Vietnamese
Hue Spicy Beef Noodle Soup
A bold Hue noodle soup with lemongrass-scented beef broth, chile warmth, tender meats, and bouncy noodles sharpened by herbs and lime.
8 servings · 90 minutes prep · 300 minutes cook
Ingredients
Broth
- 4 lb beef bones
- 2 lb beef shank
- 2 lb pork hocks
- 8 stalks lemongrass, bruised
- 1 whole onion, halved
- 4 slices ginger
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 3 tbsp shrimp paste
- 2 tbsp rock sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 6 qt water
Chile Oil and Bowls
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 3 tbsp annatto seeds
- 2 tbsp lemongrass
- 2 tbsp ground chile
- 2 lb thick round rice noodles
- 1 lb cha lua, sliced
- 1 cup scallions and cilantro
Directions
Method
- Soak the beef bones, beef shank, and pork hocks in cold water for 1 hour. Blanch for 10 minutes, rinse clean, and scrub the pot.
- Return the bones and meats to the pot with the lemongrass, onion, ginger, and water. Simmer gently for 4-5 hours, removing the beef shank and pork hocks when fork-tender and about {{temperature:195°F}}, then slice for serving.
- Dissolve the fermented shrimp paste in hot broth, let the sediment settle, and add only the clear seasoned liquid back to the pot.
- Season the broth with the fish sauce, rock sugar, and kosher salt, tasting for a deep savory-spicy balance.
- Heat the avocado oil with the annatto seeds until red, then strain. Fry the minced lemongrass and ground chile in the red oil until fragrant, then stir the oil into the broth.
- Cook the thick round rice noodles, divide them among bowls, and top with sliced meats, cha lua, and scallions and cilantro. Ladle boiling broth over top and serve with banana blossom, lime, and chile paste.
