Ingredients

For the broth:

• 5.5 lb beef bones
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 whole yellow onion
• 2 whole ginger
• 1 medium rock sugar
• 6 tbsp fish sauce
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp MSG

For the spice mix:

• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1.5 tbsp white peppercorns
• 6 star anise

To serve:

• rice noodles
• green onions (to garnish)
• cilantro (to garnish)
• rare ribeye slices
• cooked beef tendons
• vietnamese beef meatballs
• thai basil
• beansprouts
• limes

Procedure

1. Start by parboiling your beef bones: In a large pot, fill with cold water, the beef bones, and 1 tbsp salt. Bring it to a hard boil for 5 minutes. Allow for all the impurities to release and drain all the liquid. Clean the bones and clean the pot. Set aside.

2. Over the stove, char your yellow onion and ginger with skin on. Turn off the heat. Remove the skin from the white onion and ginger. Halve the yellow onion and cut the ginger into thick slices.

3. In a small pan, lightly toast your aromatics: cinnamon sticks, white peppercorns, and star anise over medium-low heat. It should be done once your white peppercorns begin to pop. Place all the spices into a spice bag.

4. In the cleaned pot, add back your cleaned bones, charred white onion and ginger, and toasted spice bag. Add 1 tbsp salt and 1 medium rock sugar. Fill with 16 cups of water and bring to the stove over high heat.

5. Once the broth reaches a boil, lower the heat to simmer and allow to simmer for 8 hours. Monitor periodically to remove excess fat, impurities, and/or to add more water to the pot to maintain the amount of broth.

6. After 8 hours, remove the bones, spices, ginger, and onion. Discard all. Season the broth with fish sauce, sugar, and MSG. Taste and adjust acccordingly.

7. Serve over rice noodles, proteins of choice, green onions, cilantro, and black pepper.