup makes me happy!
I am so glad to see this step by step. I have always wanted to try pho, but have been too pho-king intimidated! I am on the hunt for those bags of bones!
Un-pho-king believable! I love Pho and used to eat it at least once a week in California, have yet to find a place around here. I’m gonna try out the chicken version. Thanks!
I LOVE pho, and am super happy that this doesn’t include any lemon grass, which I’m allergic to! Bookmarked to be tried next weekend!
Jaden, I hope you don’t mind-I tagged you for being interesting!
at http://fromargentinawithlove.typepad.com/from_argentina_with_love/
J, I have this book an it is an absolute treasure! I wish I was there to enjoy a big bowl of pho with you.
Next time you’re in town (LA/OC) I need to take you to Little Saigon, with Ann Le if possible. She wrote the “Little Saigon Cookbook” and is expert in all things Vietnamese that’s edible!
I’ve been wondering how to make this dish… I always have this one outside and it tastes super, especially on rainy days! Yours look wonderful and yummi… 🙂
I pho lazy, so I always just go out for pho. 🙂
Hey Jaden 🙂
Wonderful pics, and I just happened to have Pho Rau Cai and Muc Chien today at Trang Viet. If you want a break from stinking up your kitchen, drive up to Tampa on Fowler and try them. They are a French Vietnamese place, so the Pho is a little lighter. My other favourite place for Pho and green Papaya salad is Mekong, in St. Pete on 34th st just north of 62nd ave. Have known the owner’s daughters for years and they are always jampacked with the local little Saigon regulars.
The last few times I tried to make Pho I was overwhelmed…rather go drive a few miles and spend 5 bux 🙂
That is one of my very favorite cookbooks. It’s so delightfully personal.
I have been eating pho for lunch a few times a week since its so cold out. Now I just might make some at home.
Gong Xi Fa Chai to you…I absolutely love Pho! I miss Vietnamese food from San Francisco. I want a bowl of your bad ass Pho! Hahaha…that somehow came out wrong. :p
Great pictures, Jaden. I purchased this cookbook a few months ago but haven’t had a chance to make anything from it yet.
I picked up a “Scum Strainer” in my travels least year. Here’s some pictures of what it looks like. I can’t read Japanese, so maybe you’ll be able to source it elsewhere.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2111/2261608803_e2f9321e59.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2277/2261608809_47186d337d.jpg
BTW, how’s that XO sauce recipe coming? 😉
Wonderful Joanne!
Secretly, one of my fav parts of making pho broth is eating the marrow! I usually just spoon it out, dab a little hot sauce on it and I’m in heaven….
xo, jaden
http://cookieloveseating.blogspot.com/2008/01/pho-vietnamese-beef-noodle-soup.html
I did pho a few weeks back too. it was awesome! lots of similarities with your recipe.
MMMMMMM pho = food of the earth gods
I’m reporting back after having made my first pho broth. It was fantastic! I did add more fish sauce after the long simmer, I like it a little more pungent! I have 3 quart bags in the freezer, and I realize I need a bigger pot if I want to make a larger batch. I had gone to my far away Korean market and bought frozen pre-sliced ribeye, and brisket there. Lovely stuff, just fantastic. Since I didn’t find the pre assembled mesh bags of pho seasoning, I used tea bags. I’m not sure what it says in Japanese, but they are poly fiber bags. I still stuck the bag inside a big straining ball, since the tea bag does not close up tightly. I was able to find marrow bones sliced in 2 inch lengths at Publix, so that was great! I did not get as much scum as Jaden did. Hmmm I wonder why. The broth came out a lovely carmel color, with little globs of fat floating on top. I don’t know if that’s to be expected, but it was lovely. What do I do with the leftover bits of marrow that slipped out of the bone? I threw that away along with the bones. I think the rock candy gives the broth a better flavor than regular granulated sugar. Did I get it right?
Haha! Wonderful post! It was great fun to read and now you’ve saved me from looking like an idiot if I ever need to say Pho *NOT FOE* in front of people! 😀
Hi Julie, Just freeze the stock. You can store in refrig for 3 days or freeze for 3 months.
I just made this amazingly easy and delicious pot of pho… but now Im wondering how to store it and how long it will last.
Any ideas?!
Thanks!!!!
Jaden,
Pho-king awesome post. We don’t make pho at home because, here in San Jose, the competition between all the Vietnamese restaurants keeps the prices low and the quality high.
this looks awesome, and i am FREEZING in the middle of a NY snowstorm right now. i think a warm thai soup would be just perfect. oh, and now i need a scum strainer.
I’ve never had pho before but it looks awesome. Not to mention the obvious fun in finding ways to use “pho” in a sentence. 😮
Beautiful! I love Pho, but I haven’t tried making it.
I wanna jump through my 15″ screen and slurp that bowl!!!! no spoon needed!!
Okay for real… maybe some chopstix… looks great fo’ shizzle… lol
B-
Great step by step instructions! My husband and I are big fans of pho 🙂 We are going to Hanoi in April and are so excited to finally be able to try pho in Vietnam!
really helpful step by step guide for someone like me whos never tried making it before. Very very helpful post Jaden. The Pho looks incredibly delicious.
