Bo Kho (pressure cooker)

Bo Kho (pressure cooker) is Vietnamese beef stew filled with super tender beef shank, aromatics, and a dark savory broth. It is served with Vietnamese-style French baguette or rice noodles. My favorite way is to eat it with Vietnamese baguette. I love the thin crispy crust and how the fluffy inside gets soaked in all the fragrant broth.

I’m always disappointed when I order bo kho at restaurants because my dad makes it best. While my mom typically does the day-to-day cooking, my dad likes to make special occasion dishes. I finally took the time to learn his recipe (without measurements), and I’m going to share it with y’all (with measurements)! And instead of cooking it on the stovetop, I made it with a pressure cooker.

If you’ve never used lemongrass before, here are a few tips to help. Discard the outer leaves and the tough parts opposite of the root. Chop them into 3″ pieces and then bruise them slightly with a meat tenderizer or the back of a knife to release more flavor. See photos below.

Here’s the packet of bo kho seasoning that I use. It consists of paprika, anise, garlic, chili, onion, ginger, and cloves.

More Vietnamese Recipes:

BANH CANH – A DELICIOUS PORK NOODLE SOUP WITH CHEWY NOODLES
BUN THIT NUONG – “GRILLED” LEMONGRASS PORK WITH VERMICELLI NOODLES
CHA GIO – CRISPY PORK EGG ROLLS SERVED WITH NUOC MAM

Pressure Cooker Bo Kho

Author: Phuong Le-Tran Cuisine:Vietnamese Courses:Main

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 40 minutesServings:4 servings

Description

Bo Kho (pressure cooker) is Vietnamese beef stew filled with super tender beef shank, aromatics, and a dark savory broth. It is served with Vietnamese-style French baguette or rice noodles.

Ingredients

• 3 pound beef shank, cut into 1/2″ pieces

Marinade

• 3 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon bo kho seasoning (paprika, anise, garlic, chili, onion, ginger, clove)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Aromatics

• 4 lemongrass stalks, chopped into 2-3″ segments and smashed to release flavor
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 6 wedges
• 2″ ginger, peeled and sliced into 3 big pieces

Broth

• 56 fl oz coconut water
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon chicken bouillon or mushroom bouillon
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon bo kho seasoning
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar (add more if you like it sweeter)
• 3-4 carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Serve with

• Toasted Vietnamese-style French baguette or rice noodles
• Thai basil or culantro (sawtooth herb)

Instructions

1. Combine beef shank with marinade ingredients. Let it sit while you prepare all the other ingredients. 
2. Turn pressure cooker on sauté mode, after 30 seconds, add sesame oil w/ ginger, lemongrass, onion and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and stir for 20 seconds. 
3. Add canola oil, add beef, stir and brown the meat. 
4. Turn off sauté mode. Add coconut water, water, bouillon, bo kho seasoning, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, salt, and sugar.
5. High pressure cook 25 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes and then manually vent. Open the lid, remove and discard the lemongrass and ginger.
6.  Turn on sauté mode, add carrots, taste and adjust broth if needed. 
7. Continue cooking until carrots are soft, 10-15 minutes. Serve with Vietnamese baguette or rice noodles and herbs. 

Video

Keywords:Vietnamese beef stew, beef stew, bo kho, pressure cooker bo kho