What is Bò Kho?
Bò Kho is a hearty and flavorful Vietnamese beef and carrot stew. It is made with beef chucks (sometimes beef tendons), and carrots, all slow-cooked to perfection in a savory tomato-based broth. This stew can be made spicy or non-spicy.
Serve this delicious and comforting stew three ways: with a side of toasted baguette for dipping, with steamed rice for a more simple yet filling option, or make the stew soupier to ladle onto your favorite noodles.
A popular restaurant menu item with beef stew and rice noodles is Hủ Tiếu Bò Kho. Another popular menu item with beef stew and egg/yellow noodles is Mì Bò Kho. And a combination of the two noodles is Hủ Tiếu Mì Bò Kho.
What You Will Need
Beef Cuts — The best beef cut for Bò Kho or any stew comes from the hardest working part of the animal. This includes beef chuck (also known as chuck steak or gravy beef) and boneless beef shank (also known as banana beef because of its resemblance).
Beef chuck comes from the back and neck part of the animal. Whereas, beef shank comes from the thighs. These parts of the animal contain a lot of connective tissue that becomes tender with low and slow cooking.
If you like to use beef bones instead, you can use oxtail. Oxtail has a good amount of bones and meat. The bone part of oxtail adds a richer flavor to the stew but you will have to do some digging for the meat. Oxtail can get really expensive. It’s currently $16.99 per lb at my Asian grocery store.
More traditional recipes include beef tendons. Beef tendons require a much longer cooking time than beef chuck. If you are adding beef tendons, make sure to cut them into small pieces so they can finish cooking at about the same time as the beef chuck.
For a foolproof way to add beef tendons, cook it on its own until tender then add it to the pot when beef stew is almost done. If you cook the beef tendons ahead of time, you can use the stock water for the water in this recipe. It would provide the broth a richer flavor.
Carrots — Carrot is the star vegetable in this dish. If you don’t have carrots, you can substitute with parsnips, daikon, or potatoes. Potatoes have a shorter cooking time (about 10 minutes) so add them towards the end of cooking to prevent them from breaking into smithereens.
Tomato Paste — We are using a few tablespoons of tomato paste to thicken up the broth. Tomato paste also provides the vibrant red color to the broth.
Red Curry Powder — Red curry powder is a blend of hot red chilies, coriander, cardamom, and cumin, with slight variations between brands. Red curry powder also adds to the red color of the stew.
If you don’t have red curry powder, you can substitute with yellow curry powder. Yellow curry powder contains almost the same blend of spices as red curry powder but with added chili powder or paprika.
Alternatively, you can use Chinese Five Spice Powder for a non-spicy version, or simply use the individual spices.
Beef Marinade — Salt, sugar to balance the tartness of the tomato paste, chicken bouillon powder or mushroom bouillon powder, and MSG. Bouillon powders and MSG are optional but they are highly recommended for a more authentic taste. These are our grandmothers’ and mothers’ secret that brings all the boys to the yard.
Aromatics — Garlic, shallots, lemongrass, ginger, Chinese cinnamon stick (cassia bark), and whole star anise. If you can’t find the thick Chinese cinnamon stick, simply omit. It’s not too important.
Oil — A little bit of vegetable oil or annatto oil to sear the beef and fry the aromatics. Annatto oil also provides more red color to the stew and make it more aromatic but it is not required.
Water — The liquid for the stew.
Coconut Soda — A small can of coconut soda in addition to the water. I’m using one 12 fl oz can of Coco Rico coconut soda. This gives the stew a more authentic yet subtle coconutty taste. For that reason, it’s optional, and you can replace with an additional 1½ cups water instead.
Fish Sauce and Light Soy Sauce — Fish sauce and light soy sauce will be used to season the broth.
Cilantro and Thai Basil — Optional for garnish.
Dipping Sauce — An optional dipping sauce of salt, ground black pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.
How to Make it
Step 1: Prep ingredients
Cut away excess fat from the beef chuck then slice beef into 1″ to 1-½” cubes. Peel the carrots and cut them into the same size chunks as the beef. Discard the lemongrass leafy tops, if any. Cut the lemongrass stalk into 4″ segments. Smash the stalks with a mallet or something heavy to release their aroma and flavor. Slice the ginger into thick coins and give each coin a gentle smash.
Step 2: Marinate beef
Add beef cubes to a medium bowl and marinate with red curry powder, salt, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, MSG, garlic, and shallots for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge for better results.
Step 3: Sear beef and add aromatics
To the bottom of a large pot with a lid, add oil and heat on medium-high. Add beef. Pan fry until you get color on all sides (about 5 minutes). Clear the center. Add the lemongrass and ginger slices. Pan fry for about one minute.
