Bo Luc Lac, the Vietnamese Shaking Beef Recipe, is one of the most popular menu items in Vietnamese restaurants. These tender beef cuts are famous for their aromatic, sweet and savoury juicy flavour! Make these Southeast Asian chunky beef cubes in less than 10 minutes in the air fryer! It goes perfectly with a side of rice or salad!
In This Post: Everything You'll Need For Air Frying Vietnamese Shaken Beef
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What is Bò Lúc Lắc?
Bo Luc Lac is a Vietnamese stir fry recipe made with marinated beef. Bo, in the Vietnamese language, means beef, and Luc Lac means shaken.
Together, Bo Luc Lac means "shaken beef."
This special technique of vigorous shaking in traditional Vietnamese dishes ensures evenly browning on all sides of the meat while keeping the stir-fried beef cubes juicy and tender.
The juicy beef cubes are then enjoyed on a bed of watercress on a serving platter with a side of white rice and fresh herbs.
What Cut Of Beef To Use?
Before the French colonization of Vietnam in the 19th century, dishes made with beef were reserved for the upper class.
Today, beef is more affordable and different cuts of beef are readily available at your supermarket and local butcher.
I enjoy making this easy delicious dish with stir-fried cubes of tender beef.
Choose a beef cut that cooks fast, such as tenderloin or ribeye because they have a higher fat content.
Sirloin strips, flank steak or flap meat are also good cheaper cut choices. This cut of steak is usually a thinner cut that can cook faster without drying out.
And if you really feel like splurging, filet mignon and flat iron steak are incredibly tender, well-marbled and flavourful.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Rib eye cut into 1 inch cubes or 2 inch strips
- Corn starch
- Baking Soda
- Water
- Vegetable Oil or Neutral Oil
- Fish Sauce
- Oyster Sauce
- Light Soy Sauce or Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- Dark Soy Sauce
- Brown Sugar or Monk Fruit Sugar
- Garlic Powder or Minced Garlic Cloves
- Red Onions or Yellow Onion
- Black Pepper
- Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
- Lime Zest
- Red Bell Pepper (optional)
- Green Onion (optional for garnish)
- Cilantro (optional for garnish)
How To Tenderize Steak?
Do you ever wonder how Chinese restaurants get their beef so tender?
The key to velveting beef is by marinating the beef with baking soda (bi-carbonate soda) for at least 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, rinse and pat dry with a kitchen paper towel.
Tenderizing meat with baking soda is a practical, economical and straightforward method for everyday purposes. This is a game-changer!
Instructions
How To Marinate Vietnamese Shaking Beef
First, wash the beef and pat dry with a kitchen paper towel.
Cut ribeye into 1 inch cubes or 2 inch stripes, depending on your preference. I like the longer strips when I pair my leftover shaking beef with a salad!
In a large bowl, tenderize the meat with baking soda. Use approximately 1 tablespoon of baking soda per pound of beef.
Mix well until baking soda even coats the beef. Leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Rinse and pat off excess water with a kitchen paper towel.
In a large bowl, combine the marinade mixture: fish sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, lime juice and lime zest.
Add beef to the large bowl and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
While the beef is marinating, prepare your vegetables and aromatics. Dice red onions, garlic, and red bell peppers. Set aside.
How To Air Fry Vietnamese Beef
Before cooking, transfer the beef to another plate to remove excess liquid. The leftover marinade can be used the next day to make beef shake again to reduce the cooking time.
There is no need to coat each piece of beef with cornstarch.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Use air fryer parchment paper and line the bottom of the air fryer basket for easy clean-ups.
Place beef in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray with cooking spray.
Cook for 7 minutes at 400F. Flipping halfway.
The beef will come out rare. Let rest. When it finishes resting, the internal temperature will bring it to be medium rare.
Carefully transfer beef from the air fryer onto a plate.
Serve hot or cold with cooked red onions and red peppers.
Pro Tip: No need to reheat previously air fried beef stripes the next day. Enjoy it cold to maintain the medium-rare doneness.
How Long Does Homemade Bo Luc Lac Last?
Keep freshly cooked Vietnamese Shaken beef cubes or stripes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
The best way to store leftovers is in this Rubbermaid brilliance container. I love that it is clear and 100% leakproof!
