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Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bánh Mì Bò Kho)

Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bò Kho) is a slow-braised beef stew marinated with fragrant spices such as lemongrass, ginger, and tomato paste to help reduce carcinogen formation during cooking. The beef is flavorful and braised for tenderness.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 4 people
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Ingredients
  

Beef marinade

  • 1 lb beef chuck or shank
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, minced
  • 1 Tbsp shallots, minced
  • 1 Tbsp five spice powder
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ Tbsp chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 tsp MSG
  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil

Stew

  • 1 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 5 ginger slices
  • ⅓ yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 2-3” pieces
  • 1.5 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 14.5 oz beef broth
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 3 star anise
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 carrot, cut into chunks
  • 1 potato, cut into chunks
  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp sugar

Garnish

  • Baguette
  • Mint leaves
  • Lime
  • Red onion
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
 Start Cooking 

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef with the marinade ingredients. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
    1 lb beef chuck or shank, 1 Tbsp garlic, 1 Tbsp ginger, 1 Tbsp shallots, 1 Tbsp five spice powder, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ Tbsp chicken bouillon powder, 1 tsp MSG, 1 Tbsp fish sauce
  • Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add oil if needed, then sauté the garlic, lemongrass, ginger slices, and onion for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
    1 Tbsp avocado oil, 1 tbsp garlic, 5 ginger slices, ⅓ yellow onion, 1 stalk lemongrass
  • Add the marinated beef to the pot. Sear for about 2 minutes each side, turning to brown all sides and develop color.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen the flavor.
    1.5 Tbsp tomato paste
  • Pour in the water, beef broth, red wine, star anise, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and braise for 1–2 hours, or until the beef becomes tender.
    14.5 oz beef broth, ½ cup water, ½ cup red wine, 3 star anise, 4 bay leaves
  • Add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and continue simmering for another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork-tender.
    1 carrot, 1 potato
  • Remove and discard the lemongrass, ginger, bay leaves, and star anise.
  • Stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and chili powder. Simmer uncovered for 3 mins. Adjust seasonings to taste.
    1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp sugar
  • Serve hot with steamed rice or a toasted baguette.
    Baguette, Mint leaves, Lime, Red onion, Salt and pepper
Keyword Beef, Biohacking, Nutrition
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