Instant Pot Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew) Recipe
Warm and comforting bo kho (Vietnamese beef stew) in almost an instant with your Instant Pot.
Servings: 4
Calories: 423kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef chuck cubed
- 2 tbsp flour
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion cut into chunks (I used pearl onions)
- 2 small shallots peeled and halved or quartered
- 1 inch ginger sliced
- 4 cloves garlic lightly crushed
- 3 stalks lemongrass cut into 4" lengths and lightly bruised
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 cups beef stock
- 3 star anise (whole)
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 3 cloves (whole)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into 2" pieces
- 3-4 small potatoes peeled and halved or quartered
- 1 tbsp sugar or to taste
- 1-2 tbsp fish sauce or to taste
To serve
- fresh cilantro chopped
- green onions sliced
- jalapeños sliced
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Lightly pat the beef cubes dry with a clean paper towel then toss in the flour, coating each cube. Dust off the excess and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- With the Instant Pot in Sear mode on high, heat the oil in the insert. When the oil is hot, sear the beef cubes on all sides until deeply golden. Remove and set aside.
- If the pot is dry, add a bit of oil, then add the ginger slices, shallot, garlic, and lemongrass and cook, stirring, until the shallot and garlic are soft, but not brown, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and beef stock. Add the beef back in as well as the star anise, fennel, cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. It helps if you put the spices in a cheese cloth or large tea bag for easy removal later.
- Put the lid on, set the pressure to high and cook time to 35 minutes. Quick release the pressure when cooking time is completed. Give the stew a stir, then add in the potatoes and carrots and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Quick release and then stir in the sugar and fish sauce, adjusting for taste. Enjoy!
Notes
Vietnamese beef stew is rarely thickened, but if you like your stew on the slightly thicker side, make a roux from 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour. Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking until brown and rich. After seasoning the stew, whisk the roux into the stew and bring it to a simmer.
Also, if you want to put in the vegetables all at once, you can! I didn’t because I was worried that they would overcook, but if you’re looking for the ultimate in ease, just put everything at once and cook for 35 minutes on high pressure.
Nutrition
Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.8g | Protein: 40.9g | Fat: 11.4g | Saturated Fat: 3.4g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1056mg | Potassium: 1468mg | Fiber: 5.8g | Sugar: 9.5g