Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

Bo luc lac, or shaking beef, is one of Vietnam’s great contributions to the global table. The name comes from the motion of shaking the wok to flip the beef cubes. The dish itself is a product of French-Vietnamese culinary history. Tender cubes of beef, marinated briefly in soy sauce, garlic.

Sugar, hit a screaming hot wok and develop a deep caramelized crust while staying pink and juicy inside. It is a dish that demands high heat and a light touch, cooking in about two minutes total. The presentation is simple. The seared beef goes directly onto a bed of peppery watercress or arugula, dressed with nothing more than thinly sliced red onion, lime juice, and salt.

The heat from the beef just barely wilts the greens, and the lime-pepper dipping sauce is awesome. Every time. Use tenderloin if you want melt-in-your-mouth texture, or sirloin for something with a bit more chew and beefy flavor at a lower price point. Either way, cut the cubes a full inch thick so they can take the high heat without overcooking. The 30-minute marinade is enough to season the meat through. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and make sure every bite gets some of those peppery greens.

How to Make Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

Marinate the Beef

Cut the beef into one-inch cubes. Tenderloin gives the most tender result, but sirloin is more affordable and works very well as long as you do not overcook it.

Toss the cubes with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic, and black pepper.

Let them sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. The marinade needs time to penetrate, and room-temperature beef sears better than cold beef. Cold meat drops the pan temperature and steams instead of browning.

Sear in a Smoking-Hot Wok

This is the most important step. Heat oil in a wok or heavy skillet over the absolute highest heat your stove can produce.

Wait until the oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke. Add the beef cubes in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan.

If your wok is small, work in two batches. Let the beef sit without touching it for a full minute. The bottom will form a dark, caramelized crust.

Then shake the wok sharply to flip the cubes and sear the other side for one more minute. This gives you medium-rare. Go longer if you prefer.

Plate on Watercress and Serve

Arrange the watercress or arugula and thinly sliced red onion on a platter or individual plates.

Pile the seared beef on top while it is still hot. The heat from the beef will slightly wilt the greens underneath, which is intentional.

Mix the lime-pepper dipping sauce: just lime juice, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Drizzle it over the beef or serve it on the side for dipping.

Have steamed rice ready. The blend of hot beef, cool greens, tangy dip, and plain rice is exactly right.

Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

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5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Jessie Chien
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

Bo luc lac (shaking beef) is named for the technique of shaking the wok while the beef cubes sear in high heat. Tender cubes of beef marinated in soy, garlic, and sugar, seared until caramelized on the outside and rare inside, served on a bed of watercress with a lime-pepper dipping sauce. It is a French-Vietnamese fusion dish that has been a restaurant favorite for decades.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 lbs beef tenderloin or sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 bunch watercress or arugula
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Steamed rice

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Instructions

1. Toss the beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic, and pepper. Marinate 30 minutes.
2. Make the dipping sauce: mix lime juice, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat oil in a wok over the highest heat possible until smoking. Add the beef in a single layer — do not crowd. Sear without moving for 1 minute, then shake the wok to flip the cubes. Sear 1 more minute for medium-rare.
4. Arrange watercress and sliced red onion on a platter. Top with the seared beef. Drizzle with the lime-pepper sauce. Serve with rice.

Notes

• The wok must be screaming hot and the beef must go in as a single layer. Crowding steams the meat instead of searing it.
• Beef tenderloin gives the most tender result, but sirloin is more affordable and still excellent with a proper sear.
• The watercress or arugula wilts slightly under the hot beef, creating a warm salad effect that is the hallmark of this dish.

• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 420
• Sugar: 6
• Sodium: 780
• Fat: 22
• Carbohydrates: 8
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 40
• Cholesterol: 110