Vietnamese Bò Kho Beef Stew
A hearty Vietnamese beef stew featuring tender beef shank and tendon, infused with aromatic lemongrass, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon. It's rich, savory, and deeply comforting, often served with crusty bread or noodles.
Ingredients
- 2 lemongrass stalks bruised and tied
- 1 inch ginger sliced
- 1 yellow onion halved
- 2 shallots halved
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp annatto seed oil (or paprika oil for color)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Five-Spice powder
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 2 star star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup coconut water optional
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 can tomato paste 6 oz
- chili flakes to taste (optional)
- fresh cilantro for garnish
- crusty bread or rice noodles for serving
Instructions
- Marinate beef: In a large bowl, combine beef shank and tendon with minced garlic, Five-Spice powder, curry powder, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well and let marinate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
- Prepare aromatics: Lightly bruise lemongrass stalks and tie them into knots. Slice ginger, halve onion and shallots.
- Brown beef: Heat vegetable oil and annatto oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef in batches and sear until browned on all sides. Remove beef and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same pot, add onion, shallots, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Simmer the stew: Return the browned beef to the pot. Add beef broth, coconut water (if using), and tied lemongrass. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2-2.5 hours, or until beef is tender. If using uncooked tendon, add it now and simmer for 1.5-2 hours before adding shank.
- Add vegetables: Add carrots and potatoes to the stew. Continue to simmer for another 30-45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce, sugar, or salt if needed.
- Serve: Remove lemongrass, star anise, and cinnamon stick before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot with crusty bread, rice noodles, or steamed rice.
Notes
For best flavor, marinate beef overnight. You can adjust the spice level by adding more chili. If beef tendon is not pre-boiled, boil it separately for 1-2 hours until tender before adding to the stew. Serve with fresh herbs like cilantro and basil.