Recipe for Appalachian-inspired Beef Noodle Soup

Pho is a staple here in our home. I learned how to make it from multiple Vietnamese people. My ex husband- fish sauce-heavy and very spicy. He like to really broil the onions, garlic, ginger so their aromatics were powerful. His dad- never used chicken broth…it was always beef and often additional bouillon or MSG with the beef necks. Sometimes he used oxtail. Ma? Ma liked her pho half chicken and half beef, which ultimately became the way I adopted making it.

I do make it often but also wondered if there was a more local and sustainable way to make it besides getting all the proteins and root veggies locally. What if I totally made it my own and that’s just what I did!

Appalachian-Inspired Pho

Ingredients:

For the Broth:

• 1 rotisserie chicken (use both meat and bones)

• 1/4 lb local beef bones

• 1 onion, halved

• 3-4 cloves garlic, smashed

• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced (the Friendly City Food Coop has baby Ginger that is sprouted!)

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (of course, how could it be Appalachian without?)

• 1-2 tablespoons Fish Sauce to start but you’ll want this to finish it to your taste too!

• 2-3 star anise

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 tbsp dried Tulsi

• 2 bay leaves (Appalachian bay laurel is optional, or regular bay leaves)

• 1-2 dried chilies (optional, depending on spice preference)

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

• 8 cups water (or chicken stock for deeper flavor)

• 1-2 tablespoons Appalachian honey

Dressing it:

• 8 oz rice noodles (pho or other flat noodles)

• Thinly sliced local steak of your choice

• 1 small bunch of Appalachian herbs (such as sorrel, ramps, thyme, or oregano)

• Fresh spring onions, green onions or even Ramps if they’re in season!

• 1 tablespoon fresh Appalachian mountain mint or spearmint

• 1/2 cup fresh local mushrooms (lions mane, oyster, or chanterelle mushrooms work well)

Garnishes:

• Fresh cilantro

• Sliced jalapeños (optional for heat)

• Lime wedges

• Thinly sliced radishes

• Sriracha or local hot sauce (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Broth:

   • Place the washed beef bones, onion halves, smashed garlic, ginger on a baking sheet and broil on low until you smell strong aromatics and the onion browns just a bit.

   • In a reusable tea bag: place the star anise, cinnamon, Tulsi, Bay Leaves, dried chilis and peppercorns and tie up.

   • In a large pot, combine the rotisserie chicken (bones and all) and beef bones

   • Once it begins to simmer, add the soy sauce, herbal tea bag and lower the heat to a gentle simmer and let the broth cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour in a instapot or 3-4 hours on the stove top. skim off any foaminess or fat on the surface if needed.

   • After the broth has cooked, strain it into another pot or bowl, discarding the solids. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed, adding salt, honey, fish sauce or a touch more soy sauce if desired.

2. Prepare the Noodles:

   • While the broth simmers, cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

3. Assemble the Pho:

   • In a smaller pot, put the slices of beef/steak in a small amount of the broth and cook to Medium Well.

   • In each serving bowl, place a portion of cooked rice noodles.

   • Pour the hot broth over the noodles and steak

   • Add sliced mushrooms to the broth, allowing them to soften in the hot liquid.

4. Add Appalachian Herbs & Garnishes:

   • Finely chop the Appalachian herbs like ramps, thyme, and sorrel. Sprinkle a few of these fresh herbs on top of each bowl for an earthy, herbal boost.

   • Top with fresh mint, green onions, cilantro, and a drizzle of local honey if you'd like a bit of sweetness.

   • Add lime wedges, sliced radishes if you want.

5. Serve:

   • Serve the pho with optional garnishes like sliced jalapeños for heat, a splash of sriracha, or more honey if desired. For an extra Appalachian twist, you can serve it with cornbread or a savory biscuit on the side for dipping.

Notes:

• Appalachian Herbs: The wild herbs commonly found in the Appalachian region, such as ramps (wild leeks), mountain mint, and sorrel, add a unique, earthy flavor to the pho broth. If you can't find them fresh, dried versions can work, but fresh herbs will make the broth shine.

• Rotisserie Chicken: Using rotisserie chicken adds a lovely smoky, savory flavor to the broth, making it less time-intensive than starting from scratch.

• Optional Sweetness: Appalachian honey is a great way to add complexity to the broth, balancing out any bitterness from the herbs and giving the pho a local flavor.

• Fish Sauce: There is seriously no other way to make something pho-inspired. This ingredient isn’t the most sustainable, but fish sauce is a lot like fine wine. You can find hundreds of different styles made of hundreds of different kinds of fish. Soy sauce is really the only alternative for this or maybe cured and dried trout boiled in the pot with the beef and chicken.