How To Make Bun Bo Hue, Chef Rob Newton Style

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Rob Newton•

New York chef Robert Newton, who traveled extensively in Vietnam while gearing up to open his Brooklyn restaurant, Nightingale 9, found himself captivated by the soup.

"One of the best bowls of soup I had in all of Vietnam was from the bun bo hue lady at Dong Ba," says Newton, referring to the bustling central market, crammed with stalls, where one can buy jewelry, dried fish, cookware, hot soup, umbrellas, shrimp paste and much more. "Bun bo hue is soulful and rich and delicious and complex. It's spicier than most Vietnamese soups. It's just incredibly dynamic. I think it's one of Vietnam's greatest dishes."

When he returned to the States and opened Nightingale 9, Newton put a version of bun bo hue on his menu. "It's not the most authentic version, but it has a really badass broth," he says about this recipe.

Read more about the Vietnamese city of Hue.

How To Make Bun Bo Hue, Chef Rob Newton Style
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Prep Time
45
minutes
Cook Time
5.5
hours
Servings
6-8
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Total time: 6 hours, 15 minutes
Ingredients
  • 5 pounds fresh pork hocks
  • 1 pig's foot
  • 2 pounds marrow bones
  • 2 pounds beef brisket
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 onion
  • 4 ribs celery
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 8 pieces lemongrass
  • 1/2 cup dried shrimp
  • About 1 1/2 gallons chicken stock or water
  • 1/4 cup shrimp paste
  • salt to taste
  • White or palm sugar to taste
  • Fish sauce to taste
  • 1 pound finely hand-chopped raw beef (optional)
  • 1 piece congealed pig's blood
  • 2 cups red cabbage
  • 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
  • 1 bunch perilla
  • 1 bunch Thai basil
  • 1 bunch rau ram
  • 1 14-16 ounce pack of dried round rice noodles (Note: Look for noodles that are thicker-cut than fine vermicelli)
  • 6 teaspoons annatto chile paste
  • 3 scallions
  • 2 limes
Directions
  1. Remove the pork hocks and pig’s foot from the salted water bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the hocks and foot, and blanch in the boiling water for 1 minute. Discard the water, rinse the bones and meat and set aside. Remove the marrow bones and brisket from the salted water bath and rinse them well.
  2. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot and add the canola oil. Once shimmering but not smoking, add the onion halves, celery, garlic, half the lemongrass and the dried shrimp. Stir and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Add the pig’s foot and marrow bones to the pot, then the hocks, followed by brisket. (The brisket and hocks will be removed half way through and need to be on top.) Add chicken stock or water to cover. (Note: If you have any Bun Bo Hue stock leftover from the last time you made it, you can amp up the intensity of the flavor by adding it to the mix now.) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very slow simmer. Do not skim the fat; allow it to sit on the top and add flavor to the broth.
  3. After about an hour, poke the brisket with a knife. If should meet little resistance. Carefully remove the brisket to a plate or small tray. Let cool at room temperature for a few minutes, then refrigerate. After another hour, the hocks should be done. Again, poke with a knife to ensure that the meat is ready to come off easily. If so, carefully remove. Once cool enough to handle, pick the meat from the bones and add to the brisket to chill. Return the bones to the pot and simmer for at least 3 more hours. One hour before you are ready to serve, mix in the reserved lemongrass and the shrimp paste and continue to simmer.
  4. Strain through a fine mesh or a cheesecloth-lined strainer. You want a good clear broth, but it is not consommé. Keep warm over medium-low heat, in a clean pot. Season the finished broth with a little salt and very gently with fish sauce and sugar. It should NOT be overly fishy, salty or sweet. Just nicely seasoned. The ultimate seasoning will be up to your guests.
  5. Prepare the garnishes: Slice the brisket very thinly across the grain. Separate hock pieces and cut into small pieces if necessary. Set aside. In a medium bowl, toss together the cabbage, bean sprouts, perilla, Thai basil and rau ram.
  6. Bring a pot of unsalted water to a boil and cook the noodles for approximately 5 minutes. Drain them well and divide them among 6 to 8 serving bowls.
  7. Atop each portion of noodles, place brisket slices, pork hock pieces and, if using, raw beef and congealed blood.  Ladle 10 to 12 ounces broth over noodles and meat garnishes. Stir 1 teaspoon of annatto chile paste into each bowl, along with a pinch of sliced scallions.
  8. Serve to your guests, with the herb mixture, lime wedges, fish sauce and additional annatto chile paste available for customizing one’s bowl.
 
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