Delicious Vietnamese Turkey Pho: The Ultimate Leftover Thanksgiving Recipe
After the grand feast of Thanksgiving, a mountain of turkey bones often remains. Don’t let these culinary treasures go to waste! Instead, transform them into a remarkably flavorful foundation for a vibrant Vietnamese Turkey Pho. This recipe unveils a genius shortcut, allowing you to create a rich, aromatic, and deeply savory pho broth in a fraction of the traditional simmering time. Forget the notion that authentic pho requires hours of unattended cooking; our method delivers an exquisite taste experience without the extensive wait, making it the perfect post-holiday comfort food.
This delicious Vietnamese pho recipe ingeniously uses leftover turkey bones for a unique flavor!
Mastering the Art of Turkey Bone Broth: Essential Tips for Superlative Soup
Crafting an exceptional broth begins with understanding your ingredients. While any turkey bones will contribute flavor, a few simple tips can elevate your post-Thanksgiving soup game, ensuring your Vietnamese Turkey Pho is nothing short of spectacular.
- **Maximize Flavor with Turkey Neck and Giblets (Exclude Liver):** When you unpack your turkey, always save the neck and giblets (excluding the liver). These parts, particularly the neck, are packed with connective tissue and bone marrow, which release gelatin and deep savory notes, enriching your stock with body and a velvety texture. These overlooked components are crucial for developing a robust flavor profile that forms the backbone of your pho.
- **The Liver Dilemma: Discard or Repurpose:** The liver, while edible, has a distinct, strong flavor and a tendency to become gritty when boiled for extended periods. Including it in your stock can impart an undesirable bitter taste to your entire broth. For the best results in pho, it’s best to discard the liver. Alternatively, consider roasting it separately with the turkey and offering it as a special, nutrient-rich treat for your beloved dog or cat. They’ll appreciate the gesture!
- **Preserving Asian Flavors: Skip the Skin and Seasonings:** This is a critical step for crafting Asian-style broths like pho or ramen. Most people heavily season their turkeys before roasting, and these holiday seasonings (rosemary, sage, thyme) carry a distinct “Thanksgiving” flavor. To ensure your new broth tastes authentically Vietnamese and not like a remixed holiday meal, it’s vital to avoid including any turkey skin in your pot. The skin often holds the most concentrated roasted turkey seasoning. Additionally, focus solely on the bones from the body, not wing tips, as wings can also carry residual holiday flavors. For an extra layer of assurance, give the roasted bones a quick rinse under cold water before adding them to your stockpot. This helps wash off any lingering herbs or seasonings, allowing the pure turkey essence to shine through, ready to be infused with Vietnamese spices.
- **Flexible Cooking Methods for Every Kitchen:** This versatile turkey stock can be prepared using a variety of cooking methods to suit your preferences and equipment. Whether you prefer the traditional stovetop method, the convenience of a slow cooker for a hands-off approach, or the speed of an electric pressure cooker, the core principles remain the same. Each method will yield a delicious broth, though cooking times will vary significantly. Choose the method that best fits your schedule and culinary style.
- **Unlock Deeper Flavor and Halve Simmering Time with Our Shortcut:** The secret to achieving an incredibly rich and complex pho broth quickly lies in a clever flavor supplementation technique. In the next section, we’ll dive into our game-changing shortcut that will drastically cut down on simmering time without compromising on the deep, umami-rich flavors typically associated with long-cooked broths. Prepare to be amazed by how much flavor you can develop in so little time!
The result of these careful steps? A truly delicious, mouthwatering, and deeply flavorful broth that captures all the savory goodness you worked so hard to achieve with that roasted turkey, but reimagined with a fresh, aromatic Vietnamese twist. And don’t worry if you don’t have roasted turkey bones readily available – a quality chicken stock can serve as an excellent substitute, ensuring you can still enjoy this incredible pho any time of year!
The Genius Behind Our Turkey Pho Shortcut: Deep Flavor, Fast
While using roasted turkey bones provides a wonderful foundation, starting with cooked bones won’t yield the same intense depth of flavor as starting with raw, uncooked bones. That’s precisely where our secret shortcut comes into play. To achieve an even richer, more profoundly savory broth that tastes like it has simmered for hours, we introduce a powerful combination of high-quality beef and chicken bases. This technique not only boosts the umami profile but also significantly reduces the required cooking time, making homemade pho more accessible than ever before.
