Bo Luc Lac Recipe (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)

Bo luc lac, or Vietnamese shaking beef, is one of my favorite beef dishes. We're talking tender cubes of filet mignon seared quickly in a smoking hot wok, then tossed with red onion, scallions, garlic and a tangy, savory glaze. Pile it up over peppery watercress and dunk each bite into a sharp little bowl of lime juice, salt and black pepper. It's rich, satisfying, and ridiculously fast to make.

My version comes from Charles Phan's cookbook Vietnamese Home Cooking. Phan made shaking beef famous at The Slanted Door in San Francisco. I lightened it a bit for home cooks, which I'll explain below.

It's a perfect weeknight meal, my friends, but it feels like a restaurant night out. Let's talk about how to make it.

Jump to: Lime Pepper Dipping Sauce · What to Serve · Recipe

What is Bo Luc Lac?

Bo luc lac (bò lúc lắc) is a Vietnamese dish of cubed beef that you marinate, sear over very high heat, then toss with onions and a savory sauce. "Bò" means beef, and "lúc lắc" means shaking, which describes how cooks shake the wok to flip and sear the cubes on all sides. That's why you'll see it called shaking beef or shaken beef.

Beef became more common in Vietnamese cooking during the French colonial period, as this dish shows with its steakhouse cuts and peppery finish. You'll find it served over watercress or lettuce with tomatoes and cucumbers, along with rice or tomato rice (cơm đỏ). If you love Lomo Saltado, you'll enjoy this one. Both dishes use the same idea of fast, high-heat beef with onions and a good splash of soy.

This recipe is adapted from Charles Phan's Vietnamese Home Cooking. Phan is the chef behind San Francisco's Slanted Door, where shaking beef became famous. He finishes his dish with a pat of butter. I've made it both ways, and the butter version is rich and delicious, but I prefer it without. It saves a cooking step, and you get a lighter, brighter finished meal.

You'll see a lot of bo luc lac recipes online that use oyster sauce and cornstarch in the marinade. That's a great home style, too. This one leans toward Phan's cleaner, tangier restaurant version. I think you will love it.

Let's talk about how to make bo luc lac, shall we?

Best Beef for Bo Luc Lac

Filet mignon is my favorite, which is what Phan uses. It's the most tender cut out there, and it stays butter soft and tender on the inside, even after a hard and fast sear. It costs more, but you only need a pound to feed four.

Here are good options:

• Filet mignon (tenderloin). Classic restaurant choice. Most tender, mild flavor.
• Ribeye. More fat and more beefy flavor. Trim the big fat pieces before you cube it.
• Top sirloin. The best budget pick. Still tender if you don't overcook it.
• Tri-tip or flat iron. Good if you find them on sale.

Skip stew meat and chuck. They need long, slow cooking to get tender, and this dish cooks in minutes. Cut the beef into cubes about 1 to 1 1/4 inches so they get a crusty outside before the middle goes past medium.

Bo Luc Lac Ingredients (Shaking Beef)

The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Beef. Filet mignon, cubed. See above for swaps.
• Bo Luc Lac Marinade. Oil, a little soy sauce, garlic, black pepper, salt and an optional pinch of sugar. I keep mine intentionally light, so the seared beef flavor comes through.
• Stir-fry Sauce. Rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, dark soy sauce and fish sauce, plus optional sugar.
• Aromatics. Red onion, scallions and garlic.
• For Serving. Watercress (or other salad greens), cucumber and cherry tomatoes.
• Lime Pepper Dipping Sauce. Fresh lime juice, sea salt and black pepper. More on this below.

How to Make Bo Luc Lac (Shaking Beef) - the Recipe Method

Marinate the Beef. Cut the beef into cubes or slices and marinate with a mixture of vegetable oil, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Marinate at least 30 minutes, though I like to start my marinade in the morning for more flavor penetration.

Make the Sauce. Whisk together rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar in a separate bowl and set it aside.

Stir Fry the Marinated Beef. Get a wok or large pan heated up with oil over high heat, then stir fry the beef in batches to get a nice brown crust on them.

"Luc lac" literally means "shake" in Vietnamese, referring to the technique of shaking the beef in the pan as you cook it. Get your shake on!

I like to cook my beef medium rare, but cook it to your preference. Set it onto a plate.

Stir Fry the Vegetables. Stir fry the red onion, scallions, and garlic in the hot. pan.

Add the Sauce and Browned Beef. Toss in your sauce mixture along with the reserved seared beef. Shake the pan as you cook for a few seconds to warm through.

Serve It Up! Serve it at room temperature over a mix of watercress or other salad greens, cucumbers, tomatoes.

Dipping Sauce. For the dipping sauce, whisk together the lime juice, salt, and pepper, and serve alongside the beef salad.

Boom! Done! Your shaking beef is ready to serve. It smells amazing in here! And it's so easy to make? Are you ready to dig in?

Lime Pepper Dipping Sauce (Muối Tiêu Chanh)

This little sauce is the secret weapon of bo luc lac. Muối tiêu chanh means salt, pepper and lime, and that's all it is. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to a small bowl, then squeeze fresh lime juice over the top. Stir it up and dip each bite of beef.

The lime and salt cut through the richness of the beef, and you get a nice little bite from the freshly ground black pepper.

Want it spicier? Add a few slices of fresh Thai chili to the bowl. More on heat below.

What to Serve with Bo Luc Lac

• Watercress salad. Watercress has a peppery bite that works nicely with the beef. I add sliced cucumbers and tomatoes to make it a fuller salad.
• Vietnamese tomato rice (cơm đỏ). For a restaurant-style pairing in Vietnam.
• Steamed jasmine rice. Simple, and it soaks up the sauce.
• Quick pickled red onions. The perfect tart and crunchy contrast.
• Crusty bread. You'll see it served with bread or even fries in some places.
• Nuoc Cham. Not traditional here, but if you want a sweeter, garlicky dip on the side, it's excellent. Patty and I both enjoy it.

How Spicy Is Bo Luc Lac?

Bo luc lac isn't a spicy dish. The only real kick comes from black pepper, both in the marinade and the lime dipping sauce. That makes it a great one for the whole family.

Of course, I like a little heat with mine. Here are my favorite ways to add it without taking over the dish:

• Thai chilies in the dip. Slice 1 or 2 fresh Thai chilies into the lime pepper sauce. This is my go-to.
• Chili garlic sauce on the side. A spoonful on the plate for anyone who wants it. See my Chili Garlic Sauce recipe.
• Red pepper flakes in the marinade. Add a pinch or two without changing the flavor much.
• Fresh chilies with the aromatics. Toss a sliced red Fresno or a couple of Thai chilies into the wok with the onions. BOOM.

Keep the heat on the side if you're serving a crowd, so everyone can go as mild or as wild as they like.

FAQs

What does bo luc lac mean?

Bò means beef and lúc lắc means shaking. The name comes from shaking the wok to flip and sear the beef cubes on all sides, which is why it's also called shaking beef or shaken beef.

What is the best cut of beef for bo luc lac?

Filet mignon is the classic choice and the one Charles Phan uses. Ribeye works great if you want more fat and flavor, and top sirloin is a good budget option. Avoid stew meat, which stays chewy with such a quick cook.

What is bo luc lac sauce made of?

There are two. The stir-fry sauce in this recipe uses rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, dark soy sauce and fish sauce, and it glazes the beef at the end. The dipping sauce is simply lime juice, salt and black pepper.