Hue Beef Noodle Soup
Ingredients
🍜 Hue Beef Noodle Soup - A Royal Specialty
👨👩👧👦 Servings: 4 people
⏱️ Preparation time: 60 minutes
🍳 Cooking time: 240 minutes
🕒 Total time: 300 minutes
Hue beef noodle soup is a famous specialty of the ancient capital of Hue, with a rich, spicy broth characteristic of the dish, combining the sweetness of beef bones, the spiciness of chili and chili oil, along with special spices. This dish is not only part of Hue’s culinary culture but also a source of pride for Vietnamese cuisine.
🛒 Ingredients Needed
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 kg beef bones
- 1.5 kg beef shank
- 1 kg pig’s knucklescut into bite-sized pieces
- 4-5 liters water
- 700 gr lemongrass
Additional Ingredients and Spices
- Pork rollas needed
- Beef ballsas needed
- Crispy shallot oilas needed
- Roasted onionas needed
- Roasted gingeras needed, lightly charred
- 1.5 tablespoons shrimp paste
🔪 Ingredient Preparation
Prepare Bones and Meat
- Rinse beef bones and soak in cold water for 3-4 hours to remove all blood
- Rinse beef shank and pig’s knuckles normally, no need to soak
Prepare Shrimp Paste
- Dissolve shrimp paste with cold water and let it settle for 3-4 hours
- After the shrimp paste settles, use only the clear water and discard the sediment
Prepare Shrimp Chili Oil
- Heat cooking oil, then lower heat and fry garlic until fragrant
- Add lemongrass and finally onion, stir-fry until very fragrant
- Add chili powder and fresh chili, continue stir-frying
- Season to taste, then turn off heat and transfer to a jar or bowl
👨🍳 Cooking Instructions
Briefly blanch beef shank and bones with some crushed lemongrass and a little salt
Then remove and rinse clean. Add about 4-5 liters of water, add the used lemongrass to continue simmering with the beef bones
Add more salt. Regularly skim off impurities. Simmer for about 3-4 hours
Briefly blanch pig’s knuckles in a separate pot
Then simmer for about 30 minutes at medium heat as I prefer chewy texture; those who prefer softer texture can simmer longer
Do not simmer together with beef
Marinate beef shank with the seasoning mixture and let it rest for 1-2 hours
Then pan-sear the beef shank until it’s firm
Then add to the pot of beef bones that has been simmered for 3-4 hours
Season the broth. Add roasted onion and ginger
Continue simmering for 35-40 minutes until the meat is cooked, then remove and place in cold water to make the meat firm and chewy
Heat oil, add shallots, lemongrass, minced garlic, and red annatto powder in sequence and stir-fry until fragrant
Turn off heat and pour everything into the beef broth pot
Strain the clear water from the shrimp paste and pour into the broth pot
Then also pour the pig’s knuckle broth into the beef bone pot
Add crushed lemongrass to the pot and continue simmering for 40-50 minutes (do not simmer lemongrass too long as it will make the broth too strong)
Finally, adjust seasoning to taste
Place all prepared and sliced ingredients in bowls
Pour the broth and enjoy!
🍽️ Serving and Pairing
Hue beef noodle soup has a reddish broth, rich and spicy characteristic flavor, with ingredients such as beef shank, pig’s knuckles, beef balls, pork roll, etc., prepared with great care. The dish is usually served with rice vermicelli, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, green banana, and spices like chili, chili oil, and shrimp paste. This is a specialty of the ancient capital of Hue, embodying the cultural identity of Central Vietnam.
Pro tip: To make authentic Hue beef noodle soup, you need to pay attention to thoroughly simmering the bones to make the broth sweet and rich. Preparing spices like shrimp paste and chili oil is also very important. When eating, add some chili, lime, scallion, and Thai basil to enhance the flavor. Fresh rice vermicelli should be used, not dried vermicelli.
❤️ Conclusion
Hue beef noodle soup is the essence of Hue’s cuisine, representing the sophistication and richness of Central Vietnamese culinary culture. With its elaborate preparation method requiring patience and attention to detail, you can easily make this at home to serve spicy, delicious bowls of Hue beef noodle soup to your family. Try it today to fully experience the distinctive flavors of Central Vietnam!
