Bún Bò Huế (Spicy Central Vietnamese Beef & Pork Noodle Soup)

About This Recipe

Bún bò Huế is the fiery, complex cousin of the more internationally famous phở, and many Vietnamese people argue it is the superior soup. It comes from Huế, the former imperial capital of Vietnam, and reflects the elaborate and spiced cooking style associated with the imperial court. The broth is built on beef and pork bones, perfumed with lemongrass, shrimp paste and a generous hit of chilli oil that gives it its characteristic fiery red colour. The noodles (bún) are thick round rice noodles, quite different from flat pho noodles. The garnishes are extensive: shredded banana blossom, perilla leaves, bean sprouts and lime.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 800 gbeef shin or shank
• 500 gpork hock
• 500 ground rice noodles (bún)
• 4lemongrass stalks(bruised and halved)
• 2 tbspshrimp paste (mắm ruốc)(or fish sauce)
• 2 tbspdried shrimp
• 1onion(charred over flame)
• 4 cmginger(charred over flame)
• 3 tbspannatto oil or chilli oil
• 3–4fresh chillies(sliced)
• 3 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tspsugar
• perilla leaves, bean sprouts, banana blossom, lime(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch meats

   Blanch beef and pork in boiling water 5 minutes. Discard water, rinse meats.

2. 2

   Build broth

   Place meats in a large pot with 4 litres fresh water, charred onion, ginger, lemongrass and dried shrimp. Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer 2–2.5 hours.

3. 3

   Season broth

   Remove meats. Shred or slice when cool. Strain broth. Dissolve shrimp paste in a little hot broth. Add back to broth with fish sauce and sugar.

   The broth should be intensely flavoured and spicy — this is not a mild soup.

4. 4

   Add chilli colour

   Heat annatto or chilli oil in a small pan. Fry chillies and garlic briefly. Pour into broth for the characteristic red colour and heat.

5. 5

   Assemble

   Cook noodles per package instructions. Divide noodles, beef and pork slices into bowls. Ladle over very hot broth. Serve with garnishes.

Variations

• •

  Use only chicken carcasses for the stock and reduce shrimp paste for a lighter version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

• •

  Lighter: reduce the fat by a third and finish with a squeeze of citrus or a splash of vinegar to keep brightness without losing body.

Storage

Broth stores refrigerated 5 days. Freeze 3 months. Store noodles and meat separately.

Frequently Asked Questions