This Vietnamese shaking beef is so easy to make that I forget to make it. That doesn’t make sense!? Well, sometimes I see a recipe that is so easy I discount it. That’s what happened.
So What Is IT?
Vietnamese Shaking Beef, also known as Bò Lúc Lắc in Vietnamese, is a popular Vietnamese dish that originated in the southern part of Vietnam. It is typically made with tender cubes of beef that are marinated with garlic, soy sauce, and fish sauce. It is then quickly stir-fried in a wok or skillet with vegetables such as onion, tomato, and lettuce.
The name “shaking beef” comes from the shaking motion used during the cooking process, where the beef cubes are rapidly tossed back and forth in the wok to create a crispy exterior while keeping the inside juicy and tender. The dish is typically served over a bed of lettuce or rice and garnished with herbs and a lime wedge.
Let’s Get Going
I researched many recipes and I used this recipe as a starting point. I served mine over baby arugula as I couldn’t find watercress as suggested in the recipe. It worked great. I also used a sweet soy sauce, no cornstarch, and I added oyster sauce.
The Meat…
I used a New York Strip because it was on sale and it worked out great. I trimmed a little fat and cubed it. You can use any tender beef, tenderloin, rib eye, strip, sirloin (be careful with sirloin cause it is like a box of chocolates you never know what you are gonna get).
Most recipes say cube the meat 1-1.5 inch cubes. I like to cube it a bit smaller so I get more seared surface. So. if you use smaller cubes you will overcook the meat unless you use extremely high heat. I use a cast iron wok and get it smoking hot. To be safe cut 1 inch cubes
The Marinade
The recipe is for 1.5 pound meat, you need a thick steak.
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp Kecap Manis (sweet soy) or 2tbsp soy and 1tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
Mix all the marinade ingredients. Put the meat and marinade in a plastic bag and let it marinade for at least a half hour and not more than an hour.
The Salad and The Veggies
What you need:
- watercress, baby arugula, or baby spinach
- 2 ripe Roma tomato, cherry or grape tomato-cut Roma in 1/8th lengthwise, half cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 bell pepper any color cut in 1 inch pieces
- 4 green onion cut in 1 inch lengths
Arrange the greens and tomatoes on a platter, Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan or wok over high flame or burner. Something heavy duty like cast iron because it will hold the heat which is important when searing the meat. Stir fry the bell pepper for 15 seconds shaking the pan then add the green oinion and continue shaking the pan for another 30 seconds to a minute. You don’t want them all wilted.
Let veggies cool for 30 second and arrange on top of the platter. Put pan back on burner.
The Red Onion Topping
- 1/2 large red onion sliced very thin (shaved) use a slicer or mandoline
- 1 tsp sugar
- juice of half a lime
- couple dashes of soy
- couple pinches of salt
Combine the following let sit while you cook the veggies and meat. Put the marinated onion on top of cooked meat.
Searing and Cooking the Meat
Remove the meat from the marinade. If you used the soy sauce /brown sugar method sprinkle the meat with a teaspoon of cornstarch. This will stick to the meat and help it brown. If you used the kecap manis there is no need for this step because the marinade is thicker and sticks to the meat and caramelizes better.
Heat another tablespoon of oil in the pan until it is smoking. Add the meat but don’t crowd the meat. Do in batches if necessary . Let the meat sear for 20 seconds shake the pan to sear on all sides. The process takes a couple minutes. Don’t overcook the meat it should still be medium and tender.
Optional but recommended-sprinkle 2 teaspoon of Maggi seasoning over meat and shake. Pour meat on top of the platter. If you don’t have Maggi use soy sauce.
Top with marinated onion and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Garnish is optional.
Try These Other Great Recipes
This great Vietnamese Grilled Pork
This amazing Vietnamese Crepe
Vietnamese Curry Chicken
Check out some great restaurant stories. Lean about the well done steak
Vietnamese Shaking Beef
This recipe is very easy and incrediably good
- 1.5 lbs tender thick cut beef. Fillet, rib eye, strip steak
Marinade
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp Kecap Manis (sweet Malaysian soy) or 2 tbsp soy and 1 tbsp brown sugar (see below if you use soy you will need a tsp corn starch)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
The Salad and Vegetables
- Watercress, baby arugula, or baby spinch (enough for 4)
- 2 roma tomatoes cut in 1/8 lengthwise (can also use cherry or grape tomatoes)
- 1 bell pepper any color cut in 1 inch cubes (preferably not green)
- 4 green onions cut in 1 inch pieces
Red Onion Topping
- 1/2 large. red onion sliced very thin almost shaved (slicer or mandoline work great)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 2-3 dashes soy sauce
- 2-3 pinches salt
If you use the soy sauce brown sugar method
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 2 tsp maggi sauce or soy
Mix all the marinade ingredients. Put the meat and marinade in a plastic bag and let it marinade for at least a half hour and not more than an hour.
Arrange the greens and tomatoes on a platter,
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan or wok over high flame or burner. Something heavy duty like cast iron because it will hold the heat which is important when searing the meat. Stir fry the bell pepper for 15 seconds shaking the pan then add the green oinion and continue shaking the pan for another 30 seconds to a minute. You don't want them all wilted.
Let veggies cool for 30 second then arrange on top of salad
The Red Onions
mix everything for the onions Mix well and massage with hands. set asidr
Cook Meat
Remove the meat from the marinade. If you used the soy sauce brown sugar method sprinkle the meat with a teaspoon of cornstarch. This will stick to the meat and help it brown. If you used the recap manis there is no need for this step because the marinade is thicker and sticks to the meat and caramelizes better.
Heat another tablespoon of oil in the pan until it is smoking. Add the meat but don't crowd the meat. Do in batches if necessary . Let the meat sear for 20 seconds shake the pan to sear on all sides. The process takes a couple minutes. Don't overcook the meat it should still be medium and tender.
Optional but recommended-sprinkle 2 teaspoon of Maggi seasoning over meat and shake. Pour meat on top platter. If you don't have Maggi use soy sauce.
Top with marinated onion and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Garnish is optional.