Phở Bò
also called pho bo · phở bò · pho · phở · beef pho · beef noodle soup · phở tái · pho tai · phở tái nạm · pho tai nam · phở đặc biệt · pho dac biet · P1 · number 1
- Phở & Bánh Mì
- serves 4
- about 45 min
- Soups
Three ways to read this recipe
The table
| 8 oz(225 g; 1/4-inch flat rice sticks)dried bánh phở noodles | soak 30 min, drain | boil 20 sec, drain into warm bowls | top the bowl, ladle the boiling broth over | finish at the table |
| 2 qt(1.9 L)warm water | ||||
| 4 qt(3.8 L)water | ||||
| 8 oz(225 g)beef eye of round | freeze 20 min, shave paper-thin | |||
| 6 oz(170 g; sliced thin)cooked brisket | ||||
| 1/4 small(shaved paper-thin)yellow onion | ||||
| 2(sliced)scallions | ||||
| 2 qt(1.9 L)boiling phở broth | ||||
| 1 cupThai basil | ||||
| 2 cups(150 g)bean sprouts | ||||
| 1(in wedges)lime | ||||
| 2(sliced)bird chiles | ||||
| 2 Tbshoisin sauce | ||||
| 2 Tbssriracha | ||||
What to lay out
Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.15 things to get out.
Pans and tools
1soak 30 min, drain
2freeze 20 min, shave paper-thin
3boil 20 sec, drain into warm bowls
goes in with what step 1 made
4top the bowl, ladle the boiling broth over
goes in with what steps 2 and 3 made
5finish at the table
goes in with what step 4 made
Cooking it
Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.
Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.
The clock
- Start to finish
- at least 30 mintwo waits that overlap count once
- Needs you
- none givenof the steps that give a time
2 of the 5 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 45 min.
soak 30 min, drain
30 minwalk awayfrom the start
freeze 20 min, shave paper-thin
20 minwalk awayfrom the start
boil 20 sec, drain into warm bowls
20 secwalk away30 min in
top the bowl, ladle the boiling broth over
not timed30 min in
finish at the table
not timed30 min in
- you can walk away
- never timed
Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.
You'll need freezer
Goes with
See how it is written
>> title: Phở Bò
>> category: Soups
>> tags: beef, noodles, vietnamese, soup, rice noodles
>> counters: Phở & Bánh Mì
>> aka: pho bo, phở bò, pho, phở, beef pho, beef noodle soup, phở tái, pho tai, phở tái nạm, pho tai nam, phở đặc biệt, pho dac biet, P1, number 1
>> pairs-with: pho-broth, pho-ga
>> servings: 4
>> time: 45 min
>> step.1: soak 30 min, drain
>> step.2: freeze 20 min, shave paper-thin
>> step.3: boil 20 sec, drain into warm bowls
>> step.4: top the bowl, ladle the boiling broth over
>> step.5: finish at the table
Soak @dried bánh phở noodles{8%oz}(225 g; 1/4-inch flat rice sticks) in @warm water{2%qt}(1.9 L) ~soak{30%min}, then drain. Fresh noodles skip this step entirely and go straight to the dip.
Freeze @beef eye of round{8%oz}(225 g) on a tray in the #freezer{} ~freeze{20%min}, then shave it across the grain thin enough to read through. This is tái — raw in the bowl, cooked by the broth. Chín, nạm, gầu, gân, sách and bò viên are six more ways to order the same bowl; they are a topping list, not six recipes.
Boil @&(~2)soaked noodles{} in @water{4%qt}(3.8 L) ~boil{20%sec} — they are done the moment they lose their chalk — then drain hard and divide among four warmed bowls.
Top @&(~1)noodles{} with @&(~2)shaved beef{}, @cooked brisket{6%oz}(170 g; sliced thin), @yellow onion{1/4%small}(shaved paper-thin) and @scallions{2}(sliced), then ladle @boiling phở broth{2%qt}(1.9 L) straight over. The broth has to be at a rolling boil as it leaves the ladle or the raw beef stays raw, which is the whole trick of the bowl.
Finish @&(~1)bowls{} with @Thai basil{1%cup}, @bean sprouts{2%cup}(150 g), @lime{1}(in wedges) and @bird chiles{2}(sliced) on a plate alongside, and @hoisin sauce{2%Tbs} and @sriracha{2%Tbs} in saucers for dipping the meat — not stirred into the bowl, whatever the table next to you is doing.