Pho, pho! I want a bowl now in this cold windy weather!
Happy Lunar New Year – it’s the 5th day today.
Your modifications are great, Jaden. I think this is a keeper!
The Pho sounds really good and tasty. Bookmarked. Great photos!
Wonderful step by step instructions, Jaden. I’m going to make this in a couple of day. It looks so delicious!
I eat this noodle at the Vietnamese restaurant here. Oh may, I just love it so much! thanks for sharing the recipe.
Oh man, I made the same pho jokes in my pho post last month! I guess those goofy jokes never get old. 🙂
http://voodoolily.blogspot.com/2008/01/what-ph.html
You totally pwned me with your photography.
Man, I’m so susceptible to food suggestions. I had pho last night because of this. 😛
Pho Shizzle Mah Nizzle!! That stuff looks fan-pho-king-tastic!
I’ve always shyed away from making pho because of the labor intensity and because I’ve always heard it being so time consuming. Yipes! I may, in fact, need to give it a try before the cold weather goes away.
awww thank you LK!
You can skin the onions if you want, but every time I’ve seen Pho made, it’s with the skin on. Several of my Vietnamese cookbooks just say to leave the skin on.
xo, jaden
L.K.–what do you mean the 1800s???? Eating marrow as a meal course is still a big event! Check out my blog post from today. I just bought the cool spoon this weekend. I don’t think it was made specifically for marrow, but it worked very well. Cheers.
Jayden: I noticed the yellow peel or onion “skins” along with the onion in the broth. Never have done this in all my years of soup making. Does the outer skin enhance the flavor or merely color the broth? Also, I often quick roast the bones before I start the broth, seems to add more depth of flavor to the stock (as does charring onions, etc.). Have you ever seen the “marrow spoons” from probably the 1800’s, when eating the marrow as a meal course was a big event? In soup, yes — but off a spoon, I don’t think so. Anyway, thanks again for a wonderful recipe. It’s so hard to wait days between your posts! I check at least twice a day to see if there is something new from you. Wish there was a new post EVERY day. You ARE the best!!!! Happy trails once again……..
What I would give for a bowl of pho right now. Love it for breakfast!
Jaden,
Your appreciation for bone marrow rockz! Roasting and eating marrow straight is one of my recent obsessions. Lately I’ve been missing the abundance of pho I used to enjoy in SoCal . . . DC proper is severely lacking in good pho. Rumor has it there’s some good pho to be found in the suburbs of DC in Northern Virginia . . . but I don’t have a car and am generally not a fan of weekend trips into the burbs. So I’m gonna put your delicious looking and sounding recipe to use. Thanks!
Fabulous Jaden 🙂
I would love to try some pho but I do not eat beef. Do you think chicken would work here? The flavour would be tottally different of course…
I’m pretty sure Pho is the best stuff ever!
I love going out to eat it. They bring you bowls larger than a basketball filled with yummy goodness.
Thanks for the instructions and pictures!
Thanks for all the directional photos Jaden. This soup is Pho#$@%& fantastic 😀
I have always wanted to make my own Pho and recently I bought a book on Viet cuisine. Once i saw the recipe, I changed my mind. Looking at yours now seems like it’s not too difficult after all. Let me give it a try one weekend.
Great pictures and captions. You make it look easy, but I think I’d rather got out and buy some. Good to know how it’s pronounced so I don’t sound like a dork when I order it!
Mmm…awesome photo tutorial! I love flank steak in pho. Brisket and tripe pho is also delicious, even though many people might turn up their nose at it.
I am so glad to know what this dish is finally called. We have a restaurant here and there are only pictures and the Vietnamese symbols. I just sort of “point” to the beef soup picture.
I’m totally trying this!
I am SO excited to see this recipe! I’ve been in love with pho for years, despite moves to several cities and states, and have finally reached a point where I can no longer find truly good pho…. but now I can make my own! Thank you so much for spelling it all out for me!
Charlotte – absolutely I do:
https://steamykitchen.com/blog/2007/07/14/vietnamese-chicken-noodle-soup-pho-ga/
This looks wonderful! I don’t suppose you have a really good chicken version of this?!
Response to Anh – Not sure if there really is a “right” noodle. As long as it’s a flat rice noodle, every family or region has it’s own personal, noodle style preference. IMHO- it’s all about having a good, rich broth. With that you can serve it to me with almost any type of Pho noodle, I’ll eat it! 🙂
I’m gonna go ahead and say this and ready to take the beatings: I’ve had left over Pho broth, but no more pho noodles. So I’ve eaten my Pho with…ramen noodles! Yes, I’ve broken all Pho laws here and my ancestors are about to jump off the family altar and slap me silly, but it’s even more sacrilege to let good broth go to waste! I don’t call this Pho any more, but rather, Nemarohp (phoramen spelled backwards).
Excellent post! I think I’ll have to work my way up to this recipe. But it looks great!
Beef looks so delicious…. with the noodles and all the herbs… are just too perfect for a meal!
