The dish is traditionally made from horse meat, including almost all the offal such as intestines, liver, and kidneys, but beef and pork may also be used.

The meat and offal are cut into small pieces and mixed with special spices that are popular with the Mong people. Then all the ingredients are poured in a big pot of water and simmered over a fire for a long time.

Thắng cố is an indispensable dish at Mong ethnic markets, eaten mainly when the market closes and everyone sits around a pot of Thắng cố enjoying the speciality along with some potent corn wine.

Slaughtering a horse by the stream
Ingredients prepared for cooking 
Making a fire
The giant pot used to cook the dish
Cooking lasts about half the day
Scooping out the food into small bowls
A bowl of Thắng cố in Dong Van market cost VND20,000
Shoppers sitting around and enjoying the food with corn wine
Women and children also like the dish
An interesting experience for visitors to mountainous areas