Pressure Cooker Beef Pho

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef knuckle
• marrow or other soup bones
• 1 pound boneless beef brisket
• chuck or cross-rib roast in one piece
• 4 ounces Fuji apple
• about 1/2 of a medium-large apple
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 ounces fresh ginger
• 2 1/2 pieces star anise
• 1 3-inch cinnamon or cassia stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• Sugar
• if desired
• 6 ounces beef steak
• such as top or bottom sirloin
• eye of round or London broil (optional)
• 12 ounces dried narrow rice sticks or pad Thai-style noodles
• 1/2 small yellow or red onion
• 2 slender green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• Black pepper
• Optional add-ins: thinly sliced Fresno
• Thai or serrano chile; a large handful of bean sprouts
• mint sprigs or Thai basil; lime wedges

Instructions

1. Rinse the bones and boneless beef.
2. Peel and cut apple into chunks.
3. Halve the large onion and cut into thick slices.
4. Peel ginger, halve it lengthwise, cut into chunks, then smash each piece with the side of a knife.
5. Put the star anise, cinnamon and cloves in an 8-quart pressure cooker.
6. Over medium heat or using the saute function, toast for several minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
7. Add the onion and ginger.
8. (If using a stove-top pressure cooker, raise heat to medium-high.)
9. Stir and cook for a minute or two.
10. A little browning is O.K.
11. Add 9 cups water.
12. Add the bones, beef, apple and salt.
13. Lock the lid.
14. If using a stovetop pressure cooker, raise heat to high and bring pressure to 15 p.s.i.
15. Then reduce the heat to medium or medium-low.
16. The pressure should be just high enough that a gentle, steady flow of steam comes out of the cookers valve.
17. Cook for 20 minutes.
18. If using an electric pressure cooker, set timer for 30 minutes.
19. After cooking, both cookers will require time to allow pressure to decrease naturally, about 15 to 20 minutes.
20. When that is done, carefully remove lid.
21. Transfer boneless meat to a bowl, cover with water and soak for 10 minutes.
22. This cools it and keeps it from drying out.
23. If desired, scrape any bits of tendon from the bones and add to the bowl of water.
24. Strain the broth into a pot through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or muslin.
25. Discard the remaining solids.
26. (At this point, the broth and beef can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
27. Skim all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the broth.
28. You should have about 8 cups of broth.
29. Add fish sauce and more salt, if needed.
30. Add a few pinches of sugar and more fish sauce so the broth has a rounded, intense finish that is slightly salty and slightly sweet.