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.