Pho tai is the canonical Vietnamese beef noodle soup, with rare-sliced beef cooked at the table by hot broth poured over rice noodles, herbs, lime and chili.

Pho came to America with Vietnamese refugees after the fall of Saigon in 1975, and Central Florida absorbed a major Vietnamese settlement through the 1980s and 1990s. Orlando's Mills 50 district along Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive became the Southeast's densest Vietnamese restaurant corridor by the 2000s, with dozens of pho counters within walking distance. Pho 88 on North Mills has anchored the corridor since 1996, with Z Asian and the newer rooms expanding the form. Pho tai is the rare-beef starter version that most Mills 50 cooks treat as the canonical first order.

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Make it at home

Serves 44 hrIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 2kg beef knuckle bones and oxtail
  • 500g beef brisket
  • 1 large yellow onion, halved, charred
  • 8cm piece ginger, charred
  • 6 star anise pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 2 black cardamom pods
  • 60ml fish sauce, plus more to taste
  • 20g rock sugar or white sugar
  • 300g rare beef eye round, sliced paper-thin against the grain
  • 500g fresh rice noodles, banh pho size
  • Thai basil, cilantro, mung bean sprouts, lime wedges, sliced fresh chilies and sriracha to serve

Method

  1. Char the halved onion and ginger directly on a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened on cut sides. Set aside.
  2. Toast star anise, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, 1 minute. Tie in cheesecloth.
  3. Place beef bones and brisket in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones; this clarifies the broth.
  4. Return bones to a clean pot with 4 liters fresh water, the charred aromatics, spice sachet, fish sauce and rock sugar. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Simmer uncovered 3 hours, skimming foam regularly. Remove the brisket at the 90-minute mark when tender, cool and slice thin.
  6. Strain the broth. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce and salt.
  7. Cook fresh rice noodles per package instructions, about 30 seconds. Divide between 4 deep bowls.
  8. Top each bowl with sliced brisket and a handful of raw eye-round slices. Ladle boiling-hot broth over the meat; it will cook the rare beef in seconds.
  9. Serve with herbs, sprouts, lime, chilies and sriracha on the side.

Editor tip. Charring the onion and ginger is the single biggest flavor lift. Don't skip it. The broth should be crystal clear when you strain it.

Common allergens: Gluten, Soy.