Pho Bo Kho

Ingredients:

• 2kg beef shank or roast chuck (cut into 3/4 – 1” pieces)
• Broth
• ½ packet of Vietnamese beef stew seasoning (~4 tbs)
• 6 cloves of garlic (roughly minced)
• 1 medium yellow onion (quartered)
• 1½ tablespoons fresh ginger (sliced)
• 1-2 stalks stalks lemon grass (~7” of the aromatic root area, pounded)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3-4 pods star anise
• 4-5 bay leaves
• 1.8ml beef broth (low sodium)
• 3 carrots (1” slices)
• 6 scallions (whites of scallion onion)
• 1½ tablespoons palm sugar
• ADDITIONAL SEASONINGS 1½ tablespoons chicken bouillon or MSG; 3 tablespoons fish sauce; ½ packet Vietnamese beef stew seasoning
• ACCOUTREMENT Vietnamese pho noodles; French baguettes (sliced); ½ white onion (thinly sliced); 1 bunch cilantro; 1 bunch Thai basil; 6 scallions (greens of the scallion onion); 1 sliced jalapeño; 1 sliced lemon; sriracha; hoisin sauce

Instructions:

• Place the beef pieces on the bottom of the Crockpot®.
• Top the beef with all your broth ingredients except the carrots.
• Turn the Crockpot on HIGH for 4 hours.
• Add the carrots halfway in the broth’s cooking time. During this time, season the broth with the chicken bouillon/MSG, fish sauce, and the rest of the Vietnamese beef stew seasoning pack. Cover and let the soup finish for the last 2 hours.
• If using dried pho noodles, add noodles to a bowl then cover with lukewarm water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and opaque.
• To cook the noodles, bring a large pot filled with water to a boil. Place noodles into boiling water and cook for about 10 seconds or until they collapse. Drain noodles then divide between bowls.
• Once the broth is done, discard the white onion chunks, star anise pods, bay leaves, and ginger.
• Pour the broth over the noodles then serve with accoutrement: squeeze some lemon juice on top and tear the fresh Thai basil, sliced green onion, and cilantro onto your bowl. Take occasional bites of jalapeño, and dip a few pieces of meat into the sriracha and/or hoisin sauce
• Fun fact, bo kho can also be done without the pho noodles and eat with just a French baguette!