Dave's Pho

INGREDIENTS

Stock

  • 12+ lbs knuckle bones and marrow bones (large soup bones)
  • 1 whole oxtail (keep together in a silicone boiling bag; you'll be eating it with the soup)
  • 1 piece beef tendon
  • 2–3 pounds beef neck bones (optional, but makes a heartier broth)
  • 3 yellow onions, broiled or charred over an open flame but not blackened
  • 3–4 shallots, broiled or charred but not blackened
  • 1 piece ginger about the size of a 5-year-old's hand, unpeeled and broiled or charred
  • 1 head garlic, sliced in half and broiled or charred but not blackened
  • 2-inch piece yellow rock sugar (about 4 tablespoons)

For Serving

  • Thinly sliced beef for shabu-shabu
  • 1 large piece book tripe
  • Fresh flat rice noodles, thin cut (1 package serves about 4)
  • 1 lb bean sprouts
  • Thai basil
  • Fresh chili peppers
  • Green onions
  • Cilantro
  • Sriracha chili sauce
  • White or sweet onion, thinly sliced and tossed with rice vinegar and Sriracha
  • Lime

Aromatics for 4 Cups Stock + 1 Cup Water

  • Dash of white pepper
  • 4–8 star anise
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • Chinese cinnamon bark, about 3 inches × 1/3 inch
  • 2–3 black cardamom pods
  • 3 green cardamom pods

PREPARATION

  1. Make the stock: Put the knuckle and marrow bones, oxtail, beef tendon, optional neck bones, charred onions, shallots, ginger, garlic, and rock sugar into a 5-gallon pot. Keep the oxtail together in a silicone boiling bag so it can easily be removed and eaten with the finished soup.
  2. Bring the stock slowly up to a simmer. While it is heating and shortly after it begins simmering, occasionally skim off the foam and other impurities that rise to the surface.
  3. Simmer for 12 hours.
  4. After 12 hours, remove from the heat and allow the stock to cool for another 12 hours. Ideally, the fat will solidify on top. Remove about 95% of the fat. If it does not solidify, skim the fat from the surface instead.
  5. Strain the broth into a large clean pot. A 2.5-gallon pot should be sufficient at this point.
  6. Divide the stock into portions suitable for freezing. A convenient portion for three people is about 4 cups. When serving, dilute each 4 cups of concentrated stock with 1 cup of water.
  7. Prepare the book tripe: Soak the tripe in cold water with a little vinegar or lemon juice. Rinse, then boil in plenty of water for 5 minutes. Refrigerate until cold before slicing.
  8. Prepare the serving broth: Put 4 cups of stock and 1 cup of water into a pot. Add the white pepper, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds, Chinese cinnamon bark, black cardamom, and green cardamom.
  9. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to a simmer while you prepare the noodles and remaining ingredients.
  10. Prepare the fresh rice noodles and arrange the thinly sliced beef, sliced tripe, bean sprouts, Thai basil, fresh chilies, green onions, cilantro, seasoned sliced onion, Sriracha, and lime for serving.
  11. Assemble each bowl with noodles, beef, tripe, and the desired garnishes. Ladle the hot broth over the bowl and serve immediately with the remaining herbs, sprouts, chilies, Sriracha, and lime at the table.