Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef Sirloin Wok Stir-Fry)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Bo luc lac takes its name from the shaking motion that defines how the dish is cooked.
Read more
Cubed beef tenderloin or sirloin, marinated in soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, and sugar, goes into a wok heated to the point of smoking. The cook shakes the wok vigorously to toss the cubes through the oil, searing each face in seconds while the tossing motion keeps steam from building up and stewing the meat. The result is a dark, caramelized crust on the outside while the center stays pink and rare. The dish emerged from Vietnamese-French fusion cooking in colonial Saigon, when Western beef cuts became available and Vietnamese cooks applied their own techniques to them. The beef is plated over watercress dressed with lime juice and cracked black pepper; the sharpness of the watercress and the acidity of the lime cut through the rich, soy-glazed exterior. A dipping sauce of salt, pepper, and lime juice accompanies the plate. The contrast between the charred, deeply savory meat and the cool raw greens beneath has kept this one of Saigon's most recognizable dishes for decades.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Pat 300 g beef sirloin dry, then cut it into even 2.5 cm cubes.
Toss with 1.5 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic, then marinate for 20 minutes.
- 2Finish
Cut 80 g onion into large chunks and halve 1 lime so it is ready for finishing.
Just before cooking, shake excess marinade from the beef surface so the garlic and sugar brown quickly without burning.
- 3Finish
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat for at least 2 minutes.
Melt half of the 1 tablespoon butter, stir-fry the onion for 30 seconds so it stays crisp, then move it to a plate.
- 4Control
Return the pan to high heat, melt the remaining butter, and spread the beef in one layer.
Leave it untouched for about 30 seconds so the first side forms a deep brown crust.
- 5Heat
Shake the wok or turn the cubes with a spatula for about 2 minutes to cook the remaining sides evenly.
Move to the next step when the entire exterior is deeply browned.
- 6Finish
Return the onion to the pan and toss for only 30 seconds, just until it is coated in the glossy glaze.
Turn off the heat, squeeze lime juice evenly over the beef, and serve immediately while the crust is still hot.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Drained beef cubes spread in one layer in a very hot pan
- Finish cue
- Return the onion to the pan and toss for only 30 seconds, just until it is coated in the glossy glaze.
- Avoid this
- Cook quickly to avoid tough meat.
- Substitution
- If the pan is not hot enough, beef will steam instead of sear.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
35min, 8 ingredients
Category median
25min, 8 ingredients
Based on 220 recipes
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