Pho Bo Broth (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup Broth)

Name: Pho Bo Broth (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup Broth)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 4 h 40 min
Total time: 5 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 5 lb (2270 g) beef bones (knuckle, marrow and neck bones), cut into 2- to 3-inch (5–7 cm) pieces if not already; 1½ lb (680 g) oxtail or beef shank, cut into pieces, if oxtail; 5 quart (4700 ml) cold water, plus extra for parboiling the bones; 2 large (about 1 lb total) (450 g) large yellow onions, peeled and halved through the root; 5 inch piece (110 g) fresh ginger, unpeeled, halved lengthwise and smashed lightly; 5 pods (5 g) whole star anise, whole; 1 3-inch (8 cm) stick (5 g) cinnamon stick, whole; 4 whole (1 g) whole cloves, whole; 1 tbsp (6 g) coriander seeds, whole; 1 tsp (2 g) fennel seeds, whole; 2 tbsp (25 g) yellow rock sugar or granulated sugar, if using rock sugar, lightly crushed; 1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use about half if using fine salt; ¼ cup (60 ml) fish sauce, plus more to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A clear, deeply savory Vietnamese beef broth built on parboiled beef bones, charred onion and ginger, and toasted warm spices. Simmered gently for hours, it is fragrant, balanced, and ready for rice noodles and your favorite pho toppings.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 4 hr 40 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 5 hr 30 min
Makes: About 3 quarts (2.8 liters) broth, enough for 8 bowls

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the broth
5 lb (2270 g) beef bones (knuckle, marrow and neck bones), cut into 2- to 3-inch (5–7 cm) pieces if not already
1½ lb (680 g) oxtail or beef shank, cut into pieces, if oxtail
5 quart (4700 ml) cold water, plus extra for parboiling the bones
2 large (about 1 lb total) (450 g) large yellow onions, peeled and halved through the root
5 inch piece (110 g) fresh ginger, unpeeled, halved lengthwise and smashed lightly
5 pods (5 g) whole star anise, whole
1 3-inch (8 cm) stick (5 g) cinnamon stick, whole
4 whole (1 g) whole cloves, whole
1 tbsp (6 g) coriander seeds, whole
1 tsp (2 g) fennel seeds, whole
2 tbsp (25 g) yellow rock sugar or granulated sugar, if using rock sugar, lightly crushed
1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use about half if using fine salt
¼ cup (60 ml) fish sauce, plus more to taste

Equipment (8)

12-quart (11 L) stockpot or larger
Large pot or bowl for rinsing bones
Rimmed baking sheet lined with foil (for broiling), or a gas burner/grill for charring
Dry skillet, 8-inch (20 cm)
Fine-mesh strainer
Cheesecloth or a spice bag (or a large tea ball)
Ladle and skimming spoon or fine skimmer
Tongs

Steps

Before you start

Use a 12-quart (11 L) or larger stockpot; the bones and water need room, and a wide pot makes skimming easier.
Ask the butcher for a mix of marrow bones, knuckle bones and oxtail or beef shank for the best flavor and body.
Keep the final simmer barely bubbling; a hard boil turns the broth cloudy.
Total time is about 5½ hours, mostly unattended. Chill the finished broth overnight if you want to lift off the fat easily.

