Effortless Asian Cooking

Vietnamese Shaking Beef “Bo Luc Lac”

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes |Yield: 4 servings

Imagine seared fatty rib eye with umami-rich aromatic undertones . . . this is Vietnamese shaking beef, or bo luc lac! The name “shaking beef ” comes from the unique cooking technique—a rhythmic shake of the wok to efficiently achieve a perfect sear on each delightful cube. 

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 lb beef rib eye, cut into 1-inch cubes*

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp  butter

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Dipping Sauce*

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp ground black pepper

½ tsp salt

To Serve

Lettuce, Tomato, sliced, Cucumber, sliced 

and 4 servings cooked rice

*See Note

Combine the fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and black pepper in a small bowl. Place the beef in a medium-sized bowl and pour the sauce on the beef cubes and mix to evenly coat. Let marinate for 5 minutes.

Place a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the oil and allow it to heat up. Once hot, add the marinated beef cubes. Spread the cubes out in an even layer and allow to sit for 1 minute, before tossing the beef cubes for an even sear for about 2 to 3 minutes. Use two spatulas for easier tossing. You can keep tossing until all sides are evenly seared or use tongs to flip the beef. Once seared, remove from the wok and set aside.

In the same wok, add the butter, onion and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, making sure to scrape the bottom of the wok with your spatula to lift off any beefy flavors with the sauce. Add the beef cubes back into the pan and stir-fry for 10 seconds to coat with the sauce. Immediately turn off the heat and remove from the pan.

In a separate bowl, make the dipping sauce by combining the lime juice, pepper and salt. This sauce is optional.

In a serving bowl or plate, arrange lettuce, tomato and cucumber. Scoop the bo luc lac over the salad. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and a side of rice.

Note: When purchasing steaks, make sure they are at least 1 inch thick. This would make cutting them into cubes easier later. Rib eye steaks work best for this to get even fat running throughout the cubes, but I like this with sirloin too.

Fatty beef cubes in a buttery savory sauce—this is a rich dish! The acidity and spice of the dipping sauce is going to help cut through the richness so you can have more bites!

Reprinted with permission from Effortless Asian Cooking by Sha Jumari. Page Street Publishing Co. 2024. Photo credit: Sha Jumari.