Vietnamese shaking beef or Bo Luc Lac recipe is an absolute must-try for anybody who loves steaks but with a twist. Let’s do this together!
What is Shaking Beef, Shaken Beef, or Bo Luc Lac
Bo Luc Lac, also known as shaking beef or shaken beef, is a fantastic traditional Vietnamese dish. It is a sort of sauteed beef cubes mixed with colorful vegetables and distinctive sauces and seasonings.
Bo Luc Lac is so flavorful because the beef is well-marinated before cooking. It’s one of the signature side dishes you should order in most Vietnamese restaurants.
If you have a chance to visit Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, where shaking beef is believed to be first created, you ought to visit one of the authentic and biggest Bo Luc Lac parlors – Bo Lac Canh, to enjoy this famous dish.
Where Does Shaking Beef Come From?
Bo Luc Lac, or Shaking Beef, originally came from Central Vietnam. It was inspired by Chinese cuisine for the ingredients and French cuisine for the cooking technique.
Why is It Called Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)
Bo Luc Lac is actually a very straightforward name, in which “bo” means “beef, and “luc lac” means “shaking”. It’s used to describe the cooking method people use to make this Vietnamese shaking beef. Some people also call it “rocking beef”, which is basically the same thing.
Bo Luc Lac Ingredients
Beef
The most premium beef cut for this bo Luc Lac dish is filet mignon because it’s lean and tender.
You can also replace it with sirloin as a more affordable option, but the quality can still be very good.
Marinade Sauce
Soy sauce and oyster sauce are the two main ingredients to help season the shaking beef and make it flavorful. They also create a glossy natural brown color for the meat and the vegetables.
If you want the color to be a deep amber, you can mix light soy sauce with dark soy sauce.
Vietnamese people love to add fish sauce to most of their food, but that’s optional because its taste and smell are quite strong.
Bell Peppers
Talking about color, you should definitely include bell peppers. In addition to being a fantastic source of fiber, which improves the nutrition of shaken beef, their range of colors from green to red to yellow gives them an extra-delicious and alluring appearance.
Garlic, Onion & Scallion
These three ingredients are perfect for all sautéed dishes, including shaking beef. They have very strong aromas. Their distinctive tastes bring out the natural sweetness to compliment the meat so well.
Seasonings
Since you already have soy sauce and oyster sauce, there’s no need for salt anymore. However, you do need sugar to balance the salty taste and a bit of black pepper to elevate the aroma of the Bo Luc Lac recipe.
Oil & Butter
You need a bit of cooking oil to sear the beef, create a nice caramelized layer on the outside, and sautéed the veggies.
Butter should be added toward the end when all ingredients are well combined and cooked. Beef goes super well with butter because it helps add some creaminess and nuttiness to your Bo Luc Lac.
Shaking Beef Marinade & Bo Luc Lac Dipping Sauce
There are two types of sauce you want to make for this Bo Luc Lac recipe. One is the marinade sauce, which lets the beef absorb all flavors before cooking. It contains soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and black pepper.
Though it’s optional, I still recommend you make a dipping sauce. Shaking beef is a savory dish by itself. However, when you serve it with rice, this will be a secret to maximize the dish’s deliciousness.
The sauce is simple; mix the fish sauce with water, lime juice, garlic, chili, and sugar, and top off with some crushed peanuts. It’s a very popular Vietnamese dipping sauce that can be used for various local dishes.
How to Make Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac Recipe)
1. Marinate the Beef
The first step in making bo Luc Lac is to marinade the beef for at least 1 hour to make sure it absorbs all flavors and becomes tenderized.
Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper, then drizzle on the beef. Give the meat an authentic nice massage, and set it aside.
2. Prepare Dipping Sauce
While waiting for the beef to marinade, go ahead and make a dipping sauce to serve on the side. It goes extra well over rice. Just mince garlic and chili finely, then mix with fish sauce, water, lime juice (or vinegar), and some sugar to balance the salty taste.
3. Sear the Beef
When the beef is done marinating, it’s time to start cooking.
On high heat, sear the beef for only 30 seconds to achieve an excellent outer layer. After that, quickly take them out of the pan.
Do not overcook the beef because it will be super chewy and rubbery.
4. Saute the Vegetables
You should use a cast iron pan to serve a smoking hot dish of Bo Luc Lac like at the restaurants.
Saute the bell peppers with onion and scallion until they are slightly cooked. Do not cook them for too long until they become soft and mushy.