1
Parboil the bones
- Put the beef bones and oxtail in the stockpot and cover with cold water by about 2 inches (5 cm).
- Bring to a full boil over high heat and boil hard for 10 minutes.
- Grey foam and scum will rise to the surface.
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Ready when: Heavy grey foam covers the surface and the water looks murky
Tip: This step is the secret to a clear broth. Do not skip it.
2
Rinse bones and pot
- Drain everything into a colander in the sink.
- Rinse each bone under warm running water, scrubbing off any dark scum or clinging bits with your fingers.
- Wash the stockpot thoroughly to remove residue, then return the clean bones to it.
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Ready when: Bones look pale and clean with no dark scum
Tip: Use tongs or thick gloves; the bones will be very hot.
3
Char onion and gingerOven 500°F / 260°C
- Heat the broiler to high with a rack 4 inches (10 cm) from the element, 500°F (260°C) if your oven has temperature settings.
- Place the onion halves cut-side up and the ginger on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Broil 10 to 12 minutes, turn, and broil 8 to 10 minutes more.
- Alternatively, char directly over a gas flame, turning with tongs.
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Ready when: Surfaces are blackened in spots, soft, and smell sweet and smoky
Tip: Leave the ginger skin on; the char adds flavor. Rinse off any loose burnt flakes before adding to the pot.
4
Toast the spices
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds and fennel seeds for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan often.
- Tip into cheesecloth or a spice bag and tie closed.
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Ready when: Fragrant, and the star anise darkens slightly
Tip: Pull the pan off the heat the moment they smell strong; burnt spices make the broth bitter.
5
Start the simmer
- Pour 5 quarts (4.7 L) of cold water over the cleaned bones.
- Add the charred onion and ginger, the spice bag, rock sugar and kosher salt.
- Bring to a gentle boil over high heat, then reduce immediately.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break at the edges of the pot
6
Skim and simmer low
- Reduce the heat to low so only a few bubbles lazily break the surface.
- Skim any foam and fat in the first 30 minutes.
- Simmer partially covered for 3 hours.
- If using oxtail or shank, remove the meat once tender, after about 2 hours, and set aside for serving or another use.
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Ready when: Liquid is golden-brown and clear, the surface barely trembling
Tip: Top up with hot water if the level drops below the bones.
7
Remove the aromatics
- After 3 hours, lift out the spice bag and discard it, so the spices don't turn the broth bitter.
- Discard the onion and ginger too if they are very soft.
- Continue simmering 1 hour more.
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Ready when: Broth smells rich and beefy, with warm spice in the background
Tip: Taste at this point; if the spice is already strong, remove the bag earlier next time.
8
Season the broth
- Stir in the fish sauce.
- Taste and adjust with more fish sauce, salt or a pinch of sugar until it tastes slightly saltier than you would sip, since noodles and toppings will dilute it.
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Ready when: Balanced: savory, lightly sweet, with a clean finish and no fishy smell
Tip: Add fish sauce a spoonful at a time; you can add but not remove.
9
Strain the broth
- Lift out the bones with tongs.
- Ladle the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot or containers, leaving the last cloudy cup of sediment behind.
- Skim the fat from the surface, leaving a thin film for flavor if you like.
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Ready when: Broth is clear amber with a thin sheen of fat
Tip: For easiest defatting, chill overnight and lift off the solid fat layer.
10
Reheat and serve
- Bring the broth back to a steady simmer over medium heat until steaming hot, about 180°F (82°C) or above.
- Ladle over cooked rice noodles and thinly sliced raw beef or cooked meat in bowls.
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Ready when: Steaming hot enough to cook thin raw beef slices in the bowl
Tip: Serve with lime, bean sprouts, herbs, hoisin and chili sauce.

Good to know

Tips

Never let the broth boil hard during the long simmer; a gentle tremble keeps it clear.
Start with cold water so proteins release gradually and are easy to skim.
Remove the spices after 3 hours; longer extraction tastes medicinal.
Season at the end, when the liquid has reduced, to avoid over-salting.

Make ahead

The broth tastes better made 1 to 2 days ahead. Cool, strain, refrigerate, and lift off the solidified fat before reheating.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in airtight containers up to 5 days. Freeze up to 3 months in portions, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) of headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop to a steady simmer. Cool within 2 hours of cooking; do not leave at room temperature longer.

Substitutions

yellow rock sugar or granulated sugar → granulated sugar. Use the same weight; rock sugar gives a rounder, cleaner sweetness.
oxtail or beef shank → beef shank or brisket. Gives tender sliceable meat for serving.
fish sauce → light soy sauce plus a pinch of salt. Less complex, but works if you avoid fish.
beef bones (knuckle, marrow and neck bones) → all knuckle and marrow bones. Less meaty flavor but a clear, gelatin-rich broth.