Bun Bo Hue is the spicy, bold cousin of pho — a deeply aromatic beef and pork broth stained red-orange with annatto oil, loaded with thick round noodles, tender beef shank, pork hock, and crab meatballs. Where pho is subtle and warming, bun bo Hue is loud and fiery, with lemongrass, shrimp paste, and chili oil creating a broth that demands your attention.

Ingredients

Sate (Chili Oil)

  • 10 g shallots, minced
  • 50 g lemongrass, minced
  • 5 g garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 45 g (3 tbsp) chili flakes
  • 15 ml water
  • 30 ml fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp annatto seeds

Broth

  • 1 kg pork hock, cut into chunks
  • 1 kg beef bones
  • 1 kg beef shank or brisket
  • 8 stalks lemongrass, bruised
  • 50 g rock sugar
  • 2 tbsp stock powder
  • 2 tbsp Vietnamese shrimp paste (mam ruoc)
  • Fish sauce to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • 5 liters water

Crab Meatballs

  • 100 g crab meat
  • 200 g ground pork
  • 1 tbsp garlic and shallots, minced
  • 1 tsp annatto seeds
  • 1 tsp stock powder
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

To Serve

  • Thick round rice vermicelli (bun bo Hue noodles)
  • Fresh cilantro, sliced onion, lime wedges
  • Extra sate on the side

Instructions

1

Make the sate

Mix chili flakes, water, fish sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Heat oil in a pan, add annatto seeds, and wait 30 seconds for the color to release. Strain out the seeds and return the oil to the pan. Saute minced lemongrass, shallots, and garlic until fragrant. Lower the heat, add the chili mixture, and simmer for 2 minutes until thickened. Set aside.

2

Parboil the meats

Parboil beef bones in a pot of boiling water with salt for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse. In a separate pot, parboil the pork hock for 3-5 minutes. Drain and rinse. Parboiling separately keeps the flavors clean.

3

Simmer the broth

Combine the bones and pork hock in a large pot with 5 liters of water. Add one peeled onion, 4 bruised lemongrass stalks, rock sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 60-90 minutes, skimming occasionally. After about 45 minutes, when the pork hock is tender, remove it to an ice bath. Also remove the beef shank. Continue simmering the broth for 1-2 more hours.

4

Prepare the shrimp paste

Dissolve 1 tablespoon of shrimp paste in 200 ml of room-temperature water. Stir, let it sit for 30 minutes, then use only the clear top liquid. Discard the sediment. Add the clear liquid to the soup pot.

5

Make the crab meatballs

Saute garlic and shallot in annatto oil until fragrant, then cool. In a bowl, combine crab meat, ground pork, pepper, stock powder, the sauteed garlic and shallot, and 3 tablespoons of annatto oil. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is sticky and firm. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes, then mix again. Repeat 2-3 times. Shape into small balls and drop into the simmering broth.

6

Finish the broth

Slice the cooled beef shank thin. Combine in a pan with 2 tablespoons of sate and 1/4 cup of broth. Simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Bruise 4 more lemongrass stalks and add them to the soup pot for a fresh infusion. Add 1-3 tablespoons of sate to the broth, depending on your heat tolerance. Season with stock powder and fish sauce.

7

Assemble and serve

Cook the thick round rice vermicelli according to package directions. Drain and divide among bowls. Top with crab meatballs, sliced beef shank, and pork hock pieces. Ladle the hot broth over everything. Garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, and scallions. Serve with extra sate, lime wedges, and pickled shallots on the side.

VNomy Notes

  • Sate is the soul of this dish. Annatto, lemongrass, and chili oil are not optional — they are what makes bun bo Hue taste like bun bo Hue. The red color and smoky-spicy flavor separate this from pho. If you only have chili oil, you are missing 60 percent of the depth. Make the sate first; it keeps for 2 weeks in a jar.
  • Shrimp paste is the umami bomb. Vietnamese mam ruoc is the fermented purple shrimp paste from Hue. It smells like the ocean — that is how you know it is right. Dissolve it in water, let it settle for 30 minutes, and use only the clear liquid. The sediment is grit. Substitute 1 tablespoon of Thai shrimp paste (kapi) if needed.
  • Round noodles are not pho noodles. Bun bo Hue uses thicker round rice vermicelli that have more chew. Do not use the thin rice vermicelli meant for goi cuon — they are too delicate.
  • Parboil the meats separately. Beef bones and pork hock have different levels of impurities. Boiling them together creates muddy first boil water. Separate boils mean cleaner flavors.
  • The bowl is built to be broth-heavy. Unlike pho where noodles dominate, bun bo Hue has less noodle, more broth, and more toppings.
  • Annatto seeds are the color trick. They give the red-orange tint without adding heat. Substitute 1 teaspoon of paprika plus 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, though the color will be different.
  • Sate is both a condiment and a broth ingredient. Add 2-3 tablespoons to the broth during cooking, then put the rest on the table for diners to dial up the heat.