Beef Ingredients

• 3 lbs beef bones
• 1.25 lbs beef brisket
• 1 lb beef shank
• 14.5 cups water ((about 3.75 quarts))
• 1 tablespoon salt ((and more for seasoning))
• 1 large piece cassia bark or cinnamon sticks ((about 0.2-0.25 oz))
• 6 star anises
• 6-7 cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1.5-2 black cardamom pods crushed open
• 2 medium yellow onions ((skin-on, slice in half))
• 2 big thumb-sized pieces ginger ((slice in half lengthwise plus 2 more slices))
• 4-5 shallots
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce ((to taste))
• 1 tablespoon rock sugar
• 1.5-2 lbs cooked rice noodles
• thinly sliced steak ((optional, if you want to have rare beef pho))
• 1 medium yellow onion ((thinly sliced into half moons))
• white scallion part ((shredded))
• green scallion part ((thinly sliced))
• cilantro ((thinly sliced))
• freshly-cracked black pepper