Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Vietnamese Bo Kho Beef and Carrot Stew
越式香料紅蘿蔔燉牛肉
Recipe overview
Lemongrass, star anise and tomato paste give this beef stew its warm aroma and red broth. Small chuck cubes shorten cooking; 95 minutes is a guide and the meat must be fork-tender.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 700 g Beef chuck
- 350 g Carrot
- 150 g Onion
- 30 g Lemongrass
- 15 g Garlic
- 15 g Ginger
Beef marinade
- 20 ml Fish sauce
- 8 g Sugar
- 2 g Five-spice powder
Cooking oil
- 20 ml Neutral oil
Soup seasoning
- 40 g Tomato paste
- 2 Star anise
- 1 x 4 cm Cinnamon stick
- 900 ml Low-salt beef stock
02
Tools
- Heavy lidded pot
- Board and knife
- Bowl and wooden spoon
- Fork and ladle
03
Steps
Step 1
Cut beef
Trim thick tough membranes from chuck, cut into 2.5 cm cubes and pat dry.
Step 2
Marinate 15 minutes
Mix beef with fish sauce, sugar and five-spice; refrigerate 15 minutes while cutting vegetables.
Step 3
Prepare aromatics
Dice onion, mince garlic and slice ginger; bruise lemongrass and cut into 8 cm lengths.
Step 4
Cut carrots
Peel carrots and cut into 2 cm chunks; reserve in a bowl for later.
Step 5
Brown beef
Heat oil over medium-high and brown beef in two batches for 8 minutes total; remove.
Step 6
Fry stew base
On medium heat, stir onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and tomato paste in the pot for 2 minutes.
Step 7
Add stock
Return beef, add stock, star anise and cinnamon; scrape browned juices from the bottom and bring to a boil in about 5 minutes.
Step 8
Simmer one hour
Cover and simmer on low for 60 minutes, checking every 20 minutes; liquid should bubble gently and cover most meat.
Step 9
Add carrots
Add carrots, cover and simmer 20 minutes until a fork passes through them.
Step 10
Check tenderness
Beef must separate under gentle fork pressure; if tough, remove tender carrots and continue in 10-minute intervals until soft.
Step 11
Remove whole spices
Remove lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon; return any reserved carrots and warm through.
Step 12
Serve bowls
The broth should lightly coat a spoon but remain pourable; stir and divide among 4 bowls.
Common mistakes
- Lean steak dries during braising; use chuck.
- Crowding releases water; brown in two batches.
- Hard boiling dries meat and reduces stock; keep gentle bubbles.
- Time alone cannot ensure tenderness; check with a fork.
Tips
The 95-minute estimate assumes 2.5 cm chuck cubes; tougher meat needs longer, and larger pieces cannot keep the same timing. Remove carrots before extending the simmer. If liquid runs low, add a little hot water to keep most beef submerged. Lemongrass and whole spices flavour the broth only; remove them all before serving.
