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Vietnamese · Southern Vietnam

Bo Luc Lac

Bò lúc lắc (shaking beef) is Vietnam's most festive beef dish — cubes of beef tenderloin or sirloin marinated briefly in soy, oyster sauce, garlic, and sugar, then cooked at extreme heat in a wok until the outside is deeply charred and the inside is medium-rare. The 'shaking' refers to the vigorous wok technique — the pan is shaken or tossed to develop char on all surfaces in 3-4 minutes total. Served on a bed of watercress, sliced tomato, and red onion rings, with a lime-salt-pepper dipping sauce.

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Serves2
Total20 min
Sourced0of 10 in BC
Cook
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I

The Market List

The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.

300g
beef eye of round (partially frozen
sliced 4mm thick against the grain)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
150g
shallot
julienned
Your own market
60g
mixed fresh herbs (mint
cilantro, Thai basil)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
30ml
fish sauce (Red Boat or Three Crabs)
Your own market
30ml
lime juice (fresh
preferably Persian limes)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
15ml
sesame oil
Your own market
5g
garlic
minced
Your own market
3g
Thai bird's eye chili
sliced (or Aleppo pepper to taste)
Your own market
15g
roasted peanuts
crushed
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
100g
mixed greens (lettuce
watercress)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
II

The Method

1
Have a wok or large stainless steel pan smoking hot over high heat (200°C+), add no oil initially.
2
Working quickly in batches, sear beef slices 30 seconds per side until just cooked through with rare warm center; transfer to a cutting board and cool slightly.
3
Whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, and chili in a bowl until emulsified.
4
Slice cooled beef into 2cm strips, place in a large bowl with shallot, fresh herbs, and mixed greens.
5
Pour dressing over and toss gently but thoroughly for 15 seconds until beef is evenly coated; plate immediately, garnish with crushed peanuts, serve at once with rice paper and additional fresh herbs on the side.
From the canon — Dried rice paper rounds briefly moistened in warm water, filled with herbs, noodles, protein, and vegetables, then rolled tightly. Rice Paper: Hydration and Rolling Technique →
IV

Sensory Tests

◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where bò lúc lắc lives or dies is the wok temperature — this dish requires the highest heat available. Place an empty wok on the highest flame available and heat for 3-4 minutes until wisps of smoke begin to rise from the pan surface. Add the oil — it should shimmer instantly. Add the beef — it should sear on contact with an explosive sizzle. If you do not hear the violent sizzle, the wok is not hot enough. Remove the beef and wait for the temperature to recover before adding the next batch.
Pillar V
Cross-cuisine parallels are part of membership.
The dishes this one teaches you, across the cuisines — on every recipe.
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VI

What to Pour

The pairing
Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt
Caol Ila Distillery · Islay
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Whisky
From British Columbia

Nothing from British Columbia holds against this yet.

Without alcohol

No pour without alcohol holds against this yet.

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The whole pairing
Pillar VII
Origin and lineage are part of membership.
Where the dish comes from and how it came to be — on every recipe.
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