FoodQT : Pho Bo Updated Version

Lately, everyone is my house has been sick. We all love going to the noodle house to pick up this cure-all soup. But, after time, it can get expensive, especially if you're eating soup more than twice a week. But, this soup has helped clear sinsus and help my sickies get better.

After doing some research and politely asking our Vietnamese  friends, possibly the family secret recipes. The trademark of any good soup that makes PHÓ so great, is a clear broth. I have made PHÓ BO (Bo is beef in vietnamese ) about 15 times. Each time getting better and better. My noodles are cooked perfect, the soup is made delicious and the consistency of any respectable PHÓ noodle soup. Simple ingredients, cheap meats, and deliciousness! Enjoy!

Supplies :

For condiments:
Green onions (chopped thinly)
White onions blanched in ice water
Hoisin sauce
Sriracha Hot Sauce
Sliced Jalapeños
Cliantro
Bean Sprouts
Thai Mint

For Soup:
2 stock pots of water on at boil
Beef Shanks, I used 6-7 for a family of 5
Small piece of ginger shaved peel
PHÓ Soup Consomme Cube
PHÓ Spices Package
1 onion, sliced in half charred
2 cloves of garlic charred
1 palm sugar or 4 Tablespoons of regular white sugar
Salt
2 laddles, one for skimming Dat and other for serving

1. I went to Vien Dong (a vietnamese market) and picked up all these items. I toasted spices for about 1-2 mimutes, making sure to keep spices moving in a small skillet pan. I did the same for onion and garlic.

2. In a main stock pot, I dropped consomme, sugar, salt, onion, and garlic.

3. In second pot, I parboiled meat  only for 20 minutes to get impurities out, strain, and wash them over cold water.

4. I put spices in a muslin pouch, tied and dropped into main stock pot. You can now discard water in 2nd pot and clean it.

5. I cook broth cook for about 4-5 hours, without any meat. Then, when serving time is approaching, I will drop meat into pot and cook for another 2-3 hours to make sure all bones are cooked and there's good flavor.

6. I keep skimming the fat off the main pot, until the broth is mostly clear. NO ONE wants a bowl of greasy PHÓ.

7. I take shanks out, let cool for a couple minutes, then take all meat off bones to use for soup. Take out onion, garlic, ginger, and spice package out of soup, discard.

8. You can also purchase paper-thin cut of eye round meat. You can cook in main pot using strainer. Takes a 1-2 minutes in broth or leave it raw and the hot temperature of broth will cook it in your bowl. Large bowls are preferred.

9. Serve rice noodles to soft, not mushy consistency.  Add meats, onions, cliantro, bean sprouts, and mint. Add broth, sriracha,  and hoisin sauce. Enjoy with chopsticks and a thick soup spoon!