Keto Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bo Kho)

This Easy Bo Kho Instant Pot Recipe is a healthy twist from the traditional beef stew Vietnamese style with tomato paste and fresh lemongrass. Make this delicious Vietnamese beef stew 越式蕃茄燉牛肉(生酮飲食) in just 30 minutes! Enjoy it alone for a low-carb, Keto-friendly meal, with rice noodles soup or dipped in crusty Vietnamese baguettes!

Jump to:

• Vietnamese Braised Beef Brisket
• How to Make a Keto Beef Stew Bo Kho Recipe?
• Vietnamese Tomato Beef Stew Ingredients and Substitutions
• What Best Cut of Beef To Use For Braised Brisket?
• How Do I Make My Brisket Tender?
• Tenderizing Beef Rough Flank in an Instant Pot
• How To Make Instant Pot Vietnamese Beef Stew Recipe
• What To Serve With Authentic Vietnamese Beef Stew
• Keto Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bo Kho)

Vietnamese Braised Beef Brisket 

Bo Kho, a Vietnamese beef stew recipe, is different from American beef stew. 

French style beef stews in Vietnamese cooking have a European flair due to their French influence. The aromatic Vietnamese beef stew is similar to Chinese Hong Kong-style Chinese Braised Beef Brisket and Tendon Recipe 柱侯蘿蔔炆牛筋腩. 

Herbs and spices used include star anise, lemongrass, cloves, cinnamon, ginger instead of thyme, Herb de Provence, and Oregon. 

Authentic Vietnamese Bo Kho is rich and aromatically flavoured with tomato paste, lemongrass, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon and Vietnamese beef stew seasoning. Another main ingredient is coconut water.

Since beef stew Vietnamese styles are usually thick and rich, this versatile dish can be eaten alone, over rice, or dipped in French bread loaves typically used in Banh Mi. Like Bun Bo Hue, this stew can be enjoyed thinned out with more beef broth as beef noodle soup!

How to Make a Keto Beef Stew Bo Kho Recipe?

However, suppose you are on a ketosis diet plan and require a lighter low-carb meal. In that case, the traditional Bò Kho recipe made with tomato paste and added sugar is not keto-friendly and will not fit into your keto diet or ketogenic lifestyle. 

Instead, I highly recommend making a simple beef stew recipe with no added sugar like the following in the pressure cooker (I use THIS one!). 

Similar to the Hong Kong Style Beef Brisket in Clear Broth 清湯牛腩, this simple keto meal prep beef stew recipe will definitely satisfy your craving while maintaining that lazy keto diet plan! 

Stews are effortless to make, and I never just make small batches! 

It is such a great dish to make, especially when you have an Instant Pot or a slow cooker like Crock-pot. 

Who doesn't like enjoying a large bowl of fork-tender meat with lots of veggies?

Vietnamese Tomato Beef Stew Ingredients and Substitutions

Substitute a few of the main ingredients to turn this traditional beef stew into a comforting and nourishing beef stew that works into a low-carb, high-protein keto meal prep for the week with little effort!

It's all about adding keto-friendly vegetables and your favourite protein! 

• Beef Brisket, Beef Shank or Beef Finger Meat
• Beef Tendons (optional but very satisfying)
• Red Carrots
• White Daikon Radish
• Celery and celery leaves (optional)
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Onion - Yellow or Red Onion
• Tomatoes
• Fresh Lemongrass - Fresh lemongrass is tough. Discard the dry outer layer and only use the tender center. With the back of the knife black, smash it a few times to help release its oils and natural flavours. You may opt to use lemongrass paste.
• Gia Vi Vietnamese Special Spice for Pho (Ingredients: Star Anise, Cloves, Cinnamon, Ginger, Spice). This pre-grounded spice pack is terrific because you can save and not have to grind together all the spices, such as a cinnamon stick.)
• Dark Soy Sauce
• Hoisin Sauce
• Fish Sauce
• Shaoxing Wine
• Chicken Broth
• Coconut Water
• Kosher Salt
• Ground White Pepper
• Paprika
• Rock Sugar or Brown Sugar (optional if you are not following a ketogenic lifestyle)
• Vegetable Oil

What Best Cut of Beef To Use For Braised Brisket?

I love using finger meat, aka boneless short rib 牛坑腩 - the finger-like strips between the individual beef ribs to make the best Bo Kho Vietnamese braised beef. Tendering and marinating fingermeat is an immensely satisfying beef finger meat recipe. 

The following is another cut of beef that I've tried and tested to recreate that outstanding tender and juicy beef brisket recipe with daikon in the pressure cooker or slow cooker.

