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This is my mom’s favorite kind of pho, Oxtail Pho ! She unfortunately passed away from cancer in 2016 at the age of 77 but I’d like to dedicate this recipe to her. She was the person who first taught me how to cook and I am fortunate to have been able to learn some of her recipes before she had left this earth. I am glad that I have a platform where I can share some of her recipes with the world so that her recipes can live on! I love you mom ! Thank you for all that you have done for me. You are definitely the BEST MOM in the world and we miss you very much !

Okay, so in 2013 I had made a Beef Pho Noodle recipe video on Youtube and as of me writing this, it had garnered more than 665,000 views! It is one of my most watched videos on my Youtube channel ! I had no idea back then that it would be so popular ! Here’s the link to the original video and I apologize for the video quality. I was new to Youtube at the time and did not have a camera stand or an editing program so the video was quite shaky and lengthy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGJy–WogEI&t=1055s&ab_channel=emilyp

Well in that video, I had made beef pho with eye of round and had also used pre-cooked Vietnamese meatballs. That video was made 8 years ago so throughout the years I have made some slight changes to my pho recipe. You can use the pho recipe below for both the original beef pho and oxtail pho. Just simply omit the oxtail if you want to use eye of round instead. Eye of round beef does not need to be cooked in the stock pot. It is just thinly sliced then placed on top of the pho noodles. Then the boiling broth that is ladled over the beef will cook it. Another type of beef that you can use in this recipe is brisket. Just throw it into the pot and simmer it for 2-3 hours until it is tender.

Here are some tips for making the best beef or oxtail pho!

Before starting the recipe, be sure that you have all the necessary kitchen tools .
Oxtails are really fatty so when purchasing oxtail, look for ones that have the least fat and the most meat on them. I’m sure you won’t want to eat all that fat…lol.
Purchase the pho noodles that are usually sold in the refrigerated section of the store and not the bag of pho noodles in the dry noodles aisle. The refrigerated ones have a better texture and tastes better as well.
Use distilled water instead of tap water.
Make sure that the beef bones are thoroughly cleaned after they are parboiled.
The more kinds of beef and beef bones that are added to the broth will make it even more flavorful ! I would suggest using a mixture of marrow and knuckle bones. You can also add a mixture of beef to the pot such as beef shank and brisket.
Once you place the beef bones in the stock pot do not stir or disturb the bones during the simmering process.
When buying oxtail, choose ones that don’t have so much fat on them as they can be pretty fatty.
Skim off any scum or impurities from the top of the broth.
After charring the ginger and onions, be sure to rinse them off to get rid of any of the blackened bits . You do not want those bits floating in the broth.
Do not overcook the pho noodles as they will become mushy.
When ladling the broth into the bowls, make sure the broth is boiling hot.

Oxtail Pho - Phở đuôi bò

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Course Main Dish

Cuisine Vietnamese

Servings 7 People

Ingredients

Protein Needed:

5 Pounds Oxtail ( Choose some with the least fat and the most meat on them )
4 Pounds Marrow Beef Bones ( Knuckles as the alternative )
1 Package Cooked Vietnamese Meatballs ( 11 oz - Slice each meatball in half - Optional )

For The Broth:

30 Cups of DISTILLED Water
2 Tablespoons Salt
1 Packet of Pho Seasoning ( 1.5 oz )
1 Cinnamon Stick
4 Star Anise
1 Rock Sugar ( 1 ½" inch in length )
2 Tablespoons 3 Crab Brand Fish Sauce
1 Daikon Radish ( 5 inches long - Cut into 1" chunks )

Char Over An Open Flame:

1 Knob Of Ginger ( About the size of your palm . Peeled and sliced lengthwise )
2 Medium Yellow Onions ( Peeled and cut a criscross on the top of them )

Garnish With:

Thinly Sliced Onions
Chopped Cilantro
Chopped Green Onions

Serve With Herbs And Vegetables:

1 Package of Beansprouts
1 Bunch of Thai Basil
1 Bunch of Saw Tooth Coriander ( Optional )
2 Limes ( Cut into wedges )
1 Jalapeno (Thinly sliced )

Dipping Sauce:

Sriracha Hot Sauce
Hoisin Sauce

For The Vinegared Onions ( Optional ) :

1 Medium Onion ( Thinly sliced )
1 Lemon ( Squeezed )
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon Sriracha

Equipment Needed:

XL Stock Pot ( 16 Quart for making the broth )
Large Stock Pot (12 Quart for parboiling the bones )
Pair Of Tongs
Ladle
Grill Basket ( To char the ginger and onions )
SaucePan ( To cook the noodles )
Strainer With A Handle ( To blanch the noodles )
Fine Mesh Strainer ( To skim off the scum )
Skillet ( To toast the aromatics )
Large Colander ( To wash the bones and herbs )
Platter ( For the herbs and vegetables )
Cutting Board
Large 8” Individual Bowls ( To serve the pho in )
Small Dipping Bowls ( For the sriracha and hoisin sauce dip )
2 Timers ( Set one timer for 2 hours to remove the ginger, onions and daikon from the broth. And at this time you will also need to add the pouch of spices to the broth. Set another timer for 3 hours to check the oxtail for doneness )

