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Beef pho with rare sirloin slices, rice noodles, and fresh herbs

Quick Beef Pho

A 45-minute pho built on store-bought stock, charred aromatics, and whole spices. Not 8-hour pho, but closer than it has any right to be.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 bowls
Calories: 615
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 700 g sirloin steak, trimmed about 1.5 lb; flank or eye of round also work
  • 360 g dried flat rice noodles banh pho, the 1/4 inch width
  • 2 L beef stock 8 cups, low sodium
  • 1 large onion, halved plus a few thin raw slices for serving
  • 60 g fresh ginger, halved lengthwise no need to peel
  • 3 star anise
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2.5 tbsp fish sauce plus more to taste
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 handful scallions, cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges for serving

Method
 

  1. Put the sirloin in the freezer. Twenty minutes of firming is what makes paper-thin slicing possible later.
  2. Set a large dry pot over high heat and lay the onion and ginger in cut side down. Leave them 4 to 5 minutes until blackened in spots. The char is most of the shortcut.
  3. Add the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and coriander seeds to the pot and toast for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the stock, add the fish sauce and sugar, cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
  4. While the broth simmers, cook the rice noodles according to the package, rinse under cold water, and divide between 4 deep bowls.
  5. Slice the chilled beef against the grain as thin as you possibly can. Aim for slices you can almost see through. Drape them raw over the noodles.
  6. Strain the broth, return it to the pot, and bring it to a hard rolling boil. Taste and add fish sauce if it needs salt.
  7. Ladle the boiling broth directly over the raw beef. It will cook to rosy pink in the bowl. Serve immediately with the herbs, sprouts, raw onion, and lime on the side.