Food & Receipts

What ingredients and spices are needed to make Bun Bo Hue at home?

Hue beef noodle soup is a beloved dish that many people enjoy. You can easily make this dish at home with the following recipe.

Administrator

1 March, 2024

108

Hué beef noodle soup is one of the most beloved dishes, and it’s even ranked among the best delicious dishes in the world. This dish has the distinctive flavor of beef, lemongrass, and spicy chili sauce. To make Hué beef noodle soup, you need to have some special recipes.

Ingredients

500 grams of beef brisket, 300 grams of beef tendon, 1 pig’s knuckle, 500 grams of beef bones (or pork bones), Hué shrimp paste.

Seasonings: ginger, lemongrass, dried shallots, garlic, chili powder, sugar, sesame oil.

Rice vermicelli noodles, raw vegetables of your choice, chili sauce, pickled purple onions, chili peppers.

Choosing fresh beef and pig’s knuckle

In a bowl of Hué beef noodle soup, you can find ingredients such as beef, pig’s knuckle, pig’s blood pudding, crab balls… The most suitable beef for Hué beef noodle soup is brisket, and the best choice is the brisket. You can also choose to buy beef tendon, beef flank (according to your preference).

The pig’s knuckle should be the front leg to make the meat more firm and fragrant.

In addition, you can also choose to buy some beef bones to cook the broth, making it more flavorful and rich.

Preparation of beef

Scrub and clean the pig’s knuckle, trim the nails, and wash it thoroughly. Cut the pig’s knuckle into some round pieces.

Clean and rinse the beef brisket, you can use a string to tighten the beef to shape it, it will be round and beautiful after slicing.

Put the pig’s knuckle, beef bones, and other beef parts into a pot of water and place it on the stove. Add ginger and lemongrass. Wait until the water boils again, skim off all the foam. Pour the pig’s knuckle, beef bones, and meat out, rinse them again to remove the foam and dirt.

Cooking the broth

Put the pig’s knuckle, beef bones, beef brisket, beef flank, beef tendon into a pot, add water and sledgehammer lemongrass and purple onions, and simmer for about 2 hours.

With Hué beef noodle soup, you don’t need to pre-boil the beef brisket and beef flank too much because it will make the meat tough. After about 30 minutes of cooking, you can take out these pieces of beef and check the tenderness. If they reach the desired tenderness, take them out and keep only the pig’s knuckle, beef bones, and tendon to simmer in the pot. The beef can be soaked in a bowl of boiling water to cool, you can add some ice cubes to make the meat firmer and more tender.

When the water boils, reduce the heat to low and skim off the foam and impurities floating on the surface. Cook until the broth is reduced to about 1/3.

Take the Hué shrimp paste and put it into a bowl, add cold water. Stir well and wait for the residue to settle at the bottom of the bowl. Skim off the water and pour it into the pot of broth. Season the broth again with shrimp paste, salt, sugar, and MSG to taste.

To create a beautiful red color for Hué beef noodle soup, you need to add some sesame oil to the pot of broth. Heat about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Then add chopped lemongrass and minced garlic to the pan and stir-fry until they are fragrant. When lemongrass and garlic are firm and fragrant, add 2-3 tablespoons of sesame oil and stir well. Turn off the heat and pour this mixture into the pot of broth.

The pig’s blood pudding or beef blood clot can be boiled until cooked, cut into medium-sized pieces and set aside.

You can use beef ball, fried spring rolls, or not add them to the bowl of noodles as you like.

Presentation

Frequently asked questions

The essential ingredients for Hué beef noodle soup include beef brisket, beef tendon, pig’s knuckle, beef or pork bones, and Hué shrimp paste. Various seasonings such as ginger, lemongrass, dried shallots, garlic, chili powder, sugar, and sesame oil are also used to enhance the flavor. Additionally, rice vermicelli noodles, raw vegetables, chili sauce, pickled purple onions, and chili peppers are used for serving.

When selecting beef for Hué beef noodle soup, brisket is the ideal cut as it has the perfect balance of tenderness and flavor. You can also opt for beef tendon and beef flank according to your preference. For the pig’s knuckle, always choose the front leg as it yields firmer and more fragrant meat. Freshness is key, so ensure the meat is sourced from a reputable butcher or grocer.

To prepare the pig’s knuckle, scrub and clean it thoroughly, trim the nails, and cut it into round pieces. For the beef brisket, clean and rinse it, then use a string to tighten and shape it before slicing. Place the knuckle, beef bones, and other beef parts in a pot of water with ginger and lemongrass. Bring it to a boil, skimming off any foam. Rinse the meat and bones again to ensure they are clean.

To make the broth, combine the pig’s knuckle, beef bones, beef brisket, beef flank, and beef tendon in a pot. Add water, sledgehammered lemongrass, and purple onions, and simmer for about 2 hours. Do not overcook the beef brisket and flank as they will toughen; instead, remove them after 30 minutes and check for desired tenderness. Continue simmering the knuckle, bones, and tendon, and season the broth with shrimp paste, salt, sugar, and MSG to taste.

To achieve the iconic red hue of Hué beef noodle soup, heat cooking oil in a pan and add chopped lemongrass and minced garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant, then add sesame oil and mix well. This mixture is then poured into the broth, infusing it with a beautiful red color and additional flavor.

You can boil the pig’s blood pudding or beef blood clot and cut it into pieces as a side dish. Additionally, feel free to add beef balls or fried spring rolls to your bowl of noodles according to your preference. This dish is best served hot, allowing the flavors of the broth and ingredients to meld together harmoniously.