This specialized base, often found in a concentrated paste form, delivers an unparalleled punch of flavor to your broth. Unlike ordinary bouillon cubes, which can often taste artificial or overly salty, these concentrated bases are crafted from actual roasted meats and vegetables, providing a more authentic and nuanced taste. A single container of these concentrated bases offers far greater depth and complexity than quick-to-spoil boxed broths, which often lack the robust character needed for a truly satisfying pho. It’s a win-win scenario: superior flavor and exceptional value. For this particular Vietnamese Turkey Pho recipe, we highly recommend using a combination of roasted chicken and roasted beef base from a reputable brand like Better Than Bouillon. Their rich, authentic flavors blend seamlessly with the turkey bones, creating a harmonious and unforgettable broth.
Unlocking the Soul of Pho: Spices and Herbs for an Aromatic Broth
The heart of any great pho lies in its intensely fragrant and complexly spiced broth. My approach to selecting spices and herbs is pragmatic: use what you can find and what truly excites your palate. Having grown up in North Platte, Nebraska, where the nearest Asian market was a two-hour drive away, I learned early on that culinary creativity often means adapting with available ingredients without sacrificing flavor.
Traditional Vietnamese Chicken Pho, known as *Pho Ga*, typically features simple yet potent spices like whole coriander seeds and whole cloves. These impart a subtle warmth and earthy undertone. Vietnamese Beef Pho, or *Pho Bo*, however, embraces a broader, more robust spice palette, often including fragrant cinnamon sticks, aromatic cardamom pods, distinctive star anise, and earthy fennel seeds. Each spice plays a crucial role, contributing layers of aroma and taste that define the classic pho experience.
For our unique Vietnamese Turkey Pho, you have the wonderful flexibility to use any combination of the above spices. Feel free to experiment and adjust according to your taste preferences. In fact, if you come across pre-packaged pho spice blends traditionally marketed for beef pho, don’t hesitate to use them! These convenient spice packets often come with a small mesh bag, making it incredibly easy to infuse your broth with flavor and then remove the whole spices effortlessly after cooking. Using such a packet will infuse your Turkey Pho stock with an even more intense, beef-like flavor profile, adding a delightful depth that perfectly complements the turkey.
For our specific Turkey Pho rendition, we aim for a harmonious blend – a bridge between the lighter notes of chicken pho and the bolder characteristics of beef pho. Therefore, our chosen combination of spices reflects this desire for a balanced, uniquely satisfying flavor experience that highlights the turkey while embracing the complexity of traditional pho.
Here’s what you’ll need to create your sensational shortcut turkey pho stock:
- 1-2 pounds roasted turkey bones (from your Thanksgiving leftovers, or fresh poultry bones)
- 2 tablespoons roasted chicken and/or beef base – (I achieved a perfect balance using one tablespoon of each, like Better Than Bouillon)
- ½ large onion, roughly chopped or quartered
- 3-inch knob of fresh ginger, thinly sliced or smashed
- 4 whole garlic cloves, gently smashed
- 1 large cinnamon stick, about 3-4 inches long
- 3 whole star anise pods
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (crucial for authentic umami depth)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (to balance flavors)
- 2 ½ quarts (approximately 10 cups) of water
To craft this aromatic turkey pho stock, begin by placing the roasted turkey bones, the concentrated broth base (chicken and/or beef), sliced ginger, smashed garlic, cinnamon stick, and star anise pods into a large, sturdy stockpot. Pour in 2 ½ quarts of fresh water, ensuring all ingredients are submerged. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer uncovered for a concentrated 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. Once the simmering is complete, carefully remove all the solids using a fine-mesh strainer or a slotted spoon, discarding them. The resulting liquid is your golden, fragrant pho broth. Stir in the fish sauce and granulated sugar until fully dissolved. Now, the critical step: taste your broth. Pho broth should be a delicate balance of savory, sweet, salty, and aromatic. If it tastes a bit bland or lacks brightness, gradually add a little more fish sauce, tasting after each addition, until the flavors sing.
