Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs Beef marrow and knuckle bones
  • 5 lbs Beef flank, brisket, or chuck
  • 1 whole Beef Oxtail (optional)
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, halved, unpeeled
  • 4-inch piece of Ginger, halved lengthwise
  • 6 whole Star Anise
  • 6 whole Cloves
  • 2 Cinnamon Sticks (about 3 inches each)
  • 1 large Black Cardamom Pod
  • 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
  • 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
  • 1/4 cup High-quality Fish Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Rock Sugar (or granulated sugar)
  • 1 Tbsp Fine Sea Salt
  • Water (enough to cover bones)
  • 5 lbs Dried Flat Rice Noodles (Bánh Phở)
  • 1 lb Eye of Round steak or Sirloin, sliced paper-thin
  • Fresh Bean Sprouts
  • Fresh Thai Basil leaves
  • Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Lime Wedges
  • Thinly sliced Jalapeño or Thai Chillies
  • Hoisin Sauce
  • Sriracha

Instructions:

  1. Thoroughly rinse all beef bones under cold running water. Place bones in a stockpot, cover with cold water, bring to a rolling boil for 15 minutes, aggressively skimming scum. Drain the murky water, rinse the bones clean, and return them to the clean stockpot.
  2. Add the large cut of beef (flank/brisket) to the bones. Cover all with fresh cold water (about 6-8 quarts). Bring slowly to a gentle simmer, skimming continuously for the first hour. After 1.5 hours, remove the cooked beef/brisket, immediately plunge into an ice bath, then wrap and refrigerate. Continue simmering the bones.
  3. Place onion halves and ginger directly onto a burner or under a hot broiler until the skins are blackened and fragrant (about 5-10 minutes). Scrape off the worst of the char.
  4. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the star anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, and fennel seeds until intensely fragrant (2-3 minutes). Place all toasted spices into a muslin bag or tea infuser.
  5. Add the charred aromatics and the spice bag to the simmering bones. Add rock sugar and most of the salt. Maintain the absolute lowest possible simmer (just a few surface bubbles) for 6–8 hours, skimming fat or scum periodically.
  6. After 6+ hours, remove the aromatics and spice bag. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with fish sauce and salt until it tastes perfectly balanced (it should taste slightly strong before adding noodles).
  7. Strain the finished broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth for ultimate clarity. Keep the broth piping hot.
  8. Prepare the noodles by soaking or briefly boiling them according to package directions until al dente. Drain immediately. Thinly slice the chilled, pre-cooked brisket and the raw eye of round steak paper-thin against the grain.
  9. Assemble bowls by dividing noodles, layering with slices of cooked and raw meat. Ladle the boiling hot broth over the meat and noodles; the heat will perfectly cook the raw steak.
  10. Serve immediately with the platter of fresh herbs, lime wedges, bean sprouts, and side sauces (Hoisin and Sriracha).