Pressure Cooker Beef Pho (For Real)
I have taste tested this recipe numerous times (it’s one of my winter staples!) and I am here to tell you with 100% certainty, you can get that full “days-long-slow-cooked” taste in just an hour with a pressure cooker. This broth freezes very well, so made in advance this an create easy dinners all winter long.
Yields: 4 Servings, plus plenty of leftovers
Active Time: 45m
Total Time: 1h
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE BROTH:
3 lbs. beef bones (such as knuckle, marrow, or other soup bones)
1 Tbsp canola oil, or a spray-oil
1 lb. boneless beef brisket or chuck roast in one piece
½ apple, such as fuji or honey crisp
1 large yellow onion
1-3” piece of ginger, scrubbed and cut in half lengthwise (see pictures)
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
3 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp whole coriander seeds (optional)
2 black cardamom pods (optional)
2 Tbsp good fish sauce, like Red Boat
½ Tbsp brown sugar
9 cups filtered water (see note)
Kosher salt for seasoning as you go
FOR THE BOWLS:
½ lb (8oz) beef steak, such as london broil or sirloin
1 lb narrow rice sticks or pad thai noodles
½ small yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Small handful of chopped cilantro, chopped
Small handful of basil and mint, chopped
2 thinly sliced chilis, such as fresno or jalapeno
Lime wedges
RECIPE:
Preheat oven to 475F. Rinse the bones and pat dry with a paper towel. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Spray or coat bones with oil and lightly season with salt. Roast until nice and charred, 35-40 minutes, turning broiler on high for the last five minutes.
While the bones roast, let's prep. Quarter the onion, leaving the skin on but removing the root. Halve ginger lengthwise. Gather all spices into a ramekin for easy access. Peel and core your apple, and cut into large chunks.
When the bones are done, remove from the tray and put into the bowl of a pressure cooker. Put ginger and onion onto the sheet pan used for the bones and roll around in the fat the bones gave off. Lay onion and ginger face up, and put under the broiler until lightly charred, about 5-8 minutes.
While that roasts, cover bones with 9 cups of cold water and let sit for 5 minutes. This brings out a natural mineral in the bones which will help clarify our broth. Start the sauté function (or turn on the heat if using a stove-top model) and start bringing water to a simmer.
Add ginger, onion, and apple to the pressure cooker bowl while it heats up. Pour remaining bone oil from sheet pan into a non-stick skillet over high heat. Sear boneless beef in the oil, about 2-3 minutes per side without touching in between. Remove from the pan into pressure cooker. Toast spices in the pan’s residual oil and heat it until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, being careful not to burn. Add to pressure cooker.
As the water starts to simmer, skim any scum or fat off the top of the water. Add in the fish sauce and 3 teaspoons of kosher salt. Close pressure cooker, set to normal pressure and cook for 30 minutes. Once done, turn off the pressure cooker and let heat release naturally, about 30 minutes more. Carefully remove lid.
Transfer bones and meat to a cutting board. Drain everything else out and compost. Season broth with fish sauce, kosher salt, and sugar until the taste is to your liking. Once the bones are cool enough to handle, pull any usable meat and marrow off of them. Slice the cooked beef and reserve all together. You’re ready to serve.
To serve, place steak (if using) in freezer for 15-20 minutes. Slice very thin across the grain.
Add cooked noodles, sliced raw beef, chopped cooked beef, and sliced onion to serving bowl. Pour over boiling hot broth. Add remaining toppings like herbs, peppers, and lime wedges. Enjoy.
HELPFUL NOTES:
I’m lucky to live in NYC where water is famously high quality and good tasting right out of the tap. Your mileage will totally vary depending on where you live and how good your access to water is. The general rule is, if your water tastes a bit odd coming out of the tap, it’s probably going to taste weird even after it’s been cooked with. If your water is like this, I would highly recommend using distilled or filtered wat