Vietnamese National Dishes

Thắng cố: Hmong horse and offal stew from Hà Giang

A long-simmered northern Vietnamese mountain stew of horse meat, cleaned offal, bones and fragrant spices. This home version keeps the defining horse-meat broth while using inspected, butcher-cleaned offal and a measured schedule. Hmong households and highland markets prepare Thắng cố in different ways, and modern versions may use beef, buffalo or pork. Serve the stew hot and let everyone gather around the pot.

Vietnamese National Dishes
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A steaming communal pot of Thắng cố on a wooden highland table, served with grilled corn cakes.
A wide table view of Thắng cố served hot with highland corn accompaniments.
Yield 6 servings
Cook time 3 hours 55 minutes
Passive time 0 minutes
Total time 4 hours 45 minutes
Calories about 330 kcal per serving
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Thắng cố: Hmong horse and offal stew from Hà Giang

Thắng cố is associated with Hmong food culture in Hà Giang and Vietnam’s northern highlands. Its character comes from a long-cooked meat and bone broth, a mix of meat and offal, and warm spices such as star anise, black cardamom and cinnamon. Households and market cooks use different combinations, so there is no single standardized formula. This version is a practical home interpretation, not a claim to reproduce every local tradition.

The broth needs time to develop, but the method is straightforward: simmer the bones with aromatics, brown the meat, then let the stew cook gently until the tougher pieces soften. Adding the liver near the end keeps it from breaking apart while still cooking it thoroughly. Ask a reputable butcher for inspected horse meat and cleaned offal that is ready to cook. A fully beef-based version is a modern alternative for cooks who cannot find horse meat or do not eat it.

Practical

Practical

  • What makes this version workUse butcher-cleaned tripe and heart, and keep them cold until they go into the pot. Simmer gently so the broth stays clear and the meat becomes tender without drying out. Add liver later than the other cuts; cook all offal thoroughly. Strain the broth before adding the meat for a cleaner, more balanced bowl. Keep the pot hot when serving, with rice, men men or grilled corn cakes on the side.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Broth and meat

  • 1 kg horse soup bones, from a reputable inspected butcher
  • 900 g boneless horse shoulder or stew meat, cut into 3 cm pieces
  • 250 g horse heart, cleaned by the butcher and cut into 2 cm pieces
  • 250 g horse tripe, thoroughly cleaned and ready to cook, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 150 g horse liver, cleaned and cut into 2 cm pieces
  • 3 L cold water
  • 200 g yellow onion, halved
  • 50 g fresh ginger, sliced
  • 2 lemongrass stalks (about 80 g), bruised
  • 8 g fine salt, divided
  • 30 ml fish sauce

Spice sachet and serving

  • 3 whole star anise
  • 2 black cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 cinnamon stick (about 5 g)
  • 2 g mak khen (Zanthoxylum rhetsa), optional
  • 20 ml neutral oil
  • 15 g fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 10 g fresh chili, sliced, optional
Method

Method

Method

  1. Keep the meat and offal refrigerated until needed. Use inspected, butcher-cleaned offal; do not use raw blood. Put the star anise, cardamom, cinnamon and optional mak khen in a spice sachet. In a dry pan, char the cut sides of the onion and ginger until lightly browned.

  2. Put the bones in a stockpot and cover with 3 L cold water. Bring just to a boil and skim the foam. Lower the heat and simmer gently, partly covered, for 2 hours. Add the onion, ginger, lemongrass and spice sachet for the final 45 minutes. Strain the broth and return it to the pot; discard the bones and spent aromatics.

  3. Pat the horse meat and heart dry. Heat the oil in a wide pan and brown them in batches. Transfer them to the strained broth with the cleaned tripe. Simmer gently, partly covered, for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat, heart and tripe are tender. Add a little hot water only if needed to keep the ingredients mostly covered.

  4. Add the liver and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring gently. Stir in the fish sauce and remaining salt. Check the stew is simmering evenly and use a clean thermometer to confirm at least 74°C in several central places. The liver and all offal must be steaming hot throughout, with no raw or pink centre. Continue simmering if needed.

  5. Ladle the stew into warmed bowls and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately with men men, grilled corn cakes or rice, plus sliced chili if you like. Keep the main pot hot while serving.

  6. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours at or below 4°C and use within 3 days. Reheat only once to 74°C throughout, stirring to eliminate cool spots. Discard stew left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Practical

Practical

Serving, storage and substitutions

Serve the stew piping hot from a warmed pot, with men men, grilled corn cakes or rice. Cilantro and sliced chili add freshness at the table. Since the stew includes several cuts, offer a little of each in every bowl. Use an all-beef combination of stew meat, heart, tripe and liver if horse meat is unavailable or not eaten. This is a practical contemporary variation, not the traditional Hmong horse-meat version. Mak khen can be omitted if you cannot find it; the broth will still be fragrant from the other spices. Cool leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, refrigerate at or below 4°C and eat within 3 days. Reheat once to 74°C throughout. Do not leave the pot warm on the table for longer than 2 hours after serving.

Troubleshooting

The broth tastes flat: Simmer the spice sachet for its full 45 minutes, then adjust salt and fish sauce gradually. The meat is still chewy: Keep the stew at a gentle simmer and give the meat and tripe more time; toughness is a texture cue, not a reason to raise the heat sharply. The liver falls apart: Add it later and stir carefully. Keep the pieces about 2 cm so they hold together while cooking through. The broth is too rich: Skim the surface before serving and balance each bowl with cilantro and a small amount of chili.

Frequently asked questions

What does Thắng cố mean? The name is often translated as “meat soup.” It refers to a highland stew associated with Hmong communities and commonly made with horse meat, offal and warming spices. Can I use beef instead of horse meat? Yes. A fully beef-based mix of stew meat and cleaned offal is a practical modern alternative when horse meat is unavailable or not eaten. The traditional version is associated with horse meat. What should I serve with it? Men men (steamed ground corn), grilled corn cakes or rice are all suitable. Serve small bowls of chili and fresh cilantro so each person can adjust their bowl.

Nutrition per serving

These are estimates for the stew alone, without rice, corn cakes or men men. Horse-meat cuts, offal species, broth extraction, rendered fat and fish-sauce brands can change the values.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving sizeabout one-sixth of the stew, including meat, offal and broth
  • Caloriesabout 330 kcal
  • Carbohydrate6 g
  • Protein50 g
  • Fat11 g
  • Fibre1 g
  • Sodiumabout 1,050 mg
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Fish sauce contains fish. Keep raw meat and offal refrigerated and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Buy inspected offal already cleaned and ready to cook; do not rinse raw meat. Wash and sanitize hands, boards, knives and surfaces after raw-meat contact. Simmer the mixed stew evenly and check at least 74°C in several central places with a clean thermometer. Liver and all offal must be steaming hot throughout and fully cooked. Chill leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours at or below 4°C and reheat once to 74°C throughout.

Bring everyone to the table

Bring everyone to the table

  • Ask the butcher to clean the offal before purchase.
  • Set the timer for the broth and add the liver only near the end.
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