Shaking beef (Bo luc lac) is a popular Vietnamese dish of marinated beef, quickly stir-fried, served with lime dipping sauce and salad greens or rice.
Bo Luc Lac Recipe (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)
Are you ready for an amazing beef stir fry that will leave you begging for more? I've got it right here!
Today we're cooking up a delicious Vietnamese Shaking Beef Recipe called "Bo Luc Lac", and I already know you're going to love it.
What is Bo Luc Lac?
Bò lúc lắc, aka "shaking beef" is a popular Vietnamese dish with cuts of beef that are marinated, then quickly stir fried and served with a flavorful dipping sauce.
"Luc lac" is Vietnamese for "shake", referring to the stir frying of the beef, hence the name.
It's usually served in Vietnamese restaurants accompanied by a mix of stir fried vegetables, and served with rice or over salad greens for a delicious beef salad.
It isn't typically a spicy dish, though you can easily add in some spicy chili flakes like I do, though it's huge on flavor just as it is.
Let's talk about how to make bo luc lac, shall we?
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. You can use your favorite, but I recommend filet mignon. For a serious flavor splurge, make it with Wagyu Steak Cuts from Snake River Farms or these Wagyu Steak Slices from Snake River Farms (affiliate links, my friends). Turns out amazing! Definitely worth it.
- FOR THE MARINADE
- Vegetable Oil.
- Soy Sauce.
- Garlic.
- Sugar. Optional, though traditionally used.
- Salt and Black Pepper. I like to add a bit of red chili flake to mine, but Shaking Beef is not traditionally spicy.
- FOR THE SHAKING BEEF
- Liquids. Rice Vinegar, Mirin, Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Vegetable Oil.
- Sugar. For a touch of sweet.
- Vegetables. Red or Yellow Onion, Garlic, Scallions, Watercress (or other salad greens), Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes.
- DIPPING SAUCE
- Lime Juice.
- Salt and Black Pepper.
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?
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Beef. This dish is often made with cheaper cuts of beef, which can be somewhat chewy. It's so much better with more tender cuts, like filet mignon, though feel free to use your favorites. It's also usually cubed, but can be sliced thinly to your preference.
- Serving. Most bo luc lac recipes serve the stir fried beef over salad greens with the lime dipping sauce, though you can also serve it over rice.
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover shaking beef will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Save any salad greens in a separate container. You can easily reheat the beef and vegetables in a pan to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months in freezer containers.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this bo luc lac recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Bo Kho (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew)
- Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
- Yukgaejang (Spicy Korean Beef And Vegetable Soup)
- Galbi Jjim (Korean Braised Short Ribs)
- Galbi (Korean BBQ Beef Short Ribs)
- Hunan Beef
- Mongolian Beef
- Lomo Saltado Recipe (Peruvian Beef Stir Fry)
- Szechuan Beef
- Beef Bulgogi
- Beef Stir Fry
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Bo Luc Lac Recipe (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)
Ingredients
- 1 pound tender beef steak filet mignon, use your favorite, cut into bite-sized pieces
FOR THE MARINADE
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
FOR THE SHAKING BEEF
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or more as needed
- 1 medium red onion sliced
- 5-6 scallions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 bunch watercress stems removed
- 1 small cucumber sliced (optional)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced (optional)
DIPPING SAUCE
- Juice from 2 large limes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the beef slices into a bowl. Whisk together the vegetable oil, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the beef and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer (2 hours is good).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large pan to high heat until simmering (do not let it smoke). Add the beef in batches in a single layer and sear each side, about 1-2 minutes per side, until the beef has a nice brown crust and is done to your liking. Remove the beef and set aside onto a plate.
- Add the red onion and scallions (with a bit more oil if needed) and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Add the garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the sauce mixture along with the reserved seared beef. Shake the pan as you cook for a few seconds to warm through.
- Serve over a mix of watercress or other salad greens, cucumbers, tomatoes.
- For the dipping sauce, whisk together the lime juice, salt, and pepper, and serve alongside the beef salad.
Nutrition Information
Stacy Stewart says
Hi Mike
I think I know the answer to this. Ok to marinate overnight?
Thanks
Stacy
Mike Hultquist says
Stacy, yes, you can marinate overnight, though I wouldn't go longer than 24 hours. Marinating too long can make the meat a bit mushy. Enjoy!!
Boo Scruff says
Wow, this was very different for me and we loved it. Had so slow down as this was new to me, took my time, read all your suggestions and they were helpful as always. I was little scared, but so glad I followed through. Everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for your wonderful recipes from around the world. Will be making this again.
Mike H. says
Boo, you are very welcome! Thank you and enjoy!
Lee says
I love the recipes that you send to me. I look forward to trying this dish. I’m all in for something new and spicy!
Mike H. says
Thanks, Lee - enjoy them!
Tom says
Mike, that dish looks fantastic. Back in my work days my work mates and I would regularly visit Vietnamese restaurants for pho and the cold noodle bowls with grilled meats. It's been a while and I miss the flavor combinations in Vietnamese cooking. Thanks for posting this one. Gotta try it soon!
Mike H. says
You are very welcome! Hope you will enjoy!