Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)

1 hours 20 mins Prep Time

10 mins Cook Time

Written By

Vicky Tran

Bo luc lac or Vietnamese shaking beef gets its name from the fact that the beef is "shaken" in the pan during cooking. "Luc lac" is sort of a Vietnamese onomatopoeia that doesn't literally mean shaking but rather refers to the sound that something makes when shaken. Semantics aside, this dish could not be easier to prepare. The beef is marinated in a sweet and salty marinade, then seared and rounded out with a simple dipping sauce made of lime juice, salt and pepper. The entire mixture is the topper for a bed of peppery watercress, juicy tomatoes and sweet sliced onions. The key here is to ensure that the beef comes hot off of the pan onto the vegetable base right away as the heat from the cooked meat wilts the greens just enough to make them tender, but not enough to turn them to mulch. It's a harmonious balance of sturdy greens yielding just enough to previously sizzling beef, in addition to bright citrus and pepper dipping sauce that makes this dish a winner all around.

Ingredients

Bo Luc Lac

1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin or tenderloin, cut into 3/4"-inch cubes
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil (as needed)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
2 bunches watercress, washed and trimmed of tough stems
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 limes, juiced

Directions

Bo Luc Lac

5 Steps

Step 1

In a mixing bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, Maggi seasoning, sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic and sliced shallots, stir to combine. Add in the cubed beef and mix to coat. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
Step 2

Before cooking, assemble the salad base. On a platter, layer the washed watercress, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion and set aside.
Step 3

Preheat a wide skillet or cast iron pan over high heat. Add in the vegetable oil then all of the marinated beef mixture, spread into one single layer and sear (it may be necessary to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding) “shake” or turn the beef over after about 1 minute to ensure all sides are seared.
Step 4

Once both sides of the beef have been seared, remove the pan from the heat and immediately add in about 1/4 of the lime juice, scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the browned bits. Top the prepared salad base with cooked beef mixture.
Step 5

In a small bowl, combine the remaining lime juice with the kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Serve immediately alongside the beef and watercress.