Bò Lúc Lắc (Shaking Beef)
Updated Jan. 23, 2025
- Total Time
- 20 minutes, plus 2 hours' marinating
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1½ to 2pounds beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2tablespoons sugar
- Salt and pepper
- 5tablespoons neutral oil, like corn or canola
- ¼cup rice-wine vinegar
- ¼cup rice or white wine
- 3tablespoons soy sauce
- 1tablespoon fish sauce
- 1red onion, peeled and sliced thin
- 3scallions, trimmed and cut in 1-inch lengths
- 2tablespoons butter
- 2bunches watercress, washed and dried, or 1 head red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and separated into leaves
- 2limes, cut into wedges
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
626 calories; 42 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 1122 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Marinate meat with garlic, half the sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon oil for about 2 hours. (Refrigerate if your kitchen is very warm.) Meanwhile, combine vinegar, remaining sugar, wine, soy sauce and fish sauce. Taste, and add salt and pepper if necessary. Mix about 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
- Step 2
Divide the meat into 2 portions, and do the same with the onion and scallions. Put a wok or a large skillet over maximum heat, and add about 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil smokes, add the meat in one layer. Let it sit until a brown crust forms, and turn to brown the other side. Browning should take less than 5 minutes. Add half the onion and half the scallions, and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add about half the vinegar mixture, and shake pan to release the beef, stirring if necessary. Add half the butter, and shake pan until butter melts. Remove meat, and repeat.
- Step 3
Serve beef over watercress or lettuce leaves, passing salt and pepper mixture and lime wedges at the table.
Private Notes
Comments
I worked at the Slanted Door, and this is one of their most popular dishes. However, the insider nickname is "Choking Beef". It's because the size of the cube - people are like "Do I cut this? Do I not cut this?" And then when they don't cut it and decide to jam it all in at once... Let me just say that we had more than one choking emergency during the time of my employment. Cook the cubes in the recommended size, but for god's sake, cut it when its in front of you on the table.
I disagree. Without the lime and the salt/pepper sprinkle, this would be nothing other than stir-fried beef. The lime and salt/pepper mixture (preparation of which adds maybe another 23 seconds to the prep time) transforms this into a dish I'd be excited to share even with my chef friends. Totally agree with rice and lettuce leaves, though. Also suggest kimchi as an option, despite the cultural/geographic miscegenation.
Having loved this dish at Slanted Door a million times, you CANNOT just squeeze the lime over the dish. Instead create a dipping sauce of lime and salt and pepper. Superb. Thanks for this easier recipe!
Wasted $36/lb tenderloin on this, and only cooked it 3 min instead 5 as the recipes says. Tough and well-done. San Franciscans might remember Tommy Toy's Wok Charred Beef, which was fair superior to this...
This was sensational. It’s important to cut the filets into about three pieces each before browning, to make sure they are not too rare with the quick process. Cut too small they will cook too easily. Cut too big and they don’t cook thru. Do in two batches in a wok then cut more. Sauce is glorious. No need to use salt and pepper and lime dipping. I used a small red butter lettuce pack, about half.
Also, I use too sirloin instead of filet mignon. It’s tender enough and has a richer flavor than filet. My family loves it. It’s our favorite beef dish.