Step 4: Add tomato paste, liquids and braise
Stir in tomato paste. Add coconut soda, and water. Braise with the lid on for 1-½ hours on low heat.
Step 5: Add carrots and whole spices
Add carrots, cinnamon stick and whole star anise. Continue cooking with a covered lid on a low simmer until carrots are chopstick-tender (about 30 more minutes). If the liquid is evaporating off too much, add a bit more water. Remove and discard the lemongrass, ginger slices, cinnamon, and star anise.
Step 6: Season to Taste
Season broth to taste with a bit of fish sauce and light soy sauce.
Step 7: Garnish and Serve
Make the optional dipping sauce by mixing together lime/lemon juice, ground black pepper and salt, and enjoy. Serve with baguette, steamed rice or noodles.
How to Serve Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bò Kho)
There are three ways to eat Bò Kho:
My favorite is a small bowl of Vietnamese beef stew with warm toasted French baguette and dipping sauce on the side. Tear off a piece of baguette and dip it into the broth. Dip the beef chunks in the dipping sauce as a chaser to the baguette.
You can also have beef stew with steamed white rice, a simple but filling option.
You can also enjoy it with egg or rice noodles. Simply add a bit more water to the stew to make it soupier so that you can ladle the broth onto your favorite noodles. You will likely need to season the broth a little bit more fish sauce and soy sauce.
Related Posts
If you enjoy this post, you might also enjoy Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup (Bún Bò Huế)
Get Your Beef On!
- Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc)
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- Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Phở Bò Instant Pot Version)
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Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bò Kho)
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Description
A traditional Vietnamese beef stew, is made with tender beef, carrots, and aromatic spices in a savory tomato broth. Enjoy it with rice, a baguette, or noodles.
Ingredients
Beef Marinade
- 3 lbs beef (boneless beef chuck, see notes)
- 1 teaspoon red curry powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon MSG (optional)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
Broth
- 1 lb carrots (3 whole)
- 2 large stalks fresh lemongrass
- 2-inch knob ginger
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or annatto oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 12 oz coconut soda or juice (1 can)
- 5 cups water
- 1 Chinese cinnamon stick (cassia bark)
- 3 whole star anise
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
Garnishes (Optional)
- Cilantro
- Thai Basil
Dipping Sauce (Optional)
Instructions
- Prepare beef and aromatics: Cut away excess fat from the beef chuck then slice beef into 1″ to 1-½” cubes. Peel the carrots and cut them into the same size chunks as the beef. Discard the lemongrass leafy tops, if any. Cut the lemongrass stalk into 4″ segments. Smash the stalks with a mallet or something heavy to release their aroma and flavor. Slice the ginger into thick coins and give each coin a gentle smash.
- Marinate: Add beef cubes to a medium bowl and marinate with red curry powder, salt, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, MSG, garlic, and shallots for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge for better results.
- Pan fry: To the bottom of a large pot with a lid, add oil and heat on medium-high. Add beef. Pan fry until you get color on all sides (about 5 minutes). Clear the center. Add the lemongrass and ginger slices. Pan fry for about one minute.
- Braise: Stir in tomato paste. Add coconut soda, and water. Braise with the lid on for 1-½ hours on low heat.
- Add carrots, cinnamon stick and whole star anise. Continue cooking with a covered lid on a low simmer until carrots are chopstick-tender (about more 30 minutes). If the liquid is evaporating off too much, add a bit more water. Discard the lemongrass, ginger slices, cinnamon stick and star anise.
- Season broth to taste with a bit of fish sauce and light soy sauce.
- Finish: Garnish with cilantro or Thai basil. Serve with toasted French baguettes or steamed white rice and optional dipping sauce. If making this with rice noodles, add a bit more hot water to the stew to make it soupier. Season the broth with additional fish sauce and soy sauce, if needed.
Notes
You can also use small pieces of oxtail.
You can add beef tendons. Use 1 lb tendon with 2 lbs beef. Cut tendons into the same size as the beef cubes.
Red curry powder is a blend of hot red chilies, coriander, cardamom, and cumin, with slight variations between brands. If you don’t have red curry powder, you can substitute yellow curry powder and add your own chili powder (or paprika powder for a less spicy curry). Alternatively, you can use Chinese Five Spice Powder for a non-spicy version, or simply the individual spices.
Can substitute carrots with daikon or parsnips. You can also add potatoes. Potatoes have a shorter cooking time (about 10 minutes) so add them towards the end of cooking to prevent them from breaking into smithereens.
If you don’t have coconut soda or juice, replace it with an additional 1½ cups water instead.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
- Category: entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: asian, vietnamese
