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Quizzo V
Taihei Restaurant Monterey Park

B Kho Vietnamese Beef Stew

Published by Gastronomer on March 30, 2009 in Bo Kho, Family Recipe, Recipe, Soups + Stew, Vietnamese and
Vietnamese. 21 Comments

If Vietnamese noodle soups were a high school popularity contest, Pho would be crowned Homecoming King, while Bun
Bo Hue would be voted Most Likely to Succeed. B Kho, on the other hand, would probably be chilling on the grassy
knoll with the stoners; high and oblivious to the hype. Even though B Kho has yet to take the culinary world by storm, it
is still my all-time favorite noodle soup. B Kho is hearty, a bit spicy, a lot savory, and absolutely delicious.
I finally tried my hand at making B Kho with my grandma last weekend. As is the case with most of my familys recipes,
everything is prepared by feel and to taste. Since I know this dish like the back of my hand, these seemingly abstract
spicing and seasoning methods are crystal clear. However, for those unfamiliar with this particular noodle soup, Id highly
recommend getting a feel for the flavor profile at a local Vietnamese restaurant or, even better, at your Vietnamese friends
grandmas house before preparing it at home.
2.5 pounds beef shank
1/2 pound beef tendon
1 pound carrots
1 medium onion, additional for garnish

5 garlic cloves
1 shallot
1 stalk lemongrass
Vegetable oil
1 7-ounce can crushed tomatoes
B Kho powder seasoning (Three Bells or Con Voy brand)
Salt
Sugar
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Vietnamese fish sauce (Red Boat)
Cilantro
Wide rice noodles, prepared according to package

Grandma and I started our day of cooking at the Vietnamese grocery store. We picked up two beefy parts: tendon and
shank. The quantities specified above will make a huge pot of B Kho with 10 to 12 servings. If youre not cooking for a
crowd or dont appreciate ample leftovers, scale down the amount of meat.

Begin by rinsing the shank under cold water to remove any impurities. Next, trim off the thick layer of cartilage
surrounding the shank using a sharp knife. Also, trim any large pieces of cartilage within the shank and set them aside.

Cut the shank lengthwise along the grain into 1 -inch chunks and set aside.

The tendon and shank cartilage are extremely tough cuts of meat and thus require a lengthy boiling period in order to
tenderize. Boil the tendon and shank cartilage on medium-high heat for approximately an hour and a half in a
medium-sized saucepan. Skim off the scum that forms on the surface with a wire skimmer. As the water evaporates, add
in enough water to cover the entire surface of the meat.

Once the tendon and shank cartilage is suitably chewy, remove from water, chop into bite-sized chunks, and add to soup.

While the tendon is boiling away, mince the garlic and shallots, finely chop the onion, and peel and cut the carrots into
1-inch chunks. If there are any large chunks of tomatoes, make sure that they are finely chopped as well.

Cook the onions, garlic, shallots, and bruised lemongrass stalk in a tablespoon of vegetable oil on medium heat until soft
and fragrant. Add in chunks of shank and saute until the meat begins to brown on all sides, approximately 7 minutes.

Season the mixture with 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and add the crushed tomatoes along with juice. Next,
add in two tablespoons of B Kho seasoning and enough water to cover the surface of the mixture. Let it simmer on
medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes in order for the meat to absorb the plethora of seasonings.

After the simmering period, add the carrots and enough water to dilute the spicesapproximately four times more liquid
than the amount already in the pot. Season with several shots of fish sauce, a light sprinkling of MSG, and additional salt
and sugar to taste. Cook the soup on medium heat until the beef is tender and flavors have married, approximately an hour
and a half. Right before serving, do a final taste test. Add salt or fish sauce to intensify the overall flavor, or add a bit of
water to lighten the broth.

Ladle hot broth over wide rice noodles and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and thinly sliced onions. B Kho is also
traditionally eaten with a freshly toasted baguette.

Tweet

21 Responses to B Kho Vietnamese Beef Stew

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Handles
March 30, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Mmm I love this stuff. Also good with daikon which I guess you might add at the same time as the carrot.
Vivian
March 31, 2009 at 12:18 AM

I usually put half a pineapple in so that the beef is tender, and I eat this with thin egg noodle, or nui, with a lot of
chillies *yummm*.
foodhoe
March 31, 2009 at 7:31 AM
wow, I love B Kho, and I really love that this recipe is from a personal lesson with your grandmother! That is so
cool! Lovely pix too. Gotta go hunt some down for lunch
Angela
April 1, 2009 at 1:03 AM
Awesome!
my mom cooks it very well
way to go
Angela

im surprised that you can find all ingredients there

Miss.Adventure
April 1, 2009 at 4:22 AM
This looks awesome although Im slightly disappointed its not the recipe with La vache qui rit cheese..!
Hien
April 1, 2009 at 9:39 AM
best with Banh Mi (french bread)
TonyC
April 1, 2009 at 2:32 PM
and noooow i know EXACTLY where the gastronomer shops.. *stalk stalk*
Hien
April 1, 2009 at 2:39 PM
@TonyC: why didnt I think of that?
henno
April 1, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Why do grandmothers always make the best stews? Thanks for the recipe, to the detriment of my local bo kho lady
wholl be seeing less of me!
foodzings
April 1, 2009 at 8:07 PM
i love me some pho, but i love me some bo kho even more! now if only MY grandmother could make this!
Twinkle
April 17, 2009 at 1:58 PM
I love this with toasted baguette and garnished with lots of lime and basil. One of my favorites!
meemalee

April 22, 2009 at 5:38 AM

I bought some tendon the other day but wasnt sure what to do with it I will try this out boiled beef and carrots
always go well together
Jenny
June 5, 2009 at 3:56 AM
OMG i love this recipe! except ive never had it with noodles..only with bread..i feel bad for saying this but..my
exs mom makes the absolute BEST banh mi bo koh that i have ever had..she is such a great cook lol i wish i
couldve learned from her before i broke up with her son lol
Brett
July 4, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Great presentation, used your receipt today, tasted great the only problem I had was I couldnt get the beef shank
tender enough.
Brett
hgreen
February 21, 2010 at 12:44 AM
Thanks for the article MBK is also my favourite vietnamese dish the taste somehow reminds me a little of the
northern english beef stews with thick gravy that I enjoyed as a kid possibly the chunks of carrots and beef that
are similar!!!
john
March 11, 2010 at 5:59 PM
lol, no wonder those signs look familar. Thats the Vien Dong I go to as well.
Anthony
May 18, 2010 at 3:31 PM
love the blogmaking this recipe now!
Jennifer Le
January 27, 2011 at 7:05 PM
I fell inlove with Vietnamese food right after I fell inlove with my husband (or maybe at the same time). I love the
Vietnamese recipies here. They are so much like the ones handed down to us by my mother in father in-law (better
known as Ba and Me). Please publish more.
sue
June 7, 2011 at 4:06 PM
I cant seem to find con voy or three bells brand of ba kho. picture please?
Marc
January 14, 2012 at 8:27 PM
Is annato seed the primary ingredient in the powdered seasoning?
Gastronomer

January 14, 2012 at 8:50 PM

Marc - The number one ingredient listed is paprika, followed by anise, garlic, chili, onion, ginger, and cloves
Quizzo V
Taihei Restaurant Monterey Park
The Feed
Pingback on Apr 17th, 2009 at 5:06 PM
B Kho Vietnamese Beef Stew my food.love.life experiment
Pingback on Jan 4th, 2012 at 6:40 PM
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Taihei Restaurant Monterey Park

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