Instructions

Fill a large stock pot with water and bring it to a boil.
While waiting for the water to come to a boil, rinse the oxtail under cold running water. Wash the oxtail at least 3 times to remove the blood or until the water runs clear.
Then wash the beef bones twice.
Add the beef bones and oxtail to the stock pot.
As it comes back to a boil, scum will appear on the top of the water. Continuously skim off the foam. Reduce the heat only slightly to prevent it from spilling over the pot. Boil for 10 minutes.
Transfer the beef bones and oxtail to a colander and rinse the bones under cold running water. Wash each bone thoroughly. This is a very important step for a clear broth.
Now place the beef bones and oxtail into the 16 quarts stock pot. Then pour in 30 cups of DISTILLED water.
Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the stock pot and bring to a boil.
While the broth is simmering, peel the daikon radish and cut into 1” chunks. Set aside.
Next, prepare to char the ginger and onions. Peel the ginger and cut in half lengthwise. The ginger does not have to be completely skinless.
Peel the onions and cut a crisscross about 1/2" inch deep on the top part of the onion
Place the ginger and onions in a grill basket and char over an open flame on a gas stove . If you do not have a grill basket or a gas stove, you can roast/broil in the oven until charred. You can also char the vegetables in a dry cast iron skillet.
Rinse the ginger and onions under cold running water until the water turns clear.
Add the ginger, onions, and daikon radish to the stock pot.
Once the broth has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer the broth UNCOVERED and UNDISTURBED for 3 hours. Do not stir the bones ! At this point set 2 separate timers. Set one for the 2 hour mark. After simmering the broth for 2 hours, remove the ginger, onions, and daikon radish. Once the timer goes off, remove the 3 vegetables from the pot and discard. Then place in the small white pouch of spices. Set the timer for 1 hour and then remove the spice pouch from the pot. If you wish, you can leave the spice pouch in the broth up to 1 1/2 hours. Now set another timer for the 3 hour mark. At this time, check on the oxtail for doneness. It should only take about 3 to 3 1/2 hours for the oxtail to become tender. If it is not yet tender enough, continue to cook it for another 30 minutes or until it is as tender as desired.
Toast the aromatics. Remove the small white pouch from the spice packet and momentarily set it aside. Pour the rest of the spices plus one additional cinnamon stick and 4 additional star anise into a dry pan ( no oil is needed). Toast on medium heat until fragrant. It should only take a a minute or two. Be careful not to burn the spices.
Pour the spices into the small white pouch and tie tightly to prevent any of the spices from escaping. Set it momentarily aside. Do not add it to the stock pot yet until the 2 hour mark!
Prep the garnish. Chop the green onions ( top green part only ), rough chop the cilantro and thinly slice the onion. Throw the bottom part of the green onions into the stock part or discard. Then place on a plate.
Wash and prep the herbs. Place the saw tooth coriander (optional) , thai basil, beansprouts, lemon wedges, and sliced jalapeno on a serving platter.
At the 2 hour mark, skim off the fat and any foam or scum from the top of the broth.
Remove the ginger, onions and daikons from the broth. Discard the vegetables.
Then add in the rock sugar, fish sauce and the small white pouch of spices. Now set a timer for 1 hour. Once the timer goes off, remove the small white pouch of spices from the broth and discard. You can leave the spices in broth up to 1 ½ hours.
Make the vinegared onions ( optional ). Thinly slice an onion. Squeeze an entire lemon over the sliced onions and mix. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and mix. Add 1 tablespoon of sriacha hot sauce or adjust the amount of sriracha to your spice level and mix. Let stand for 30 to 45 minutes. The longer you let it stand, the softer the onions will become. I don't like them too soft, I prefer that they still have a bit of bite in them.
At the 3 hour mark, remove the small white pouch of spices and the bottom part of the green onions. Check on the tenderness of the oxtail. If it is not yet tender enough for you, then continue to cook oxtail until it is as tender as desired. At this point, if you wish you can remove the beef bones from the broth and discard. I like to leave the bones in the broth until the very end. Once the oxtail is tender, dump in the Vietnamese meatballs and bring the broth to a boil. The meatballs are pre-cooked so you only need to cook them in the broth for about 5 minutes or until they are heated through. Time to taste and adjust the broth! Add more fish sauce if necessary, one tablespoon at a time until it is as salty as desired. If you need it to be a bit sweeter, add another very small piece of rock sugar. Be careful to not add too much rock sugar as it may make the broth too sweet and pho should not be sweet.
Get ready to serve the pho ! Blanch the noodles. Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Place some pho noodles in a strainer with a handle and then place the strainer into the boiling water. Blanch for 10 seconds and transfer the noodles to a bowl. Be careful not to overcook the noodles as they will become mushy.
Add the garnishes. Place some of the sliced onions, chopped green onions and chopped cilantro into the bowl.
Also add the oxtail and Vietnamese meatballs if you are using any.
Then ladle the boiling broth over the noodles and sprinkle on some black pepper.
Serve with a plate of herbs and vegetables. Place the thai basil, saw tooth coriander, beansprouts, sliced jalapenos and lime wedges onto a serving platter.
Serve with the vinegared onions as well ( optional ).
For the dipping sauce, squirt some sriracha and hoisin sauce into a small dipping bowl. If you like to add some spice to it then add some sate sauce and mix. You can also squirt some sriracha and hoisin sauce directly into your bowl of pho for additional flavor.
Must serve immediately.

Notes

Here's a quick overview:

Once you start cooking the broth and it has come to the first boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and set your first timer for 2 hours. After the broth has been simmering for 2 hours remove the ginger, onions and daikon. Then place the pouch of spices into the pot and then set your timer again but this time for 1 hour. You can leave the pouch in the pot up to 1 and 1/2 hours. Then remove the pouch from the pot and discard it when the time goes off.

At the first boil, also set the second timer for the 3 hours. Once the timer goes off, check on the tenderness of the oxtail. The oxtail should only take about 3 1/2 to 4 hours to become tender. If it is not yet tender enough for you then continue to cook it until it reaches the tenderness that you desire. Once the oxtail is done cooking, you can either remove the beef bones from the pot to make it easier for you to ladle the soup into the bowls or you can leave them in there until the end. Then discard the bones when done.

Below are some of the ingredients used in this recipe: