Chef-tested recipe
Caramelised shaking beef with garlic, red onion, crisp watercress, tomato, cucumber, and lime-pepper salt
Bò lúc lắc—literally shaking beef—takes its name from the motion used to sear and turn cubes of beef in a very hot pan. A short marinade seasons the surface without drawing out excess moisture. The rich beef is served against crisp watercress, tomato, cucumber, and sharp lime-pepper salt, preserving the dish’s characteristic contrast.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Prep Time
- 10 mins
- Cook Time
- 10 mins
- Marinating Time
- 10 mins
- Total Time
- 30 mins
- Cuisine
- Vietnamese
- Course
- Main dish
- Cooking Method
- Short marinating and high-heat shaking
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best Served With
- Steamed jasmine rice, Vietnamese tomato rice, or a light clear vegetable soup.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Seasoned wok or heavy frying panpaid link
- Mixing bowlpaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Serving platterpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the beef
- Beef sirloin: 600 g, cut into 25 mm cubes
- Garlic: 20 g, finely grated
- Oyster sauce: 25 ml Shop paid link
- Light soy saucepaid link: 20 ml
- Fish sauce: 15 ml Shop paid link
- Caster sugarpaid link: 10 g
- Freshly ground black pepper: 2 g
- Neutral cooking oilpaid link: 30 ml
- Red onion: 200 g, cut into thick wedges
For the salad
- Watercress: 150 g
- Ripe tomatoes: 200 g, cut into wedges
- Cucumber: 200 g, sliced
For the lime-pepper salt
- Fresh lime juice: 30 ml
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 3 g
- Freshly ground black pepper: 2 g
Preparation Overview
Pat the beef dry before cutting it into equal cubes. Combine garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Toss with the beef and leave for 10 minutes at cool room temperature. Arrange watercress, tomato, and cucumber on a serving platter. Mix the lime-pepper salt separately.
Method
Heat a wok or heavy frying pan over high heat until smoking.
Add half the oil and half the beef, leaving excess marinade behind. Spread the cubes in one layer and sear for 60 seconds without moving.
Jerk the pan forward and back to turn the beef, then cook for another 60–90 seconds until browned outside and medium within. Transfer to a plate.
Repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
Add the red onion to the hot pan and shake-fry for 60–90 seconds until lightly charred but still crisp.
Return all beef and collected juices. Add no more than 15 ml of the remaining marinade and toss for 30 seconds until glossy and fully bubbling.
Spoon the hot beef and onion over the prepared watercress platter.
Serve immediately with the lime-pepper salt on the side.
Beginner Technique Notes
Dry beef and a smoking-hot pan are essential for browning.
Cook in two batches; a crowded pan produces grey steamed beef.
Cut cubes evenly so they reach the same doneness.
Use only a small amount of leftover marinade and boil it fully; discard the rest.
Tips and Variations
Sirloin offers a good balance of tenderness and flavour. Tenderloin cooks faster but is more expensive.
A 10-minute marinade is enough for small cubes and keeps this genuinely quick.
Do not continually stir. Sear, then shake or toss so multiple surfaces brown.
For well-done beef, reduce cube size slightly rather than extending cooking until dry.
Serving Ideas
- Present the beef over watercress so the leaves wilt slightly beneath it. Let diners dip individual pieces into the lime-pepper salt.
Storage
Refrigerate beef separately from the fresh salad for up to 2 days. Reheat rapidly in a hot pan for no more than 2 minutes. Prepare fresh salad and lime-pepper salt for serving. Do not freeze the assembled dish.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains fish, molluscs, and soy. Oyster and soy sauces may contain wheat and gluten; use appropriately labelled alternatives when required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called shaking beef?
The pan is shaken to turn the beef cubes rapidly while they sear.
Can the beef marinate overnight?
It can, but the seasoning may become too salty and the surface wetter. Ten to thirty minutes is sufficient.
Why did the beef fail to brown?
The pan was cool, the beef was wet, or too many cubes were added at once.
Is watercress traditional?
Watercress is a common fresh, peppery bed that balances the rich beef, often accompanied by tomato and cucumber.
