Bò lúc lắc is one of my favorite dishes. It translates to “shaking beef” in Vietnamese, because of how you shake the cubes of steak around in the pan when you cook it. I love this dish adds so much flavor to your steak, and you can stretch out a steak to feed 2-3 people. It also doesn’t take very long to come together, so you can have a flavorful, fancy dinner on the table in no time at all.
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Bò lúc lắc is one of many Vietnamese dishes with French influence. Beef consumption in Vietnam rose during the years the French colonised the country. However, beef can be hard to come by. In general, in Vietnam you’re not likely to eat one large steak. Cutting up the beef into cubes is not only a way to stretch a cut of meat to feed more people; it also allows you to use tougher cuts of beef, which are usually cheaper.
You can find shaking beef at many restaurants and cafés in Vietnam now. It’s usually served with a small salad and rice. At some café’s it’s often served with French fries, like a Vietnamese steak frites! If I have stale rice around, I love serving this with Vietnamese red tomato rice.
Nowadays, I tend to use the most tender cut of beef I can find. Sometimes I’ll even splurge and use a filet mignon cut for this dish (my fiancé thinks it’s blasphemous that I’d cut up and marinate a filet mignon.) But you can use your favorite cut of steak.
Jump to:
- ? Ingredients
- ? Instructions
- ? Substitutions
- ? Equipment
- ? Serving suggestions
- ? How to store or make in advance
- ? Serving size
- ? Recipe
- ? Food safety
? Ingredients
You will need:
For the beef
- beef steak, like tenderloin, boneless rib eye or strip steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
- soy sauce
- oyster sauce
- minced garlic
- sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- msg (optional)
- yellow onion
- green onion
- a neutral oil with a high smoke point (canola, vegetable or avocado are all good)
See recipe card for quantities.
? Instructions
TIPS:
- The amount of oil you use will depend on the cut of steak you choose. Well marbled steaks might need a bit less oil. A lean steak will need a little more. This is a situation where you’ll want to measure with your heart.
- Be careful not to overcrowd your pan. If your pan is too small or you’re doubling the recipe, cook in batches. When I’m cooking for my family I will do single batches of beef and onions and serve the dish to order.
? Substitutions
I’ve had many friends ask if they can make shaking beef vegetarian. While I haven’t personally tried making vegetarian bò lúc lắc, I suggest you find a protein that is very firm and can hold up to being shaken and stirred in the pan. Here are some suggestions. I haven’t personally tried them, so I can’t vouch for the complete success of the recipe:
- Extra firm, high protein tofu
- Seitan
- Plant based beef chunks, like Gardein (I wouldn’t recommend a plant based ground beef)
Hint: If you are going to use an extra firm tofu, I would lightly coat the tofu in corn starch and pan fry or bake them first, in order to make them crispy and reinforce them structurally. This will ensure they don’t fall apart when cooking.
? Equipment
I use a cast iron skillet to cook my shaking beef. This does mean it’s too heavy to actually “shake” the beef, but I like that the pan can give my steak a good sear. Since the cubes are cut up small, it doesn’t take very long to cook the steak and I want to make sure it gets a sear without overcooking.
You can also use a wok or a carbon steel pan, as well as stainless steel. I wouldn’t recommend using a nonstick pan as it won’t give you a sear.
? Serving suggestions
When I’m feeling my laziest I’ll eat this with just white rice, with some chopped cucumber and tomato. Adding the rice vinegar dressing and some greens bulks up the meal with more vegetables.
If you have stale rice, you can make a quick Vietnamese Red Rice to go with the dish. The tangy tomato flavor pairs well with the beef, and it’s often served this way in restaurants.
Frozen french fries are also a great side with this dish! Make sure the fries soak up all of the meat juices and the sauce.
? How to store or make in advance
The beef is best served immediately, so I would try to eat all of it without leaving leftovers, which can overcook when reheated.
The marinated beef cubes can be made a day in advance and left overnight. The marinade will taste even better this way. Make sure to let your beef come to room temperature again before cooking. That way the beef can get a good sear without overcooking.
? Serving size
One 1 lb steak will serve 2-3 people. This dish is easily scaled up. If do you scale up and double/triple the recipe or more, make sure to cook the steak in batches so it doesn’t overcrowd the pan. The steak will steam in it’s own juices rather than searing if it’s overcrowded.
? Recipe
? Food safety
Whenever you’re cooking with meat, make sure to follow these best practices.
- Beef should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 145 °F (63 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat and use different cutting boards for your meat and vegetables
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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