Go Back
+ servings
Close up of Bò Lúc Lắc on a plate.
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Bò Lúc Lắc (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)

Ultra tender, Bò Lúc Lắc makes an incredibly EASY weeknight dinner. Serve vibrant Vietnamese flavors with savory garlic-infused beef juices!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Marinating Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
Servings: 10
Calories: 809kcal
Author: Jeannette

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 kg / 5.5 lb scotch fillet (or any cut you prefer)
  • 1 onion (roughly cut)
  • 1 red shallot (thinly sliced)
  • 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped; used for marinade)
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped; used for stir fry)
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil (for marinating)
  • 4 tbsp cooking oil (for stir frying)
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 5 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce (or MAGGI soy sauce)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

  • Remove any tendon or silverside attached by lifting it with your fingers and making a small slice using a sharp knife. You're aiming to separate the meat with the tendon or silverside.
  • Flip the beef over and gently pull at the part of the tendon or silverside that was just cut and push the blade in the opposite direction to remove it from the meat.
    Tip: Keep the knife close to the chopping board for a clean removal.
  • Cube the meat into roughly 2cm x 2cm (0.8" x 0.8") cubes. Make sure to cut against the grain to avoid having tough pieces.
    Note: 'Cutting against the grain' means finding the direction the flesh is going and turning your knife perpendicular to that to make a cut.
  • Marinate the cubes with the garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, pepper, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, salt, oil and sesame oil for a minimum of 20 minutes.
  • Pour 4 tbsp cooking oil into a heated wok on medium heat and fry the onions, red shallots and garlic for 30 seconds.
  • Turn the heat to high and pour the marinated beef cubes in. Stir for 5 minutes or until cooked to your preferred doneness.
    Tip: Divide the cooking into 4-5 batches so the wok isn't overcrowded.
  • Plate and serve the Vietnamese Shaking Beef immediately!

Notes

  • Marinate overnight. For the deepest infused flavors in your Vietnamese Shaking Beef, this is an unmissable step.
  • Keep the heat on high when cooking and cook to medium-rare. This technique helps to sear the sides to seal the juices in while keeping the cubes soft on the inside.
  • Cook the cubes in smaller batches. If you dump all the meat in the wok, there may not be enough heat to sear all the sides and you'll end up boiling everything instead.
  • While this recipe uses regular cooking oil, you can add extra richness by substituting it with unsalted butter.
  • Some recipes also add bell peppers/capsicum for more flavor variety.

Nutrition

Calories: 809kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 112g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 310mg | Sodium: 1029mg | Potassium: 1747mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 10mg