Destination
Hue
The story
Phở is Vietnam's most recognisable national dish and arguably the country's greatest culinary export. A clear, deeply aromatic beef broth is built over 8 hours from oxtail and knuckle bones, charred onion and ginger, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coriander seed and rock sugar. The finished broth is ladled hot over fresh rice noodles (banh pho) and topped with paper-thin slices of raw beef sirloin (which cook in the broth), plus a plate of fresh Thai basil, sliced chilies, lime wedges, bean sprouts and coriander that diners add to their own bowl at the table. Two major regional styles dominate: Hanoi phở (northern, clearer, simpler, served plain) and Saigon phở (southern, more herbs, more sauces, sweeter).
Method
Place bones in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring to a hard boil and cook 10 minutes. This removes impurities that cloud the broth. Drain, rinse the bones under cold running water, and scrub the pot clean.
Char the halved onions and split ginger directly on a gas flame or under a hot grill for 5 minutes each side until blackened in patches. This is essential for the classical phở colour and flavour.
In a dry pan, toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, coriander and fennel seeds over medium heat 3 minutes until deeply fragrant. Tie into a piece of cheesecloth (or use a large spice ball) so they can be lifted out later.
Return the blanched bones to the clean pot. Add the beef brisket if using, charred onions and ginger, the spice bundle, rock sugar and 6 litres of water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam that rises during the first 30 minutes.
Simmer gently uncovered (or partially covered) for 6 to 8 hours. Never boil hard; a hard boil emulsifies fat into the broth and clouds it. Check occasionally; top up water if it drops too much. The finished broth should be a rich amber colour and taste of deep beef and warm spice.
Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot; discard bones, spices and aromatics (if using brisket, slice it thinly for serving). Season with fish sauce and salt. Taste and adjust. Keep hot.
Boil fresh rice noodles for 30 seconds (or dried for 4 to 6 minutes per packet) until just tender. Drain and divide between 6 large deep bowls.
Lay the raw beef slices over the noodles. Ladle hot broth generously over the top; the heat cooks the beef in seconds. Top with sliced spring onion, coriander, sliced red onion, and cooked brisket if using. Serve immediately with plates of Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges, sliced chili, hoisin and Sriracha on the side. Each diner tears herbs into their bowl and squeezes lime to taste.
Tips
- Blanch and rinse the bones. Non-negotiable for a clear broth. Skipping this step gives you cloudy phở that no amount of skimming can fix.
- Char the aromatics on an open flame. Onions and ginger blackened directly over a gas burner give phở its specific colour and depth.
- Simmer, never boil. Gentle bubbles. A hard boil ruins the whole thing.
- Toast the whole spices. Untoasted spices taste flat.
- Herbs and lime at the table, not in the pot. Every diner customises their own bowl.
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