Beef Pho

Ingredients

• 5 lb beef soup bones and oxtail
• 2 medium onions, halved
• 4-in piece fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
• 6 qt cold water
• 5 whole star anise
• 1 (3-in) cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 3 Tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 Tbsp sugar (or rock sugar)
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 lb dried flat rice noodles
• 3/4 lb beef sirloin, sliced paper-thin
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 bunch Thai basil
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 or 2 Thai chiles or jalapeños, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• to serve hoisin and sriracha sauces

Before you start

• Heat the broiler.
• Freeze the sirloin 20 min so it slices thin.

Directions

1. Cover with water, boil 5 min, drain and rinse: beef soup bones and oxtail.
2. Char under broiler, 10 to 15 min: onions, fresh ginger.
3. Combine in a large pot, bring to a boil, skim: step 1, step 2, cold water.
4. Toast in a dry pan until fragrant, 2 to 3 min: star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, coriander seeds, black peppercorns.
5. Add, simmer uncovered 5 hr, skimming: step 3, step 4.
6. Strain, skim fat: step 5.
7. Season, bring back to a boil until steaming hot: step 6, fish sauce, sugar (or rock sugar), salt.
8. Soak or boil until tender, drain: dried flat rice noodles.
9. Divide into bowls, top with raw beef: step 8, beef sirloin.
10. Ladle boiling broth over until beef turns just pink: step 7, step 9.
11. Garnish at the table: step 10, bean sprouts, Thai basil, cilantro, green onions, Thai chiles or jalapeños, lime, hoisin and sriracha sauces.