Easy Faux Short Rib Pho {Vietnamese Pho Bo Recipe}
This flavorful, soul-satisfying, and most importantly, easy Pho Bo recipe is a perfect bowl of comfort. It freezes well, is super customizable, and leftovers keep for days! There’s only 15 minutes of hands-on cooking time!
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Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 cups water
- 1 cup white wine
- 1/3 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 4 inch piece peeled fresh ginger, smashed
- 3 scallions
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bunch cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 2 2-inch long pieces orange peel
- 10 black peppercorns
- 10 whole cloves
- 6 star anise pods
- 2 1/2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
To Serve:
- 1 pound dried pho rice noodles
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- Thai basil leaves
- Mung bean sprouts
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Bring the 12 cups water, 1 cup white wine, 1/3 cup fish sauce, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 3-inch piece ginger, 3 scallions, 3 garlic cloves, 1 bunch cilantro, 2 pieces orange peel, 10 black peppercorns, 10 cloves, 6 star anise, and the 2 1/2 pounds short ribs to a boil in a large soup pot.
- Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until a sharp knife is easily inserted, but not falling apart (you will need to slice it later), about 2-3 hours. Let meat stand in cooking liquid 1 hour, or overnight.
- Transfer meat to a cutting board with tongs and discard bones, membranes, and fat then cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices.
- Pour beef broth through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Wash out the pot then return the broth and reheat soup over low heat. Stir in the tablespoon of salt, taste and see if it needs more salt.
- Meanwhile, bring a large stockpot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add rice noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain and divide noodles between 6 large bowls. Divide meat between the bowls. Ladle soup over noodles and serve with jalapeño, Thai basil leaves, cilantro, lime wedges, and mung bean sprouts for garnish.
Notes
- Slicing the beef: This is easier if the beef is cold. Let the beef cool in the broth to room temperature. Then cover and transfer to the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove the short ribs from the broth. Remove the bones, membrane, and fat then slice.
- Slow cooker instructions: Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker instead of the Dutch oven. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours or until the short ribs are tender, but not falling apart. Continue with the recipe as written.
- Cooking rice noodles: Rice noodles can easily stick together. Stir them frequently during cooking and test regularly to see if they are ready. They only take between 4-8 minutes to cook depending on the type. Drain them then spread out on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little sesame oil and toss to prevent them from sticking together.
- Make ahead/Freezing: Make the broth and meat up to 5 days in advance and keep separate in the refrigerator. Cook the rice noodles right before serving. To freeze: Transfer the broth to a freezer-safe container and the meat to a separate container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.