5. Combine Beef and Vegetables
Add the beef back to the pan and mix with the veggies. This process is no longer than 45 minutes, so the meat is nicely golden brown on the outside yet juicy and tender on the inside.
6. Serve the Vietnamese Shaking Beef – Bo Luc Lac
Transfer Bo Luc Lac to a plate. Let it sit for a few minutes so the beef juice will set, keeping them moist.
Garnish with some fresh herbs or sliced cucumbers.
You can either serve it with steamed rice and dipping sauce as Com Bo Luc Lac or serve with baguette as a type of Vietnamese beef steak. Enjoy!
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How to Store Shaken Beef
Let them cool down completely to properly store and preserve Bo Luc Lac’s leftovers. Then, separate the beef and other vegetables and sauce components.
Keep shaking beef in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
When you’re ready to eat, reheat the beef in the microwave for 3-5 minutes until it’s smoking hot again. Or you can add it to a hot wok and give it a quick stir fry until hot and fragrant.
Tips and Praise
@jennifertrinh9354, “I have cooked this many times and it’s even better than at restaurants. Delicious recipe. Cam on co.”
@nhatngon, “Just made this tonight for my hubby and his friend. They were raving about it. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!”
@AnniePhan0709, “Thank you KT for sharing this recipe. I tried it and couldnt believe it was exactly what i had been looking for. My friend also tried this too and we all agree that this is the best recipe so far.”
@thuynhinguyen4509, “I was successfully made bò lúc lac for the first time following your instructions and my husband was very impressed. He said it was better than the one we ate at restaurants. Thanks for sharing your tricks and secrets with us. I love your marinating sauce. Just want to say thank you and keep up the great job.”
Authentic Vietnamese Bo Luc Lac Recipe
Bo Luc Lac - Authentic Vietnamese Shaking Beef Recipe
Bo Luc Lac, also known as shaking beef or shaken beef, is a fantastic traditional Vietnamese dish. It is a sort of sauteed beef cubes mixed with colorful vegetables and distinctive sauces and seasonings.
Originally coming from Central Vietnam, this was inspired by Chinese cuisine for the ingredients and French cuisine for the cooking technique.
Ingredients
- 5lbs beef filet mignon
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1.5 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 cup scallion
- 1 white onion
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Trim off excess fat and membrane layers from the beef. Clean, pat dry, and cut the beef into 1.5-inch cubes.
- Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper in a bowl to make a marinade sauce.
- Pour 3 tbsp mixed sauce, a pinch of black pepper, crushed garlic, and some oil into the beef cubes. Mix well until combined. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Cut bell peppers and onions into square pieces. Cut scallion into 2-inch lengths. Set aside.
- Heat a pan on the stove over high heat with some cooking oil until the oil is boiling at 375ºF.
- Add beef to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds until golden brown. Quickly take the meat out and drain off excess oil.
- Heat a little oil in a cast-iron pan until smoking. Add onion and sauté until fragrant.
- Add bell peppers and keep sautéing until they are slightly cooked.
- Add beef cubes, scallion, and 1 tbsp marinade sauce. Stir-fry for another 30-45 seconds.
- Turn off the heat. Add butter and give it a stir.
- Transfer to a plate. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot, and enjoy!
Notes
- You can either serve it with steamed rice and dipping sauce as Com Bo Luc Lac or serve with baguette as a type of Vietnamese beef steak. And yes, noodles is also a great option!
- To store the leftovers, let them cool down completely before storing them. This will help keep them fresh for longer.
- Once they've cooled, separate the beef from the vegetables and sauce. Pop the shaking beef into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for about 4 days.
- When it's time to chow down, pop that beef in the microwave for 3-5 minutes till it's sizzling hot again. Or you can toss it into a hot wok and give it a speedy stir fry until it's nice and heated up with a mouthwatering aroma.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1726Total Fat: 106gSaturated Fat: 40gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 50gCholesterol: 558mgSodium: 3432mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 21gProtein: 156g
We’ve got you covered with step-by-step guidance on how to make this delicious shaking beef. Once you’re done, we’d love for you to share your results in the comment section below. We can’t wait to hear about your culinary adventure!
So, grab those ingredients, put on your apron, and let’s get cooking! Don’t forget to follow our authentic Vietnamese bo luc lac recipe above and get ready for a flavor explosion. Happy cooking!