Wonderful post! I love pho, but I often make a quick version of the broth using store-bought and homemade beef and chicken broth combined. Now I really have to try this version — it looks so good!
“Can you imagine if I had a line of cookware and tools …” Gee, where would you have gotten such an idea? 😉
Great pics once again. The new studio’s working well!
You kill me Jaden! I peed a little reading this.
Mmmmmmmmmmmm pppphhhhooooooooooooooooo…………………
Good lord. I wanted to lick the screen…
A lazy person’s tip on making the stock: Bring the stock up to a simmer on the stovetop, cover, and then place into a 250 degree oven. This will keep your stock at a simmer (boiling will emulsify the impurities and fat into the stock, making it cloudy and not so rich) without having to constantly adjust the heat under the pot.
You’ll still have to skim the scum frequently.
I’d argue that longer than 3 hours makes a better stock, but we’re making soup, not demi glace, so 3 hours should do the job.
I have never made this or have tasted it before. It sounds delicious pho sure. Thank you for the step by step instructions as I really like that. It’s like you are there with me in the kitchen.
(how fun that would be!) I think you have gone to a lot of trouble to do this excellent post. Much appreciated. x
Head off to you jaden! Not all Vietnamese have the heart to try pho at home (i think we treasure our little pho shops a bit too much).
Having said that, I don’t think the noodles u r using is right… It should be thinner and fatter in shape. Of course this is me being very picky 🙂
Phoa! It looks pho good!
Jaden, you rock! I want to have your children (or your leftovers).
Thanks for the great post on one of my absolute favorites. By the way, your photography is improving tremendously. Keep up the good work.
It is funny i just saw today morning in a travel show this same soup and the presenter was saying how delicious it was and they have it for breakfast.
I have never been a vietnameese food fan except for the spring rolls.
This soup i would like to try .
Wonderful post, Jaden. A refreshing change from all of the chocolate (which I am currently up to my armpits in!). I love Pho, but as you know, there are very few restaurants that serve it around here. I will definitely have to set aside some time to try this.
love to suck that yellow morrow 🙂
Yummy
*drool*
i love pho. i keep meaning to learn how to make some…a couple of summers ago i tried to embark on a Great Asian Cooking Experiment (aka learn how to make at least a few solid dishes from each asian country). i made summer rolls and promptly got lazy and gave up =P. you have re-energized my need to expand my repertoire of asian cuisine — or at least viet!
That’s one of my fave things to make!I’ve used beef ribs which are available in most grocery stores. They make good eating too. I like making it in the winter as I can leave the whole pot outside on the deck and skim off the congealed fat. In answer to Joanne, this soup keeps very well in the freezer. Here in the great white north, I leave mine outside for few days or till we finish it. Great comfort food!
Kudos on the book by Andrea ! Her book really is the best bet if you were only to have one Vietnamese cookbook. Good job and you cut the lime wedges correctly too!
We usually simmer our Pho for about 3-4 hours too. But we also let the bones sit in the broth overnight too to further finish it off to complete the flavor.
In addition to the sauces you mentioned, our local Pho place also has a less spicy red chili sauce of some kind in an unlabeled little glass jar. We go there every week for their fried rice, which is awesome… and we haven’t been able to find anything like that sauce at the grocery store. Any ideas what it might be? We can’t get enough of it when we’re there… just the right level of flavor/spiciness!
Thank you! I really needed some visuals on making good pho broth. I just picked up a bag of star anise, but I didn’t run across bags of pho seasoning. I plan on making this broth Monday. I love a good pho. I have to drive an hour to the Korean market to get the ingredients, but it’s better than driving an hour to get pho and bring it back home. How well does the broth freeze? I was thinking of making a big batch and freezing the soup in quart bags. Instance late night snack!
yay! i was just looking for a good recipe for this! my daughter has become totally addicted to this, and she is ‘dragging’ me with her! (i admit, i go willingly!) i told her it looks pretty easy to make, but she insists it is so cheap, why bother? (she is not a cook, so she doesn’t get that part!)
Jaden – Skimming the scum off of stock ranks pretty highly on my list of ‘least favorite activities.’ However, this pho looks delicious enough that I may have to compromise my principles – and beg my butcher for some bones!
Crrrraaaaaazy! I’ve had people ask me when I’m going to make this, because I am a big fan of pho. But there are such wonderful pho places here in Denver that have the benefit of economy of scale.
I’ll order a medium bowl to go for $5, which includes a huge container of broth and another container full of bean sprouts, the meat, basil, sawtooth herb, limes, jalapenos and two kinds of sauce. That’s enough for two dinners! To make the same at home would cost me way more, both in ingredients and time.
Hats off to you! That looks sooo delicious. I think I’ll go get me some.
(Love the captioning, too.)
Hey Ricky,
According to both Andrea Nguyen and Corinne Trang (author of Authentic Vietnamese Cooking and former editor and director of Saveur’s test kitchen) – 3 hours is sufficient. All of the flavors have been extracted after 3 hours.
Jaden
I thought that pho broth was supposed to simmer for more time (maybe 6 hours). Is it not always the case?
The Pho step-by-step is a work of art, Jaden! You are amazing:)
so helpful website for me