Pho Bo

Work in progress

Stock:

3 l water
5 lb oxtail or beef short ribs
5 star anise
1 2" cinnamon stick
5 cloves
2 medium onions, halved
1 tsp black peppercorns
2-3' piece of ginger
1 lb chuck or similar cheap beef
5 tbsp Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce

Boil oxtails vigorously for 5 minutes in water, discard water, rinse oxtail and the pot. Add 2 l of water and bring to boil. Add anise, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns. Char ginger and onion pieces over gas flame, then add to the pot. Boil gently uncovered for 30 min, skimming foam as needed. Add 1 l of water, bring back to boil and continue boiling gently and skimming foam. When foam stops rising, lower the flame to medium-low and simmer for another hour.
Add the stewing beef and fish sauce, simmer uncovered for 2 hours. Remove the beef, cool and slice as thinly as possible.

Discard all solids and filter the broth. Refrigerate to skim off fat.
At this point, the stock can be frozen and stored for a month.