Bo Kho (Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Shank Stew)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 100 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Bo kho is Vietnam's beef stew, born in the southern kitchens of Saigon where French colonial influence introduced slow-braised preparations and Vietnamese cooks adapted them with local aromatics.
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Beef shank and tendon are cut into large chunks and braised with lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon, and annatto oil - the annatto tinting the broth a vivid orange-red that sets bo kho apart from the darker tones of Western stews. Tomato paste and a spoonful of curry powder go in early, building a base that is simultaneously sweet, earthy, and warm. The stew simmers for two hours or more until the beef is fork-tender and the tendon has turned gelatinous, releasing its collagen into the broth and giving it a lip-coating richness. Carrots and daikon radish soften in the liquid during the final thirty minutes, absorbing the concentrated aromatics as they cook. Bo kho is eaten two ways - ladled over steamed rice, or alongside a crusty baguette torn for dipping into the broth. Street vendors in Ho Chi Minh City serve it from dawn, when the morning air carries the scent of star anise from their simmering pots across the alleyways.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Cut 800 g beef shank into 5 cm chunks and pat the surface dry.
Mix with 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 20 g minced garlic, coating all sides, then marinate for 15 minutes so the seasoning reaches the meat.
- 2Control
Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
Add 150 g sliced onion and 3 bruised lemongrass stalks, then cook for about 4 minutes until the onion turns translucent and the citrus aroma rises.
- 3Heat
Add the marinated beef and spread it across the bottom of the pot.
Sear until the surfaces turn brown, turning the pieces as moisture cooks off. Lower the heat slightly if the garlic or fond starts sticking too dark.
- 4Heat
Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes.
Scrape the bottom and mix until the beef is evenly coated red and the paste smells rounded rather than raw.
- 5Control
Pour in enough water to cover the beef, bring it to a boil, then reduce to low heat.
Simmer gently for 60 to 120 minutes, until the shank yields easily when pressed.
- 6Control
Add 250g carrot cut into bite-size pieces and simmer for 30 minutes more.
When the carrot is tender and the broth is slightly thick, taste and adjust with fish sauce before turning off the heat.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Fish sauce and garlic marinated beef shank seared until brown
- Finish cue
- When the carrot is tender and the broth is slightly thick, taste and adjust with fish sauce before turning off the heat.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
100min, 8 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 310 recipes
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