Dave's Pho

Ingredients for stock: I use a 5 gallon pot and freeze the stock in portions appropriate to feed the 3 of us, ~ 4 cups. When I use it I add 1 cup of water and seasonings.

~ 12+ lbs of knuckle bones and marrow bones – big soup bones

~ 1 whole oxtail - use a silicone boiling bag to keep them together. You'll be eating them with the soup. I love this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OOVC7K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

– 1 piece of beef tendon

– 2 - 3 pounds of beef neck bones (optional but makes for a heartier broth)

– 3 yellow onions (broiled in the toaster oven or charred over open flame, but do not blacken)

– 3-4 shallots (broiled or charred but do not blacken – blackening will turn your stock dark)

– 1 piece of ginger about the size of a 5 year old’s hand (do not peel – broiled in toaster oven or charred over open flame)

– 1 head of garlic sliced in half (broiled or charred but do not blacken – blackening will turn your stock dark)

– a 2 inch piece of yellow rock sugar (about 4 tbs)

Put all of the above in a 5 gallon pot. (Most extra large kitchen pots are only 2.5 gallons. You wouldn't have a 5 gallon unless you specifically bought one like I did for beer making. Just get a cheap one. )

Bring the stock up to a simmer. During this period and shortly after it starts simmering you'l want to occasionally skim off any of the foam or other funky looking gunk that floats to the surface.

Simmer for 12 hours.

After 12 hours let it cool for another 12 hours. Hopefully it cools enough to solidify the fats on top. Remove 95% of it. If it's doesn't solidify then you'll need to skim off the fat. Again get 95% of it off.

Strain out the broth into a large clean pot (2.5 gallon pot will suffice).

Aliquot the broth into serving sizes that will work for your need. Remember, when using you'll 1 cup water for each 4 cups of stock.

Ingredients for serving:

– Thin sliced beef for shabu shabu

– 1 big piece of book tripe ( soak in cold water with some vinegar or lemon juice, then rinse and boil for 5 minutes with plenty of hot water, then refrigerate before slicing)

– fresh flat rice noodles, the thin cut. 1 package will serve 4.

– 1 lb. pack of bean sprouts

– Thai basil

– fresh chili peppers

– green onions

– cilantro

– Spiracha chili sauce

– white onion or sweet onion, thinly sliced tossed in rice vinegar and Spiracha sauce

– lime

Direction for serving:

Put 4 cups stock + 1 cup water into pot. Add these aromatics:

 – Dash of white pepper

- 4 - 8 star anise

- 3 cloves

– 1 tbs coriander seeds

– cinnamon bark (chinese type, darker looking and thick). The size should be about 3″ x 1/3″ (L x W)

– 2 - 3 black cardamom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_cardamom look for it in a chinese herbal store or chinese market.

-- 3 regular cardamom

Bring to a boil them simmer while you make the noodles and other ingredients.