Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bo Kho)

Fork-tender beef mingles with fragrant lemongrass and spices in this comforting dinner. (Jennifer McGruther)

Perfumed with star anise, cinnamon, lemongrass, and lime leaf, this Vietnamese-style beef stew recipe makes a delicious cold-weather meal. Tender grass-fed beef and sweet chunks of carrots make it a filling dinner. Serve with a baguette and plenty of fresh herbs and Thai chiles.

Bo Kho

Serves 6

For the Beef

• 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cubed
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
• 4 lemongrass stalks, inner core only, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Annatto Oil (optional)

• 3 tablespoons avocado oil (or other neutral-flavored oil)
• 1 tablespoon annatto seeds

For the Stew

• 4 medium shallots, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 cups bone broth
• 2 cups coconut water
• 2 Thai chiles
• 2 star anise pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 makrut lime leaves
• 3 large carrots, cut into wedges

To Serve

• Thai basil
• Limes, quartered
• Cilantro
• Mint
• Thai chiles, chopped

Seasoning the beef: Add the cubed chuck roast to a medium mixing bowl, and then stir in the fish sauce, five-spice powder, chopped lemongrass, grated ginger, garlic, coconut palm sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined, and let it sit while you prepare the annatto oil.

Preparing the annatto oil: Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil. Stir in the annatto seeds and let them cook in the oil for about 3 minutes, then strain. Return the oil to the Dutch oven and discard the annatto seeds.

Preparing the stew: Working in batches, brown the marinated beef on all sides—about 6 minutes. Remove the browned beef from the pan using a slotted spoon.

Add the shallots to the pan, and cook until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Next, return the beef to the Dutch oven, and then stir in the tomato paste. Continue cooking for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour in the broth and coconut water, taking care to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of your pan. Add the Thai chiles, star anise, and lime leaves to the pot. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour.

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After an hour, stir in the carrots and continue cooking, uncovered, for a further 30 to 45 minutes, or until the carrots and beef are tender and the broth thickens slightly. Adjust seasoning with salt, and then pluck out the star anise, cinnamon, and lime leaf.

Serve warm with plenty of fresh herbs and chopped Thai chiles. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.