Bo Luc Lac

Bò Lúc Lắc (Shaking Beef)

A Saigon classic of marinated beef cubes seared hard in a blazing pan and tossed - 'shaken' - until caramelised outside and blushing within, served on watercress with a lime-salt-pepper dip.

Prep

20 min

Cook

10 min

Total

30 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) beef sirloin or ribeye, trimmed and cut into 3 cm (1¼ inch) cubes; a well-marbled cut keeps them tender
• •3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• •2 tbsp soy sauce, or light soy sauce
• •1 tbsp oyster sauce
• •1 tsp sugar
• •1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for the dip
• •2 tbsp neutral oil, peanut, canola or vegetable oil, for searing
• •1 tbsp butter, optional, for finishing; traditional versions sometimes omit it
• •150 g (5 oz) watercress, or lettuce leaves, washed and thoroughly dried
• •2 whole limes, one juiced for the dip, one cut into wedges for serving
• •1 tsp fine sea salt, for the dipping salt

Steps

1. 1 Pat the beef cubes very dry with kitchen paper - surface moisture is the enemy of a good sear. Toss them in a bowl with the minced garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and 1 tsp black pepper. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes (or up to 4 hours in the fridge; bring back to room temperature before cooking).
2. 2 Make the dip: on a small plate or in a shallow bowl, stir together 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime alongside (about 2 tbsp / 30 ml). Diners dip the beef first into the salt-pepper, then into the lime juice, or squeeze lime over the salt and pepper to taste.
3. 3 Heat a large heavy skillet or wok over the highest heat until it just begins to smoke, then add 1 tbsp oil. When the oil shimmers, add the beef in a single layer - work in two batches if your pan is small; crowding will steam the meat instead of searing it.
4. 4 Leave the beef undisturbed for 45–60 seconds to build a dark crust, then shake the pan vigorously to toss the cubes (this is the 'shaking' of the name) or stir with a spatula. Cook a further 1–2 minutes, shaking frequently, until the cubes are browned on several sides but still pink in the centre. For food safety, cook to an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) for medium, then rest 3 minutes; the carry-over will bring it to a juicy medium.
5. 5 If using butter, add it in the final 30 seconds and toss to coat. Immediately transfer the beef to a serving plate so it does not overcook in the residual heat.
6. 6 Pile the watercress or lettuce on a platter, arrange the shaking beef on top, and serve at once with the lime wedges and the salt-pepper-lime dip on the side.