Pho - Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

Broth:

½ pound beef bones with marrow

3 pounds oxtail (cut into 1 inch thick pieces)

2 inches ginger (peeled)

1 medium sweet yellow onion (peeled)

1 tablespoon salt

1 package pho seasoning (I use Pho Hoa Pasteur. It comes in a red 2 oz. box. Inside there are two packets. You will need only one.)

¾ cup fish sauce (I use Viet Huong fish sauce. It comes in a 24 fl. oz. bottle with a pink label and a picture of three crabs.)

Meats (all optional to your preference):

1 pound ribeye beef (thinly sliced)

1 pound eye of round beef (thinly sliced)

oxtail from above in the broth section

tripe (cooked strips)

Vietnamese beef meatballs (bò viên)

Herbs and Garnishes (all optional to your preference):

soybean sprouts

peppermint or spearmint leaves

Thai basil leaves

fish wort

perilla leaves

cilantro

chili peppers

limes (cut into 6-8 wedges)

Condiments (all optional):

hoisin sauce (I use Lee Kum Kee hoisin sauce with a purple label.)

fresh chili peppers (sliced) or hot chili sauce (I use Sriracha.)

Noodles:

14 oz, package rice (pho) stick noodles (3 mm wide)

Other:

large 8 qt. Instant Pot

colander

Directions:

1. Fill a large pot half full with water and bring to a boil on high heat.

2. Add beef bones and oxtails to the pot.

3. Boil for five minutes to remove the impurities.

4. Drain into a large colander and wash the bones and oxtail in cold water.

5. In a large Instant Pot (or large pot if you do not have an Instant Pot) add the beef bones, oxtail, ginger, onion, salt, a package of pho seasoning (Pho Hoa Pasteur), fish sauce, and 16 cups of water.

**I have an Instant Pot Ultra 8 quart multicooker.

Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on high for one hour.

**It will take 30+ minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure cook temperature, plus one hour of pressure cooking.

If you are cooking the broth the traditional method, in a pot on the stove, bring the broth to a boil on medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and let simmer, covered, for 4-6 hours, until the oxtail meat is tender and falls off the bone.)

6. Cook the pho rice noodles according to the package by placing the noodles in a pot of boiling water for 6-8 minutes until cooked. Then drain and rinse in cold water.

7. Wash all your herbs and garnishes and set them aside on a platter.

8. Once the Instant Pot is done cooking, unplug it and let it rest for 45 minutes. Release the steam after 45 minutes of resting.

9. Bring a pot of water to a boil and flash cook your meats (thinly sliced ribeye beef, the eye of round, tripe, and meatballs) for 2-5 minutes.

10. Drain and rinse the meats. Set aside on a platter.

11. Assemble your pho bowl with noodles, meats, and garnishes.

12. Ladle hot pho broth into your bowl and squeeze a wedge of lime juice on top.

13. Add your desired condiments.