Bo Kho (Vietnamese Braised Beef Stew)
Updated Nov. 17, 2020
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce, such as Red Boat
- 1tablespoon brown sugar
- 2tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 2teaspoons Chinese 5-spice powder
- ½teaspoon black pepper
- 3pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6large shallots or 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1cup chopped tomato, fresh or canned
- 2tablespoons grated fresh ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 3tablespoons finely chopped lemongrass, tender center only
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- ½teaspoon annatto powder (optional)
- 4star anise pods
- 1(2-inch) cinnamon stick, or substitute cassia bark
- 1 or 2Serrano or Thai chiles, stem on, split lengthwise
- 1½pounds medium carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks
- ½cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1cup cilantro sprigs, for garnish
- ½cup mint leaves, for garnish
- ½cup small basil leaves, preferably Thai, for garnish
For the Marinade
For the Braise
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
465 calories; 16 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 53 grams protein; 1056 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the marinade: Stir together fish sauce, sugar, ginger, 5-spice powder and pepper.
- Step 2
Put beef in a large bowl, add marinade and massage into meat. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes, or longer if time permits (may be wrapped and refrigerated overnight if desired).
- Step 3
Put oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry the beef cubes in small batches, taking care not to crowd them, until nicely browned. When all beef is browned, return chunks to pot. Add shallots, stir to combine and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened.
- Step 4
Add tomato, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, salt and annatto, if using, and stir well to coat, then add star anise, cinnamon and chile. Cover with 4 cups water and bring to a boil.
- Step 5
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with lid ajar and cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- Step 6
Add carrots to pot and cook 15 minutes more. Skim fat from surface of broth as necessary (or refrigerate overnight and remove congealed fat before reheating).
- Step 7
To serve, ladle into individual bowls. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, mint and basil.
Private Notes
Comments
This was very delicious. Thank you David for the recipe. My feedback would be: 1) Instead of mincing the lemongrass, just cut stalks into long pieces, smash with the back of a knife. 2) Place the lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon stick, and split pepper in a piece of tied cheesecloth, making it simple to extract when finished. 3) Forget rice, potatoes, etc. and go with the suggested crusty baguette!
I made this last night in my Instant Pot. I added another serrano (unnecessary), just two star anise pods, used lemongrass paste from a tube, and the whole can of tomatoes. The store was out of shallots, so I used red onion as suggested (faster and cheaper). Cooked it on the “Meat/Stew” setting (45 minutes, 15-minute release). Following a reader’s suggestion, I added bok choy at the end (will use more next time and maybe bamboo shoots and/or water chestnuts and/or Asian mushrooms?). Delicious!
I thought the dish needed a bit more punch and a bit more liquid for all the beef and carrots, so I reduced eight cups of beef stock to six (in lieu of the four cups of water). I also added about an eighth-cup of soy sauce. It was freakin' delicious! Will absolute save this one for another go-'round.
Cutting chuck smaller than 1 inch cubes helps a lot in terms of time needed and does not detract from the final dish. 75 mins is fine with more finely cut chuck plus the 15-20 for the carrots (again depending on size of carrot cutting). With 1 inch cubes of chuck looking at more like 2 hours pre-carrots
I am with all of you that this is a great and tasty meal. Have cooked it several times, and now even with annato powder which I never had before. I would also like to make a vegan version with extra firm tofu. Any suggestions on when to put the marinated fried tofu into the mix?
My Viet MIL approved this final product so now I make it exactly as is. Perfection. I am gf but my son's love the traditional baguette with it. That's also how my MIL serves it when she makes it. Thank you. Beautiful recipe.
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