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Bo kho Vietnamese beef stew in a dark ceramic bowl with beef chunks, carrots, star anise and scallions, rice noodles and herbs on the side

Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)

A fragrant Vietnamese beef stew built on lemongrass, star anise and a little five spice, simmered until the chuck goes fork-tender. 38g of protein per serving, served over rice noodles or with a baguette to mop the broth.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1.75 lb beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1.5 inch chunks about 790g; beef shank or brisket also work
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce divided, 2 tbsp for the marinade and 1 for the pot
  • 1 tbsp five spice powder
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced divided
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tsp paprika or annatto seeds steeped in the oil, for the classic red color
  • 2 shallots, sliced or half a yellow onion
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut into 3 inch lengths
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cups low sodium beef broth or 2 cups broth plus 2 cups coconut water for a rounder finish
  • 2 large carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks about 200g
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste at the end
  • 1 bunch Thai basil, cilantro and lime wedges to serve
  • 12 oz rice vermicelli or a baguette optional, for serving

Method
 

  1. Toss the beef with 2 tbsp of the fish sauce, the five spice, half the garlic, the ginger and the brown sugar. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate overnight if you are planning ahead.
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Stir in the paprika, then add the beef in a single layer and brown it hard on two sides, about 6 to 8 minutes total, working in two batches so the pieces sear instead of steam. Move the browned beef to a plate.
  3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the shallots, lemongrass and remaining garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and let it darken for a minute, this cooks off the raw edge and deepens the color.
  4. Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Add the star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, the last tablespoon of fish sauce and the broth. The liquid should just cover the beef, top up with water if needed.
  5. Bring to a boil, then drop to a bare simmer, cover, and cook for 90 minutes. Stir once or twice and skim any heavy fat off the top. Chuck holds a lot of connective tissue, and it needs this slow stretch to turn silky rather than chewy.
  6. Add the carrots and simmer uncovered for a final 30 minutes, until the beef pulls apart with a fork and the carrots are tender and the broth has reduced slightly. Fish out the lemongrass, cinnamon and star anise.
  7. Taste and adjust with the salt or a splash more fish sauce. Serve over rice vermicelli or with a torn baguette, and finish each bowl with Thai basil, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.