Flat-Cut Beef Rough Flank

Flat-cut beef rough flank (Niú nǎn in Mandarin or Ngau lam in Cantonese) is the best beef cut for this slow cooking process. Although it is a rough flank full of connective tissues, it also has a layer of fat protecting the lean meat making this meat super tender after braising! 

Beef Oxtail

Oxtail, the cow's tail, is delicious and releases superb rich flavours when stewed or braised. Cut into thick pieces or chunks.

Beef Chuck

Chuck steak is a large sub-prime cut of beef that is often filled with connective tissue, bones, and meat. 

Often, it is used for beef roasts and slow braising. I do not prefer this beef cut but will use it if it is what I have in the kitchen.

Remember to trim off excess fat as much as possible. By trimming excess fat, you will avoid a greasy dish or the need to skim off a layer of fat from the beef stew at the end of cooking.

How Do I Make My Brisket Tender?

The Instant Pot is so unique. It helps tenderize, soften, and stew even the most challenging cut of meat in minutes! The high-pressure cooker temperature will break down the beef briskets' connective tissues, transforming and softening a tough brisket into tender, juicy meaty bites.

Tenderizing Beef Rough Flank in an Instant Pot

One of the questions we always get is how long it takes to cook brisket in an Instant Pot? 

A general rule is to plan on 45 to 60 minutes per pound cooking beef brisket on the stovetop. 

Since it is a tough cut of meat full of sinewy tendons and connective tissue, you will need hours to render that delicious soft texture. However, when you cook braised beef brisket in the Instant Pot, you only need a fraction of the time.

This shortcut pressure cooker method only takes 20 to 30 minutes to achieve that fork-tender braised brisket. Because who really wants to cook beef brisket for six hours? 

How To Make Instant Pot Vietnamese Beef Stew Recipe

Before cooking the brisket and tendons, always remember to

parboil and blanch the brisket and tendons in a big pot of boiling water to remove the impurities for approximately 5 minutes. Rinse off the white foam from the parboiled meat under cold water.

You may skip this step if you prefer to marinate the meat beforehand. Marinating the beef will add extra flavour and help tenderize the meat. However, it is unnecessary as you will be cooking in a pressure cooker.

If you are using a sub-prime cut, you can tenderize the meat with a can of coconut soda, coke or sprite. 

Cut the beef brisket and tendons into large chunks approximately 3 inches thick. The meat will shrink a lot in size after being braised. If the tendons are still too tough to cut, you can place it whole into the Instant Pot and cut it afterwards.

Heat vegetable oil on Saute Mode in the Instant Pot - when Instant Pot reaches the given working temperature, it displays "Hot" and you can start sautéing).

First, add aromatics like garlic, ginger onions and lemongrass and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Once you smell the fragrant aromatics, it is time to brown the meat.

Next, add parboiled or marinated beef finger meat short ribs and beef tendons into the Instant Pot. 

Browned beef or seared beef is an essential step for various reasons. It locks in the natural juices in the beef cubes. The charred bits on the sides and bottom of the pan also improve this delicious stew's flavour complexity. Browning beef creates the best results. Taste test it for yourself! 

Once all the brisket and tendons are evenly browned, combine beef and tomatoes and add root vegetables such as carrots and white radish daikons. 

Add stewing marinade ingredients and cooking liquid such as chicken broth, coconut water, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, and Hoisin Sauce. This will be the base for the rich broth!

Mix well with kitchen tongs. 

Close and lock the Instant Pot cover and set pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, followed by natural release.

If the delicious Vietnamese pot of stew broth appears too thin, reduce the cooking liquid by setting the Instant Pot on Saute Mode and giving it a gentle simmer for two to five minutes to desired consistency.

Garnish with cilantro, scallions, Thai basil, lime wedges and lime leaves.

Pro Tip: Skim off excess layer of fat in the large pot. 

I recommend preparing enough beef to make a lazy keto meal prep for the week.

Comfort food leftovers taste better the next day as the flavours continue to develop overnight.

What To Serve With Authentic Vietnamese Beef Stew 

• Low-calorie flatbread or tortillas
• Vietnamese baguettes
• Rice Pho Noodles
• Vegan Fish Sauce Vietnamese Nước Chấm (easy) 
• Egg-Free Crispy Vietnamese Pancake Crepe (Bánh Xèo)
• Phnom Penh Cambodian Fried Chicken Wings

Did you make this Keto-Friendly Low Carb Vietnamese Beef Stew Pressure Cooker with Daikon Recipe? I'd love to see how you went with my recipes! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS

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