Bò kho
Southern Vietnamese beef stew with lemongrass, star anise and annatto, simmered in coconut water until the beef is soft, then eaten with a baguette or rice noodles and Thai basil.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Rest
- 1 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 55 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Treat yourself$28+ USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Bò kho is a beef stew that tastes of lemongrass and star anise, red-orange from annatto oil and tomato, and gently sweet from coconut water. Chuck or shin is cut into big cubes, marinated with lemongrass, garlic, shallot, ginger, five-spice and fish sauce, browned, then simmered for about two hours with whole spices until it falls apart. Carrots go in for the last half hour. The sauce stays loose rather than thick. In the south it is breakfast, mopped up with a crusty baguette; it is just as good over rice noodles or with plain rice. Squeeze lime over it and add plenty of Thai basil.
What you'll need
21 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Beef
- Braise
- To serve
Ingredients
Beef
- Beef, chuck, shin or brisket with some tendon, in 4 cm cubes1.2 kg
- Lemongrass, 2 stalks minced for the marinade, 2 bruised and knotted for the pot4
- Garlic, minced4 clove
- Shallot, minced3
- Ginger, grated20 g
- Chinese five-spice9.9 ml
- Fish sauce44 ml
- Sugar15 ml
- Black pepper4.9 ml
Braise
- Neutral oil44 ml
- Achiote, annatto seeds, for the oil15 ml
- Tomato purée, tomato paste30 ml
- Coconut water, unsweetened500 ml
- Water750 ml
- Carrot, in thick chunks3 medium
To serve
Choose one
Baguette, warm, or 400 g rice noodles2- Thai basil1 bunch
- Lime, in wedges2
- Fresh chilli, sliced2
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Mix the beef with the minced lemongrass, garlic, shallot, ginger, five-spice, fish sauce, sugar and pepper. Marinate for at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge.
60 min
Step 2
Warm the oil with the annatto seeds in a heavy pot over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it turns deep red-orange. Lift out the seeds and throw them away.
4 min
Watch: Annatto burns quickly at high heat and turns bitter. Keep it low.
Step 3
Turn up the heat and brown the beef in two batches, shaking off the marinade first, about 4 minutes a batch. Return all the beef with the leftover marinade and the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes.
12 min
Step 4
Add the star anise, cinnamon, bruised lemongrass, coconut water and water. Bring to the boil, skim, cover and simmer gently for an hour and a half, stirring now and then.
95 min
Step 5
Add the carrots and simmer half-covered for 30 to 40 minutes more, until the beef is very tender and the carrots are soft. Taste and adjust with fish sauce and sugar, and fish out the lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon.
40 min
Step 6
Serve in bowls with Thai basil, lime and chilli, and warm baguette torn for dipping, or ladle it over rice noodles.
5 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 723 kcal
- Protein
- 58.2 g
- Carbs
- 30.6 g
- Fat
- 39.5 g
- Saturated fat
- 13.5 g
- Fibre
- 5.1 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 1299 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Fish
- Wheat
- Dairy-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Annatto seeds → 1 tsp sweet paprika
Stir it into the oil off the heat. It gives the colour but not the faint earthy taste.
Baguette → Rice noodles or steamed rice
Bò kho over flat rice noodles is just as common, and it makes the dish gluten-free.
Tips
- Cuts with tendon and connective tissue, like shin or brisket, give the silky sauce. Lean stewing steak dries out.
- It is better the next day. Chill it, lift off the fat, and reheat gently.
- Dip the beef into a saucer of salt, pepper and lime juice as you eat, the Saigon way.
History & culture
Bò kho is a Saigon breakfast, sold from street carts and small shops early in the morning with bánh mì for dipping. Families also make a big pot for weekends and holidays. Bowls come with a saucer of salt, pepper and lime for dipping the beef, and a plate of Thai basil and sawtooth herb.
Bò kho brings together the French habit of beef stew with bread, Chinese five-spice and star anise, and the southern Vietnamese taste for lemongrass and coconut. It probably took its current shape in the 20th century, once colonial rule had made beef and baguettes common in Saigon. It is often compared to boeuf bourguignon, which it resembles only in method.
Traditional — Saigon cooks often thicken the sauce lightly with a spoon of tapioca starch, and many use ready-mixed bò kho spice packets from the market. Coconut water is common in the south but not universal; some use plain water.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Bò kho take?
3 hr 55 min all in — 25 min prep, 2 hr 30 min cook, 1 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Fish, Wheat. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free.
10 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Treat yourself — about $28+ USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Mixing bowl, Chef's knife, Cutting board.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list salt as its own ingredient. Saltiness comes from Fish sauce — 3 tbsp. Taste at the end rather than adding a number we did not write.
How much fish sauce?
3 tbsp of Fish sauce.
How much sugar?
1 tbsp of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Annatto seeds → 1 tsp sweet paprika. Stir it into the oil off the heat. It gives the colour but not the faint earthy taste. Baguette → Rice noodles or steamed rice. Bò kho over flat rice noodles is just as common, and it makes the dish gluten-free.
What should I watch for?
Annatto burns quickly at high heat and turns bitter. Keep it low.
Any tips from this recipe?
Cuts with tendon and connective tissue, like shin or brisket, give the silky sauce. Lean stewing steak dries out. It is better the next day. Chill it, lift off the fat, and reheat gently. Dip the beef into a saucer of salt, pepper and lime juice as you eat, the Saigon way.
Can I prepare this ahead?
It is better the next day. Chill it, lift off the fat, and reheat gently. Mix the beef with the minced lemongrass, garlic, shallot, ginger, five-spice, fish sauce, sugar and pepper. Marinate for at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge. Turn up the heat and brown the beef in two batches, shaking off the marinade first, about 4 minutes a batch. Return all the beef with the leftover marinade and the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
Similar dishes
Phở bò
Vietnamese beef noodle soup: a long, clear-ish broth, rice noodles, herbs, and a table full of finishing flavours.
A bit of work
Bánh mì
A Vietnamese baguette — crackly crust, pâté or mayo, pickles, herbs, chilli, and a filling that is not 'an Asian sub'.
Easy
Lemongrass beef stew with noodles
Lemongrass beef stew with noodles from Thailand.
A bit of work
Bún bò Huế
A central Vietnamese beef-and-lemongrass noodle soup — thicker noodles, a redder broth, and more chilli than phở.
A bit of workHot