Bò Kho ~ Vietnamese Beef Stew
Bò Kho ~ Vietnamese Beef Stew
Ingredients
For the Stew
- 2 pounds beef shank, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 2 pounds beef tendon
- 4 carrots, large, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 lemongrass stalks, half end, smashed
- 1 yellow onion, whole, peeled
- 1 knob ginger, thinly sliced
- 4 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can coconut soda, 12 ounce
- 12 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt, for boiling tendon
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
For the Meat Marinade
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Oriental Beef Spices ~ Bò Kho spices
- 1 tablespoon Cốt Bò Kho Seasoning
For the Broth Seasoning
- 4 tablespoons Bò Kho Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon rock sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
For the Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all the aromatics (lemongrass, onion, ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick) and carrots. Set them aside. Peel and cut carrots into 2-inch pieces.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Rinse the beef shank and tendon well to clean them. Trim and discard any silver skin from the beef shank, then cut it into 2-inch cubes. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Start a 4-quart pot with 4 quarts of boiling water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. Add the beef tendon to the pot and boil for 2 hours, covered, on medium-low heat.
⏱️ 120 min
- 4
Remove the cooked tendon, rinse with cool water, and trim any excess fat. Cut the cooked tendon into 1-inch pieces.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
To a large bowl, add the beef shank and tendon. Add all the meat marinade ingredients: minced garlic, minced ginger, minced shallot, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, Oriental Beef Spices ~ Bò Kho spices, Cốt Bò Kho Seasoning, and neutral oil. Mix everything thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let the meat marinate for at least one hour or overnight.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Heat an 8-quart pot with 3 tablespoons of neutral oil on medium-high heat. Add the star anise, cinnamon stick, thinly sliced ginger, and smashed lemongrass stalks. Sauté these aromatics for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Remove everything from the pot except for the star anise. Add the marinated beef and tendon to the pot. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the meat is browned.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and stir to combine. Pour in 1 can (12 ounce) of coconut soda and 12 cups of water. Add the yellow onion, cinnamon stick, and ginger back into the pot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Bring the mixture to a simmer. Skim any foam that rises to the surface. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for one hour or until the meat is tender.
⏱️ 60 min
- 10
Remove the onion, ginger, and lemongrass from the pot and discard them. Add the 2-inch carrot pieces and the broth seasoning (Bò Kho Seasoning, rock sugar, kosher salt, chicken bouillon, and fish sauce) to the pot. Let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
⏱️ 20 min
- 11
Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning to your preference. While the stew is still simmering, prepare the cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of cold water with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Pour the slurry into the stew to thicken it.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Serve the Bò Kho with your choice of rice noodles, egg noodles, or warm baguettes. Enjoy!
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Bò Kho ~ Vietnamese Beef Stew
For the Stew
- 2 pounds beef shank, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 2 pounds beef tendon
- 4 carrots, large, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 lemongrass stalks, half end, smashed
- 1 yellow onion, whole, peeled
- 1 knob ginger, thinly sliced
- 4 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can coconut soda, 12 ounce
- 12 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt, for boiling tendon
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
For the Meat Marinade
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Oriental Beef Spices ~ Bò Kho spices
- 1 tablespoon Cốt Bò Kho Seasoning
For the Broth Seasoning
- 4 tablespoons Bò Kho Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon rock sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
For the Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all the aromatics (lemongrass, onion, ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick) and carrots. Set them aside. Peel and cut carrots into 2-inch pieces.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Rinse the beef shank and tendon well to clean them. Trim and discard any silver skin from the beef shank, then cut it into 2-inch cubes. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Start a 4-quart pot with 4 quarts of boiling water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. Add the beef tendon to the pot and boil for 2 hours, covered, on medium-low heat.
⏱️ 120 min - 4
Remove the cooked tendon, rinse with cool water, and trim any excess fat. Cut the cooked tendon into 1-inch pieces.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
To a large bowl, add the beef shank and tendon. Add all the meat marinade ingredients: minced garlic, minced ginger, minced shallot, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, Oriental Beef Spices ~ Bò Kho spices, Cốt Bò Kho Seasoning, and neutral oil. Mix everything thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let the meat marinate for at least one hour or overnight.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Heat an 8-quart pot with 3 tablespoons of neutral oil on medium-high heat. Add the star anise, cinnamon stick, thinly sliced ginger, and smashed lemongrass stalks. Sauté these aromatics for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Remove everything from the pot except for the star anise. Add the marinated beef and tendon to the pot. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the meat is browned.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and stir to combine. Pour in 1 can (12 ounce) of coconut soda and 12 cups of water. Add the yellow onion, cinnamon stick, and ginger back into the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Bring the mixture to a simmer. Skim any foam that rises to the surface. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for one hour or until the meat is tender.
⏱️ 60 min - 10
Remove the onion, ginger, and lemongrass from the pot and discard them. Add the 2-inch carrot pieces and the broth seasoning (Bò Kho Seasoning, rock sugar, kosher salt, chicken bouillon, and fish sauce) to the pot. Let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
⏱️ 20 min - 11
Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning to your preference. While the stew is still simmering, prepare the cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of cold water with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Pour the slurry into the stew to thicken it.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Serve the Bò Kho with your choice of rice noodles, egg noodles, or warm baguettes. Enjoy!