59. Bò kho

or beef stew or boeuf bourguignon

The sauciest, tastiest, and best “beef stew” your taste buds will ever experience.

What you’ll need:

1 lb of beef chuck

1 lb of beef shank or short ribs

Marinade:

2 tsp of salt (or 1 tsp of salt per pound of meat)

2 tbsp of bo kho marinade

2 stalks of lemongrass, minced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, half chopped and half thinly sliced

2 stalks of lemongrass, slightly smashed

3 carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch coin

Broth seasoning:

1 tsp of paprika

2 tbsps of tomato paste

2 tbsps of ketchup

2 tbsps of soy sauce

1 tbsp of fish sauce

3 tbsps of Bo kho seasoning

2 star anise

2 bay leaves

2 tbsps of water or chicken broth

Cornstarch slurry:

1 tbsp of cornstarch

1 tbsp of water

Accoutrement:

1/2 white onion, thinly sliced

1-2 limes, wedged

sliced jalapenos

Thai basil

You can find this Bo kho seasoning on Amazon or any Asian grocery stores.

What you’ll do

1. The night before, cube the chuck into large chunks and place them in a bowl (with a lid) or large ziploc bag. Add the marinating ingredients and mix well.

   * Make sure to use the white end of the lemongrass and peel the tough outer skin before mincing it.

2. Keep the marinating meat in the fridge until ready to cook.

3. When you’re ready to cook, in a large pot, heat up some olive oil on medium high heat, and add in the tomato paste. Cook for 2 mins.

4. Add the meat and combine the meat well with the tomato paste.

5. Add in the broth, seasoning, as well as the aromatics (lemongrass, and chopped yellow onions). Allow for the broth to come to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to lowest setting. Cook for 2 hours.

   *You can also cook in the oven with the lid on at 325F for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

6. Once finished, turn the heat up to medium high, and season to taste with salt as needed.

7. Add in the carrots and cooked for 15-20 mins or until the carrots are tender.

8. Make the cornstarch slurry by combining corn starch and water. Stir the mixture until well-combined and without any lumps.

9. Stir in the slurry until you can do the nappe to the spoon, aka thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

   

10. Serve in a bowl with a few slices of onion and basil leaves on top, a lime wedge, and a toasty baguette or rice or noodles!

    

xoxo