Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 20 minutes
• total time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

PREPARATION

2 lb beef shank (cut into 3/4 - 1" pieces)

tap water

1 tbsp salt

MARINADE

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tsp salt

1 tsp Vietnamese beef stew seasoning

AROMATICS

2 tbsp neutral cooking oil

4 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)

1 tsp annatto seeds (substitute paprika)

BROTH

1 tbsp Vietnamese beef stew seasoning

1 medium onion (quartered)

1 ½ tbsp fresh ginger (sliced or pounded)

1-2 stalks lemon grass (use ~7" of the aromatic root area, pounded)

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

3-4 pods star anise

4-5 bay leaves

1 can chicken broth (about 2 cups)

6 oz coconut soda, Coke, or Sprite

5 c filtered water (or enough to barely cover the ingredients)

2-3 carrots (peeled, cut into 1" chunks)

ACCOUTREMENT

6 12" Vietnamese bread loaves

2 sliced jalapenos

1 sliced lemon

salt and pepper

1 bunch Thai basil

Directions

Clean the meat. Add beef to a large pot and add 1 tbsp salt and enough tap water to barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil on high heat, and once it hits a boil for 30 seconds, kill the heat, drain, and rinse under running water to clean. If you haven't cut the meat into 3/4 - 1" pieces yet, do it now.

Marinate the meat. Add all marinade ingredients to the meat in a covered bowl or a bag for at least two hours, but overnight would be better.

Aromatics. Preheat a large pot on medium high. When hot, add the oil, let it warm a bit, then add all the garlic and stir to slowly saute until it turns light brown. Then add the paprika an stir until it releases its aroma, about 30 seconds.

Broth. Add all broth ingredients to the pot except the carrots. Turn the heat to high until it hits a boil, then reduce heat so it maintains a low boil. Cook until the meat is as tender as you'd like it, about 60-90 minutes. Add carrots towards the final 10 minutes so it softens. Discard the cooked onions and star anise pods.

Serve with accoutrement as shown: tearing fresh Thai basil onto your plate, taking occasional bites of jalapeno, and dipping a few pieces of meat into the salt / pepper / lemon juice side for variety.

Notes

- Made with 3.5lbs of beef chuck roast and meat was tender

- Marinated meat for 5 hours

- Used 6 cups of water instead of 8

- Used 7 carrot instead of 5 (would add even more next time depending on carrot size)

Nutrition

• Calories: 168 kcal
• Total Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 27 mg
• Sodium: 2159 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 10 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 17 g