Vietnamese pho broth is a slowly simmered beef stock, scented with charred ginger and onion, toasted spices, and fish sauce, then served with rice noodles and fresh garnishes. This recipe makes a clear, aromatic beef pho broth with an unhurried simmer; seasoning and garnish choices vary between regions and households, so adjust the final bowl to your taste.
Ingredients
- 4 lb (1.8 kg) beef marrow or knuckle bones, preferably a mixture
- 1½ lb (680 g) beef brisket, in one piece
- 5 qt (4.7 L) cold water, plus more for blanching
- 1 large yellow onion, about 10 oz (280 g), halved
- 5 oz (140 g) fresh ginger, split lengthwise
- 5 whole star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick, about 3 in (7.5 cm)
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 tsp (4 g) coriander seeds
- 1 tsp (2 g) fennel seeds
- 1 black cardamom pod, lightly cracked (optional; see Tips)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) fish sauce
- 2 tbsp (25 g) rock sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp (18 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
- 14 oz (400 g) dried flat rice noodles
- 1 small yellow onion, about 5 oz (140 g), thinly sliced for serving
- 2 cups (50 g) mung bean sprouts
- 1 cup (15 g) Thai basil leaves
- 1 cup (15 g) cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced, or 2 Thai chiles
- ¼ cup (60 ml) hoisin sauce and ¼ cup (60 ml) chili sauce, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Blanch and rinse the bones. Put the bones in a large stockpot and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 10 minutes; gray foam and residue will rise to the surface. Drain the bones, discard the blanching water, and rinse each piece under cool running water, removing visible clots. Rinse the pot as well. This preliminary boil helps the finished broth look clearer; it is not the main stock simmer.
- Char the aromatics and toast the spices. While the bones drain, char the cut sides of the onion and the ginger in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, turning as needed, for about 12 minutes. They should have dark, blistered patches but should not be reduced to ash. A broiler also works: place them cut side up on a foil-lined tray and broil, watching closely, until charred. In a small dry pan, toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, fennel, and optional cardamom for about 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant. Put the spices in a tea infuser or tie them in a piece of cheesecloth for easy removal.
- Start the broth. Return the rinsed bones to the clean pot and add 5 qt (4.7 L) fresh cold water. Bring it just to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim foam from the surface during the first 20 to 30 minutes. Add the brisket, charred onion and ginger, and spice bundle. Keep the liquid at a quiet simmer rather than a rolling boil; vigorous bubbling can make the broth cloudy and can break the meat apart.
- Simmer until flavorful and tender. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 3 hours 30 minutes, checking periodically to make sure the liquid barely bubbles. Turn the brisket once or twice so it cooks evenly. When it is fork-tender, check the thickest part with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of beef. Lift the brisket out, let it rest for at least 3 minutes, then cool it until easy to handle and slice thinly across the grain. If it is not tender yet, return it to the pot and continue simmering, allowing extra time as needed.
- Strain and season. Remove the spice bundle, onion, and ginger. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot or heatproof bowl; discard the bones and spent aromatics. Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Taste the broth hot. Add more salt for a rounder savory flavor, a little fish sauce for depth, or a splash of water if it is too concentrated. Bring the strained broth back to a simmer for about 5 minutes, then keep it hot while preparing the noodles.
- Cook the noodles and assemble bowls. Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions, since soaking and boiling times vary by brand. Drain and rinse briefly with warm water to stop them sticking together. Divide the noodles among six large bowls and top with sliced brisket and a little raw sliced onion. Ladle very hot broth over the noodles and beef. Serve at once with sprouts, basil, cilantro, lime, chiles, hoisin, and chili sauce on the side.
Tips
- Choose bones for body and flavor. Knuckle and joint bones add gelatin, while marrow bones contribute a richer taste. A mix gives the broth both qualities. If you can only find marrow bones, use them, but expect a slightly richer, less gelatinous stock.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A few small bubbles are enough. If the pot boils hard, lower the heat; boiling stirs fat and particles through the liquid and can leave the broth cloudy. Skim foam early, but do not worry about removing every drop of fat.
- Use a sensible spice substitute. Black cardamom has a smoky, resinous aroma and can be hard to find; leave it out if unavailable rather than substituting green cardamom, which tastes brighter and sweeter. Star anise is central to the familiar pho aroma, but reduce it by one pod if you prefer a less pronounced licorice note.
