Beef Pho

We had the good fortune of meeting a farmer that raises steer for slaughter.  She is a very knowledgeable person who is very conscientious about her cows. A friend and I decided to go half and half on a cow.  Not sure what the correct word should be here- cow or steer.  Anyway. With all those nice soup bones. I grabbed a few, including a knuckle bone which is especially good for good wholesome bone broth.  I simmered them away.  I simmered them away in the crock pot for 16 hours.  I read that it can be simmered away for 48 hours.  Don't know if that is completely necessary.  I think I need to do a bit more research on that one.

There it is in the crock pot with all of its Pho seasonings.  I have star anice, cinnamon, fish sauce, ginger, cardamom, cloves.... The smell was intoxicating.  It really smelled like that Pho restaurant my husband and I went to  a few weeks ago.

I thought it was delicious.  I used it with some other veggies and such for a lunch during my fasting day as well.  Very nourishing.


BEEF PHO

For the stock:

2 onions, halved4" nub of ginger, halved lengthwise5-6 pounds of good beef bones, preferably leg and knuckle

water to cover the bones and onions by about an inch1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

5 whole star anise

1 cardamom pod

6 whole cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons fish sauce (can add more later to taste)

1 inch chunk of yellow rock sugar (about 1 oz) - or 1oz of regular sugar

Pho Accompaniments

rice noodles (dried or fresh)Cooked beef thinly sliced ( cuts such as flank, London broil, sirloin or eye of round)big handful of each: mint, cilantro, basil2 limes, cut into wedges2-3 chili peppers, slicedfresh bean sproutsHoisin sauceSriracha hot sauce

Cook bones and all the ingredients listed under the stock above.  Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for an entire day. Or you can put it all in a crock pot and let it simmer away for 16 hours or more.

Once stock is done you can serve it heated in bowls.  Guests or family can addin noodles and other accompaniments as desired.