Phở Broth

also called pho broth · nước dùng phở · nuoc dung pho · pho stock · beef pho broth · phở bò broth · pho base · the broth for pho

The table

4 lb(1.8 kg)beef marrow bonesparboil 10 min, rinse every bonesimmer 6 hr, skimmingseason and strain
2 lb(900 g)oxtail
5 qt(4.7 L)cold water
2 large(halved)yellow onionschar over a flame 10 min
4 in(halved lengthways)fresh ginger
5 wholestar anisetoast 3 min, tie the sachet
1cinnamon stick
4whole cloves
1 Tbscoriander seed
1 pod(cracked)black cardamom
2 lb(900 g)beef brisket
6 qt(5.7 L)water
1/3 cup(80 mL)fish sauce
1 oz(30 g)rock sugar
1 Tbskosher salt
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.18 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1parboil 10 min, rinse every bone

2char over a flame 10 min

3toast 3 min, tie the sachet

4simmer 6 hr, skimming

goes in with what steps 1, 2 and 3 made

5season and strain

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 6 hr 10 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
23 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. 20 min of that is counted as needing you only because the step never said otherwise. The recipe itself says 6 hr 30 min.

  1. parboil 10 min, rinse every bone

    10 minneeds you(assumed)from the start

  2. char over a flame 10 min

    10 minneeds you(assumed)from the start

  3. toast 3 min, tie the sachet

    3 minneeds youfrom the start

  4. simmer 6 hr, skimming

    6 hrwalk away10 min in

  5. season and strain

    not timed6 hr 10 min in

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. The minutes are always the recipe’s own; a dashed edge means we worked out from the step whether you have to be there, and a dotted one means nothing was said, so we assumed you are standing over it.

You'll need skillet · spice sachet · stockpot

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Phở Broth
>> category: Soups
>> tags: beef, vietnamese, stock, star anise, stovetop
>> counters: Phở & Bánh Mì
>> aka: pho broth, nước dùng phở, nuoc dung pho, pho stock, beef pho broth, phở bò broth, pho base, the broth for pho
>> pairs-with: pho-bo
>> servings: 8
>> time: 6 hr 30 min
>> step.1: parboil 10 min, rinse every bone
>> step.2: char over a flame 10 min
>> step.3: toast 3 min, tie the sachet
>> step.4: simmer 6 hr, skimming
>> step.5: season and strain

Cover @beef marrow bones{4%lb}(1.8 kg) and @oxtail{2%lb}(900 g) with @cold water{5%qt}(4.7 L) in a #stockpot{}, bring to a hard boil and ~parboil{10%min}, then tip the lot into the sink, rinse every bone under the tap and scrub the pot. Skipping this is what makes grey, muddy broth, and there is no skimming your way back from it.

Char @yellow onions{2%large}(halved) and @fresh ginger{4%in}(halved lengthways) directly on a burner or under a broiler ~char{10%min}, turning until blackened in patches, then scrape the loose ash away.

Toast @star anise{5%whole}, @cinnamon stick{1}, @whole cloves{4}, @coriander seed{1%Tbs} and @black cardamom{1%pod}(cracked) in a dry #skillet{} ~toast{3%min}, until they smell like the shop, then tie them into a #spice sachet{}.

Simmer @&(~3)parboiled bones{}, @&(~2)charred aromatics{} and @&(~1)spice sachet{} with @beef brisket{2%lb}(900 g) and @water{6%qt}(5.7 L) at a bare tremble ~simmer{6%hr}, skimming hard for the first hour and never letting it boil. Lift the brisket out at ninety minutes, when a skewer slides in clean, and chill it — that is the sliced meat in the bowl. Pull the sachet at ninety minutes too, or the star anise takes the whole pot over.

Season @&(~1)broth{} with @fish sauce{1/3%cup}(80 mL), @rock sugar{1%oz}(30 g) and @kosher salt{1%Tbs}, then strain it through a fine sieve. It should taste a shade too strong on its own; the noodles and the raw beef in the bowl bring it back down.