Vietnamese shaking beef or bò lúc lắc is named after the frantic cooking style; it's a delicious, yet simple and very quick beef stir fry.
When I say quick, this recipe will take you around 10-15 minutes to prepare, but it cooks in less than 10 minutes!
Vietnamese Thit Bò Lúc Lắc
Vietnamese food is not a massive stranger on my website... dishes that range from ca ri ga (chicken curry) and fried tofu in tomato sauce to caramel chicken and Vietnamese braised and caramelised pork all make an appearance.
This time out, I have a dish called thit bò lúc lắc, or more commonly, in Western circles, Vietnamese shaking beef.
The name is thought to come from the frantic shaking of the wok in this lightning-quick dish.
My version features cubes of beef coated in soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and brown sugar. They are joined by cherry tomatoes, green peppers and onions, and more garlic... watch out, vampires!
It's gloriously simple, and incredibly quick.
Yes, the prep will take you 10-15 minutes, and if you have time, marinating the beef really does improve the dish. But cooking is done in 6-7 minutes.
The quick cooking time leaves the most wonderful soft, tender, still pink beef with perfectly cooked vegetables.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of beef should I use?
As I mentioned in my recipe, I prefer to use sirloin steak. I've seen this dish made using everything from fillet steak to rib-eye steak.
Sirloin is my favourite because there is less waste, as you really do need to cut the fatty parts from the rib eye. And to me, fillet steak is just too expensive to use to make this dish; the delicate flavour is lost in the big flavours.
How long should I marinate the beef?
I like to let it sit for a couple of hours, but I have tested this recipe with an immediate cook, and it still works well. Although letting it sit whilst you prepare the other ingredients does make a difference.
I've tested up to an 8-hour marinade, which also works well.
Do I have to add MSG?
No, but it is a great flavour enhancer.
Can I make this in advance?
No, this dish really does not reheat very well at all; the beef will become very chewy.
However, you can marinate the beef and chop the veggies in advance, which means all you have left is a sub-10-minute cook time.
Serving Suggestions
I've served my Vietnamese shaking beef with some simple cooked Jasmine rice alongside the cucumber and lettuce that I mentioned in the recipe.
If you juggle your timing carefully, you could also serve this with my egg fried rice recipe.
Noodles are another great option, and something like a plain chow mein would work incredibly well.
I find it amusing that on all of the "Western" versions I saw of this recipe, noodles and rice ruled the roost.
But when searching in Vietnamese for Bò Lúc Lắc, so many of the images featured it pictured with French fries. So I gave it a try with some air fryer French fries, and honestly, it is genius, crispy, salty French fries with the almost sweet, salty sauce are fantastic!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- Wok.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Mixing bowl.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- A combination of weighing scales and measuring spoons.
Vietnamese Shaking Beef Recipe (Bò Lúc Lắc)
Ingredients
- 400 g Sirloin Steak 14oz
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon MSG (optional)
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 1 Green Pepper
- 10-12 Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
To Serve:
- ¼-½ Cucumber
- 1 Baby Gem Lettuce
Instructions
- Finely dice one of the garlic cloves.
- Add the oyster sauce, soy sauces, brown sugar, the diced garlic, white pepper and MSG. Mix to combine.
- Cut the beef into 15-20mm (½-¾") chunks, add it to the oyster sauce mix, stir and set aside.
- Cut the onion into a dice, a similar size to the beef.
- Cut the green pepper into the same sized dice as the onion.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Finely slice the remaining three garlic cloves.
- Finely slice the cucumber.
- Separate out the lettuce leaves.
- Heat a wok over a very high heat and when it is smoking hot, add 2 tablespoons of the cooking oil, followed by the beef and stir fry for 1½-2 minutes, then remove and set aside. Keep as much oil as possible in the wok.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok, and add the onion, green pepper, sliced garlic and cherry tomatoes, then stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Return the beef and the reserved marinade, toss for 30 seconds and serve with the cucumber and lettuce.