Flexible Cooking: Your Kitchen, Your Way
While this recipe provides instructions for cooking in a large stockpot, don’t feel limited. If you are one of the fortunate culinary enthusiasts who owns an electric pressure cooker, this is your prime opportunity to leverage its incredible efficiency and speed! The pressure cooker dramatically reduces the cooking time while extracting maximum flavor from your ingredients. Simply combine all the broth ingredients – turkey bones, broth base, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and star anise – directly into the pressure cooker pot. Add two quarts of water, secure the lid, and cook on high pressure for just ten minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete and the pressure naturally or manually released, you’ll be greeted with a rich, fully developed broth that tastes like it has been simmering for hours. Voila! An incredibly flavorful shortcut that doesn’t compromise on quality.
Beyond the Broth: Assembling Your Perfect Vietnamese Turkey Pho Bowl
With your deeply flavorful turkey pho broth ready, the final step is to prepare the vibrant accompaniments that make pho such a beloved and customizable dish. Gathering all your ingredients beforehand will make the assembly process smooth and enjoyable, allowing everyone to craft their ideal bowl.
Here are the essential ingredients for assembling your Vietnamese Turkey Pho bowls:
- 1 pound dried rice noodles (typically thin or medium-width vermicelli-style)
- Sliced leftover turkey meat (about ½ pound, thinly sliced against the grain for tenderness)
- ¼ thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- Fresh Thai basil or regular basil leaves, for garnish and flavor
- 1 lime, cut into generous wedges for squeezing
- 1 fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced (for those who enjoy a kick of heat)
- Optional additions: hoisin sauce, Sriracha sauce, extra fish sauce
First, prepare your rice noodles according to their specific package directions. It’s crucial to cook them in a separate pot of boiling water, not in your precious pho broth, to prevent the broth from becoming starchy. Once cooked to al dente, drain them thoroughly and gently toss with a tiny amount of cooking oil. This simple trick prevents the noodles from clumping together, keeping them perfectly separated and ready for your bowls. With your finished, aromatic broth simmering gently, it’s time to embark on the delightful process of assembling your pho bowls.
To assemble your pho bowls, return the prepared pho broth to a gentle boil, then immediately turn off the heat. This ensures the broth is piping hot, which is essential for warming the noodles and turkey without overcooking them. Set out four large, deep bowls for serving. In each bowl, artfully arrange a generous portion of the cooked rice noodles, followed by several thin slices of your leftover turkey meat. Carefully ladle the steaming, fragrant pho broth over the noodles and turkey. The hot broth will gently warm the turkey and noodles, bringing all the flavors together. Finally, present the bowls along with a vibrant array of fresh vegetables and herbs at the table. This allows each person to customize their own pho with fresh bean sprouts, aromatic basil, crisp red onion, bright cilantro, a squeeze of tart lime juice, and a fiery kick from sliced jalapeño. Encourage diners to add hoisin or Sriracha for an extra layer of sweetness or spice. This interactive approach makes every bowl a unique culinary adventure, perfectly tailored to individual tastes.
Shortcut Turkey Pho Broth
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Shortcut Pho Broth
- 1-2 lbs roasted turkey bones
- 2 tablespoons roasted chicken or beef base like Better Than Bouillon
- ½ large onion
- 3 inch knob of ginger sliced or smashed
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 star anise pods
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ½ quarts water
For the Pho Bowls
- 1 pound dried rice noodles
- ½ pound leftover turkey meat thinly sliced
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
For the Table (Garnishes)
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- Fresh Thai basil or regular basil leaves
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1 jalapeño thinly sliced
Instructions
- To prepare the shortcut pho broth, place the roasted turkey bones, chicken and/or beef broth base, ginger, garlic, cinnamon stick, and star anise pods into a large stockpot. Fill the pot with 2 ½ quarts of water. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer for 30 minutes. Using a fine-mesh strainer, carefully remove all solid ingredients from the broth and discard them. Stir in the fish sauce and sugar. Taste the broth to adjust seasonings; if it seems bland, add a little more fish sauce, tasting after each addition until desired flavor is achieved.
- In a separate pot, cook the dried rice noodles according to their package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles thoroughly and toss them with a tiny amount of cooking oil to prevent clumping.
- To assemble the pho: Bring the prepared pho broth back to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat. Lay out four large, deep serving bowls. Distribute equal portions of the cooked noodles and thinly sliced turkey meat into each bowl. Ladle the hot broth generously over the noodles and turkey. Allow everyone at the table to customize their own Pho with the fresh veggies and herbs provided, such as bean sprouts, basil, red onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and jalapeño slices.