Broth for noodle soups. Modified from the Pho broth video below. No ingredient quantities are listed, because it doesn’t matter that much – the main point of this broth is to make economical use of kitchen scraps. If you don’t have everything, just skip it or substitute with something that you think will taste good.
Coat the following ingredients in oil and roast for 1hr @ 400F or until they develop a nice char*:
- Bones. Traditionally beef, but I use whatever I have on hand. It’s good if they have meat and gristle on them. Crack or cut them to expose marrow.
- Ginger, halved. No need to peel
- Onions, halved or quartered
- Mushrooms, whole or halved
- Carrots, whole or halved
After roasting, place above ingredients in a stock pot, along with the following:
- Cinnamon**
- Star Anise**
- Cloves**
- Cilantro
- Fish sauce***
- Coriander
- Cardamom Pods
- Garlic
- Whole peppercorns
- Bay leaf
Add enough water to cover all ingredients. Less water makes a stronger broth. If you want to add more water in order to better leverage the laws of thermodynamics in extracting flavor, you will have a weak broth. You can then reduce it down to concentrate the flavor, but doing so will make the broth cloudy.
Add lid to stock pot (or slow cooker, or whathaveyou), and bake at 190F for 12-24 hours.
Skim fat off the top if desired. Strain broth (the finer, the better) and use or can. Refrigerate if not using immediately.
I like to can my broth in 16oz jars, which is about the right amount for a meal-sized serving with 3oz of dried noodles.
* Roasting the bones is not traditional for pho, but it creates a flavor that I personally like, and it prevents the scum that floats to the top that you would normally have to periodically skim off. If you want a clearer and more authentic broth, blanch the bones, instead.
** A bit of a Five Spice powder, which often includes these three spices, can be substituted here.
*** If you want a more generic broth, leave out the stronger seasonings like fish sauce. You can add them later when you use it.