- Season after straining. Fish sauce and salt vary in intensity, and the broth reduces as it simmers. Hold back some salt if needed and adjust at the end. For easier fat removal, chill the strained broth and lift off the firm fat layer before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Use wide bowls that leave room for broth, noodles, and toppings. Arrange the herbs, sprouts, lime, and sliced chiles on a platter so each person can add them at the table. A squeeze of lime brightens a rich bowl; basil and cilantro add fresh, herbal notes, while the chiles bring heat. Hoisin and chili sauce are optional condiments, not replacements for seasoning the broth itself. Add them sparingly at first so the beef and aromatic stock remain easy to taste.
For a more complete meal, serve pho with extra bean sprouts and herbs, or offer a simple plate of sliced cucumber alongside it. Keep the broth at a steady simmer as you portion the bowls, and serve promptly: noodles left sitting in hot broth continue to soften and absorb liquid. If serving in batches, put noodles and beef into each bowl first and ladle broth only when that bowl is ready to go to the table.
Variations
Chicken pho broth: Replace the beef bones and brisket with about 4 lb (1.8 kg) chicken backs, wings, or a cut-up whole chicken. Chicken stock generally needs less time; simmer gently until flavorful, commonly about 1½ to 2 hours, and remove cooked chicken when tender. Check poultry with a thermometer and make sure it reaches the USDA FSIS safe minimum of 165°F (74°C). The result is lighter and less beefy, but the same charred aromatics and spice profile work well.
Meat-free aromatic broth: For a vegetarian noodle soup inspired by pho seasoning, simmer charred onion and ginger with 10 cups (2.4 L) vegetable stock and the toasted spice bundle for 45 to 60 minutes. Add soy sauce or a vegetarian fish-sauce alternative to taste. This version will not have the gelatin-rich body or beef flavor of traditional beef broth, so avoid expecting a direct match; mushrooms can contribute savory depth.
Adjust the spice balance: For a gentler broth, use four star anise and omit the cloves. For a more pronounced aroma, add one extra star anise or a small additional piece of cinnamon, but taste before increasing every spice. The goal is a balanced stock where ginger, onion, and beef remain noticeable alongside the warm spices.
Storage and Reheating
Cool the broth promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow containers for faster cooling. Store broth separately from cooked noodles and garnishes; refrigerated broth keeps for 3 to 4 days. Keep the cooked brisket in a separate airtight container with a little broth to help it stay moist, and use it within the same 3-to-4-day window. Freeze broth for up to 3 months for best quality, leaving room in the container for expansion. Thaw it in the refrigerator.
Reheat only the amount you plan to serve, bringing the broth to a boil or reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C), as advised by USDA FSIS. Heat brisket in the broth until steaming hot, and prepare fresh noodles for the bowls rather than storing them submerged in broth. Do not leave broth or assembled bowls at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why blanch the bones before making pho broth?
Blanching briefly draws out surface blood and residue that can cloud the stock. Draining and rinsing both the bones and pot before the long simmer gives you a cleaner-tasting, clearer broth. It is a useful clarity step, not a substitute for skimming during the first part of simmering.
Can I make pho broth a day ahead?
Yes. Strain and cool the broth, refrigerate it within 2 hours, and store it covered. The next day, remove some or all of the firm fat on top if you like, then reheat the broth to 165°F (74°C) before serving. Make or cook noodles close to serving time so they do not become swollen and soft in storage.
How do I make the broth clearer?
Rinse the bones thoroughly after blanching, skim early foam, and keep the stock at a gentle simmer. Avoid stirring or boiling it vigorously. Straining through a fine-mesh strainer catches small pieces, but it will not reverse cloudiness caused by a hard boil; the broth will still taste good if it is not perfectly clear.
Can I make this without brisket?
Yes. The bones still make a flavorful broth without a separate piece of meat. Leave the brisket out and reduce the salt slightly at first, then taste and season after straining. For bowls, add thinly sliced cooked beef or another preferred topping; cook any beef safely and keep it separate until serving.
What if I do not have a stockpot large enough?
Use two pots and divide the bones, water, aromatics, and spices evenly, or make a smaller batch while keeping the ingredient proportions consistent. Do not overfill a pot: leave space at the top so it can simmer safely without spilling. If splitting the broth between pots, combine and taste it after straining so the final seasoning is even.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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