This is such an amazing recipe!  Bo Kho (pronounced baw-kaw) is sometimes referred to as Vietnamese beef stew.  It’s a hardy, comfort food filled with tender cubes of beef, big chunks of carrots and a zesty sauce that is absolutely BURSTING with flavours!  The exotic elements of the 5 spice blend – the lemongrass and ginger root – the star anise and bay leaves really elevate this simmering pot of goodness far above what many may think of when they picture a mundane medley of brown stuff called “stew” that comes from a can.

Bo Kho done right is a sensory work of art!  As a child in Vietnam, one of my favourite memories is waking up to the aroma of this feast filling the house.  My mouth would be watering before I could even lift my head from the pillow, so I would just lie there to savour the moment.  Picture a smiling little girl staring up at the ceiling as she anticipated the warmth of the meal, the laughter of family gathered around the table and the proud look on my big sister’s face as she filled the bowls for her eager siblings.

With a big kettle of Bo Kho on the stove, the only struggle ahead for the day was the wait.  Oh, the wonderful, tortuous wait!  It can take hours for the beef to finally achieve that “fall-off-the-bone” tenderness required to achieve perfection.  Well, no more – not since I discovered the magic of my Crock-Pot® – 6 Qt.Express Crock! And they sponsored this post to show you just how magical it is. I say magic, but maybe calling it a time machine is more accurate, thanks to the pressure cooker technology it employs.  It really speeds up the cooking time!  That is even more important when it comes to the types of beef I LOVE to include in my Bo Kho; cuts of Oxtail and beef brisket.  Oxtail is awesome for its flavour and special texture, but it’s a real patience-tester when it comes to conventional cooking times.

And, while it may sound like quite a bit of work to get all those flavour-boosting ingredients that I mentioned together, again it’s Express Crock to the rescue.  I just load that big 6 quart cooking pot up with all the goods – turn it on – and go set the table.  LOL

The 6 QT Express Crock at @WalmartCanada during Black Friday is the feature of the week starting 11/29 with rollback pricing at $59.88!

How to Video:

Servings: 6-7
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cooking Time: 1 Hour 10 minutes

List of Ingredients:
2lbs Beef Briskets (Cubed)
2lbs Beef Oxtail
1lb Carrot Chunks

3 Tbsps Minced Garlic
3 Tbsps Minced Ginger
3 Tbsps Minced Lemongrass

4-3Inch Lemongrass Stalks (Crushed)
5-6 Bay Leaves
4-5 Star Anises
1-156ml/5.5oz Can Tomato Paste

Beef Seasonings:
1 Tbsp Five Spice
3 tsps Salt
2 tsps Granulated Garlic
2 Tbsps Sugar

Broth:
6 Cups Water
3 Tbsps Hoisin Sauce
2 Tbsps Chicken Bouillon Powder
3 Tbsps Sugar

Optional: Broth Thickening Agent
3 Scoops of Broth
5 Tbsps Corn Starch

Enjoy!

Jn

Post sponsored by Crock-Pot®