Vietnamese-Australian Beef Pho
A deeply aromatic Vietnamese noodle soup made with spiced beef broth, tender brisket, rice noodles, and fresh fragrant herbs.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 145 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Equipment
- •large stockpot
- •dry frypan
- •fine mesh sieve
- •tongs
- •chef's knife
- •soup bowls
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 56 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 42 g
- calories
- 520 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place beef bones and brisket into a large pot, cover with cold water, and boil rapidly for 8 minutes.
- 2
Drain the bones and brisket thoroughly, rinsing away all grey scum with cold running water.
- 3
Char the unpeeled onions and ginger in a dry frypan over high heat until nicely blackened on the cut sides.
- 4
Toast the star anise, cinnamon stick, and cardamom in the dry frypan for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- 5
Place cleaned bones, brisket, charred aromatics, toasted spices, rock sugar, and fish sauce into the pot with 3.5 litres of water.
- 6
Simmer gently over low heat for 2 hours, skimming any surface scum regularly to keep the broth clear.
- 7
Remove the cooked brisket, cool it briefly in cold water to prevent browning, and slice thinly.
- 8
Strain the spiced broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot and bring back to a rolling boil.
- 9
Blanch fresh rice noodles in boiling water for 20 seconds, drain well, and divide among four deep bowls.
- 10
Arrange sliced brisket, raw sirloin ribbons, and sliced spring onions neatly on top of the noodles.
- 11
Ladle boiling broth directly over the raw beef in the bowls to cook the meat gently.
- 12
Serve immediately with fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil, coriander, and lime wedges on the side.
Chef's tips
Partially freeze the raw sirloin for twenty minutes to make slicing thin ribbons much easier. Always ensure the broth is boiling hot when ladling so it cooks the raw beef instantly in the bowl.
Ingredient substitutions
- beef marrow bones → beef neck bones or oxtail
- yellow rock sugar → raw caster sugar or brown sugar
- fresh flat rice noodles → dried pho rice noodles soaked in warm water
Storage
Store strained broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, keeping noodles and garnishes separate.
Reheating
Bring the broth to a rolling boil in a pot on the stove before ladling over freshly warmed noodles.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the initial bone blanching, which leaves the broth cloudy and dull in flavour.
- •Boiling the broth too vigorously instead of simmering gently, causing fat to emulsify into the soup.
- •Pouring lukewarm broth over the raw meat, leaving the beef undercooked and tough.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Vietnamese-Australian Beef Pho?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
