Easy Instant Pot Bun Bo Hue (Hue-Style Beef and Pork Noodle Soup)
Course: Noodle Soup
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Prep Time: 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Total Time: 2 hourshours
Servings: 5servings
Calories: 1510kcal
Author: Marvellina
Hue-style noodle soup with an amazing spicy umami broth served with thick and chewy rice noodles and various cuts of meats. If you're looking to expand your culinary horizons and try a soup dish that's both comforting and exciting, give Bun Bo Hue a try! You will not regret it!
Serve with: (these are just suggestions, you can use what you like)
200gBanana blossomor shredded purple cabbage
Sawtooth herbs(culantro)
Basil leaves
Beansprouts
Mint leaves
Limes
Instructions
Blanch the bones and meat:
This step is to ensure that our broth will be clear and clean. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pork bones, pork hocks, and beef shanks. Let them boil for 5 minutes. You will see lots of scum arise. Scoop those off during boiling.
Turn off the heat and carefully remove the bones and meat into a heat-proof colander and rinse with cold water to get rid of any scum that cling to them. Throw away the boiling liquid and clean the pot if you plan to use the pot for making the broth
Prepare the broth:
I place the peppercorns and ginger slices inside a mesh bag so I don't have to fish them out later. But you don't have to if you don't want. You can just add them into the broth directly
Fill up the inner pot of instant pot or a clean pot (if cooking on the stove) with 2 cups of water
Combine shrimp paste with warm water and mix until combined. Add the rest of the ingredients for the seasonings. Add this to the pot and stir to combine
Place the bones and meat into the inner pot of instant pot or back into the pot if you plan to cook on the stove. Add onions, garlic, ginger slices, lemongrass stalks, and seasonings. Fill up with more water to cover the bones and meat. Be careful not to exceed the max line in the inner pot of Instant Pot
Cover with the lid and turn the pressure release valve to sealing. Press "pressure cooker" and set on "high pressure" and set the timer to 60 minutes and then natural release
If you are cooking on the stove, bring the water to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer and partially cover with a lid and let it simmer for the next 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until the pork hocks and beef shank are tender
Prepare the chili sate sauce while waiting:
Soak the dried chili in warm water until softened. Discard the water and finely minced them. Skip this step is you use dried chili flakes
Preheat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the annatto seeds (if using) and cook over medium heat until the oil has nice orange-red hue, about 5 minutes or so. Remove the seeds and discard
To the same oil, add lemongrass, shallots, and garlic and saute until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Add the chili, chicken powder, fish sauce, and sugar. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat
Back to the broth:
When the broth is done cooking, remove the shank, pork hocks and bones to a plate and let them cool down before slicing the shank
Discard the lemongrass stalks, onions, garlic, and the mesh bag (if using) from the broth. Strain the broth if you are not using mesh bag. Add the chili sate to the broth and you will see the broth turn reddish color now. Have a taste and adjust to your preference
To serve:
Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package. I rinsed the cooked noodles with cold water to make sure they don't turn soggy
Portion the cooked noodles into individual serving bowl. Add some slices of beef shank, one pork hocks, slices of Vietnamese ham, few pieces of blood cakes. Sprinkle with some chopped green onion
Ladle the broth over the noodles generously and serve immediately with the herbs, limes, and beansprouts on the side and enjoy your labor of love!