• Place the onion and ginger on a baking sheet and broil in the oven for about 20 minutes. Or place them directly over a stovetop burner flame on medium high heat. Use tongs to flip constantly until charred, about 10 minutes.
• Rinse and gently rub the loose charred skin on the onion and ginger under cold water and set aside.
• Toast the pho spices in a pan on medium high heat until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and place in a filter bag.
• In a stockpot (or use the Instant pot) boil some water (just enough to cover the meat). Add the oxtail and 1 tablespoon of salt and boil for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse any scum under cold water.

Stovetop Cooking

• Add 8 qt water and 1 tbs salt to large stock pot take it to a boil on medium high heat.
• Add the oxtail, onion, ginger, salt and sugar.
• Simmer for 2 hours on low-medium heat with lid slightly ajar. Check oxtail, if it falls off the bone, remove the meat and place in a separate container, add enough broth to cover the meat (prevents it from drying out ) refrigerate until ready to eat.
• Add the bones back to the broth with the fish sauce and mushroom powder seasoning and simmer for another 2 hours, on low to medium heat, lid slightly ajar.
• Add more water to make sure it covers bones and aromatics as needed.
• Skim off scum as needed.
• When ready to serve, add the oxtail meat and residual broth back into the pot to heat it up.
• For a cleaner broth, when the broth is done simmering, strain it into another large pot. Or when serving, put a strainer over the serving bowl, and ladle the broth into the strainer.

Instant Pot Cooking

• Place the cleaned oxtail, pho seasoning bag, onion, ginger and rock sugar in the Instant Pot. Fill the pot with about 16 cups of water (just to the max line).
• Seal the valve on the Instant Pot and set on manual high pressure for 45 minutes.
• When the Instant Pot cycle is complete, allow for a natural release.
• Place a large strainer over a clean stock pot. When the Instant Pot is cool enough to handle, remove the oxtail and set aside. Then carefully drain the stock into the new pot. Use a ladle to skim off any fat or impurities.
• Add the fish sauce and mushroom seasoning to the broth. Taste the broth and add additional fish sauce and mushroom powder a teaspoon at a time to your taste. The broth should have a rich, deep beef flavor.

Prep the Noodles and add ons

• Cook the pho noodles. Boil the noodles in a pot on the stovetop according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
• Wash and prep the garnishes and additional meat toppings.

Assemble the Pho Bowl

• Portion the cooked noodles to the bowl, add your meats (if using bo vien, make sure to add this to the cooked soup and boil for 5 minutes), ladle the hot soup in and top with fresh herbs.