Phở Đặc Biệt with 4-Hour Oxtail Broth

Method

1. Soak the bones and oxtail in cold water for 1 hour, changing the water once. Put them in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil over high heat. Once boiling, boil hard for 10 min, then drain and rinse each piece under running water. Scrub the pot clean too.

   Add in this stepBeef marrow bones or soup bones 1,500 gOxtail, cut into sections 800 g

   high heat

2. Halve the onions, shallots and ginger, skin on, and char them directly over a gas flame or in a dry pan over medium-high heat for 12 min, until blackened in patches. Peel off the burnt skin and rinse. Toast the spices in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 3 min until fragrant, crack the cardamom with the flat of a knife and put everything in a spice bag.

   Add in this stepOnions (for the broth, halved) 2Shallots 4Ginger 80 gCinnamon stick (finger length) 1Star anise 5Cloves 5Coriander seeds 1 tbspBlack cardamom pod 1

   medium-high heat→medium-low heat

3. Put the bones, oxtail, brisket and cold water in a 10 L pot and bring to the boil over high heat. As soon as it boils, turn down to low heat so only small bubbles rise at the edge, and simmer for 1 h 30 min, skimming off the foam. Lift out the brisket, plunge it into ice water for 10 minutes, then wrap and refrigerate (this keeps it moist and pale).

   Add in this stepCold water 5,000 mlBeef brisket, in one piece 500 g

   high heat→low heat

4. Add the charred onions, shallots and ginger and simmer over low heat for 1 h 30 min with the lid ajar. Add the spice bag, simmer for just 45 min more, then take it out right away. Left longer, the spices turn the broth bitter.

   low heat

5. Strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with a damp cloth or kitchen paper. Skim off most of the fat, saving 2 to 3 tablespoons. Dissolve the rock sugar, then add the fish sauce and salt a little at a time. The broth should taste slightly salty on its own, because the noodles will dilute it. Pick the meat off the oxtail.

   Add in this stepYellow rock sugar 30 gFish sauce 4 tbspSalt 2 tsp

6. While the broth simmers, wrap the sirloin and freeze it for 20 minutes, then slice it 2 mm thin across the grain. Slice the chilled brisket 3 mm thick. Soak the dried noodles in lukewarm water for 30 minutes.

   Add in this stepBeef sirloin (to slice raw) 120 gDried flat rice noodles 200 g

7. Bring the broth you need to a rolling boil in a 18 cm pot over high heat (about 6 min). In another pot of boiling water, blanch the noodles one portion at a time in a strainer for 15 to 20 seconds and put them in bowls. Top with brisket, oxtail meat, raw sirloin, onion and spring onion. Pour the boiling broth straight over the raw beef so it turns pink. Serve the sprouts, herbs, lime, chili and sauces on the side.

   Add in this stepFinished broth (per bowl) 1,000 mlOnion, sliced paper-thin 40 gSpring onions, thinly sliced 20 gBean sprouts 80 gFresh coriander (cilantro) to tasteThai basil to tasteLime ½Bird's eye chili, thinly sliced 1Hoisin sauce and sriracha to taste

   high heat