Beef Boat Noodles

Method

1. 01

   Roast the bones and onion

   Heat oven to 220°C. Spread bones and onion cut-side down on a tray and roast 35–45 minutes, turning bones once, until deeply browned but not black; move everything, including browned juices, to a 10 L stockpot.

   

2. 02

   Blanch and clean the beef shank

   While bones roast, cover shank with 1.5 L of the water in a separate pot, boil 5 minutes, and discard the water. Rinse the shank and pot under hot water to remove grey foam; this keeps the finished broth cleaner.

   

3. 03

   Toast and bag the spices

   Toast cinnamon, star anise, coriander seeds, and white peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Wrap securely in cheesecloth so no hard spice enters a serving bowl.

   

4. 04

   Start the long broth

   Add cleaned shank, daikon, cilantro roots, 40 g whole garlic, spice bag, and remaining 3 L water to the roasted bones. Bring to a boil, skim thoroughly for 10 minutes, then lower to the gentlest uncovered simmer.

   

5. 05

   Season and simmer patiently

   Mash fermented soybean paste with 120 ml hot broth, then add it with both soy sauces, 50 ml fish sauce, palm sugar, and pickled-garlic brine. Simmer uncovered 2½ hours, adding only hot water if bones become exposed.

   

6. 06

   Remove and chill the tender shank

   At 2½ hours, check shank reaches at least 71°C and a skewer enters with little resistance. Transfer to a clean tray, cover loosely, cool 30 minutes, then refrigerate 45 minutes so it can be sliced thinly; continue simmering bones 30 minutes.

   

7. 07

   Strain and reduce the dark broth

   Strain broth through a fine sieve without pressing solids and discard bones and spice bag. Degrease, measure 3 L into a clean pot, and simmer uncovered 20–30 minutes until reduced to 2.6 L; reserve 200 ml separately for the blood mixture.

   

8. 08

   Make crisp garlic oil

   Finely chop remaining 30 g garlic. Heat it with 90 ml oil over medium-low for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until pale gold; immediately strain, cool crisp garlic on a plate, and keep the aromatic oil separately.

   

9. 09

   Prepare chile vinegar

   Combine rice vinegar with 10 g chile flakes and rest 20 minutes. Keep the remaining 10 g chile flakes dry for table seasoning; do not add either to the shared broth.

   

10. 10

    Temper the pasteurized blood

    Whisk cold pasteurized blood with rice flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the reserved 200 ml broth cooled to 60°C, then keep the mixture refrigerated below 4°C until the final broth step; never use uninspected farm blood.

    

11. 11

    Slice beef and stage eight bowls

    Slice chilled shank 3 mm across the grain and divide into eight 75 g portions. Arrange noodles, beef balls, morning glory, sprouts, beef, basil, celery, fried garlic, and garlic oil in separate clean containers beside the stove.

    

12. 12

    Blanch noodles and vegetables by portion

    Keep 4 L plain water at a full boil. For each bowl, blanch 80 g noodles, 50 g morning glory, and 35 g sprouts in a wire basket for 30–45 seconds until noodles are tender and vegetables bright; drain 15 seconds into a hot bowl.

    

13. 13

    Heat beef balls and finish the blood broth

    Bring dark broth to a steady simmer, add beef balls, and heat 5 minutes until their centres reach 74°C. Lower heat, whisk in the cold blood mixture in a thin stream, and stir constantly 3–4 minutes until the whole broth reaches at least 74°C and is smooth, dark, and lightly thickened; never serve the blood mixture raw.

    

14. 14

    Build small intense bowls

    Top each noodle bowl with 75 g sliced shank and 50 g hot beef balls, then ladle 280–300 ml blood-enriched broth. Finish with basil, celery, 5 ml garlic oil, and crisp garlic; serve chile vinegar and dry chile separately and consume while above 60°C.