The good news is that Homemade Vietnamese Shaking Beef tastes just as delicious the next day! In fact, leftover Vietnamese food is fantastic for meal prep! Their tangy, spicy and sweet flavour improves with time.
What To Serve With Vietnamese Shaking Beef Stir Fry Recipes
Bo Luc Lac is a great recipe to enjoy on its own, with a side of Nuoc Cham dipping sauce and a side of lime freshly squeezed.
This one-pan dish made in the air fryer is an excellent main dish with a fresh leafy green Spicy Steak Salad with cherry tomatoes.
- Bánh Xèo (Egg Free Crispy Pancake Crepe)
- Keto Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bo Kho)
- Super Alkaline Salad
- Vietnamese Spicy Beef Salad
Serve this sweet and savoury air fryer beef recipe with everything (almost). Air fryer beef is fantastic with a bowl of white rice or as the perfect topping to Easy Kale Salad Recipe.
This low calorie recipe is also delicious served hot or cold.
I guarantee that every bite is addictive! These are just a few of my favorite ways to enjoy this easy recipe! Last night we had an enormous feast with a table full of Vietnamese food.
I'd love to see how you went with my recipes! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS.
> Recipe
PrintVietnamese Shaking Beef (Air Fryer)
Bo Luc Lac, the Vietnamese Shaking Beef Recipe, is one of the most popular menu items in Vietnamese restaurants. These tender beef cuts are famous for their aromatic, sweet and savoury juicy flavour! Make these Southeast Asian chunky beef cubes in less than 10 minutes in the air fryer! It goes perfectly with a side of rice or salad!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 persons 1x
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Air Fry
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Diet: Low Calorie
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Rib eye, cut into 1-inch cubes or 2 inch strips
- 1 tbsp Baking Soda
- 2 tbsp Water
Bo Luc Lac Marinade
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil or Neutral Oil
- 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce or Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar or Monk Fruit Sugar
- 5 cloves Minced Garlic Cloves (or teaspoon Garlic Powder)
- 1 Lime, freshly squeezed
- 1 Lime zest
- Black Pepper to taste
Sauteed Vegetables
- ½ Red Onions or Yellow Onion, large chunks
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, la (optional)
- Finely Chopped Green Onion (optional for garnish)
- ½ bunch Cilantro (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- First, wash the beef and pat dry with a kitchen paper towel.
- Cut ribeye into 1 inch cubes or 2 inch stripes, depending on your preference. I like the longer strips when I pair my leftover shaking beef with a salad!
- In a large bowl, tenderize the meat with baking soda. Use approximately 1 tablespoon of baking soda per pound of beef.
- Mix well until baking soda even coats the beef. Leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
- Rinse and pat off excess water with a kitchen paper towel.
- In a large bowl, combine the marinade mixture: fish sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, lime juice and lime zest.
- Add beef to the large bowl and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- While the beef is marinating, prepare your vegetables and aromatics. Dice red onions, garlic, and red bell peppers. Set aside.
- Wash watercress, lettuce, and sliced cucumbers and set aside.
- Before cooking, transfer the beef to another plate to remove excess liquid. The leftover marinade can be used the next day to make beef shake again to reduce the cooking time.
- There is no need to coat each piece of beef with cornstarch.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Use air fryer parchment paper and line the bottom of the air fryer basket for easy clean-ups.
- Place beef in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray with cooking spray.
- Cook for 7 minutes at 400F. Flipping halfway.
- The beef will come out rare. Let rest. When it finishes resting, the internal temperature will bring it to be medium rare.
- Carefully transfer beef from the air fryer onto a plate.
- Serve with cooked red onions and red peppers or on a bed of lettuce, watercress and sliced cucumbers on a serving plate.
Equipment
Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor 9-Cup
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Rubbermaid brilliance container
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Buy Now → Notes
- Keep freshly cooked Vietnamese Shaken beef cubes or stripes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- The best way to store leftovers is in this Rubbermaid brilliance container. I love that it is clear and 100% leakproof!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 99
- Sugar: 6.2 g
- Sodium: 1850.1 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.5 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 5.2 mg
Keywords: Vietnamese, Bo Luc Lac, Beef, Main Dishes, Low Calorie,
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jennifer says
Thanks so much for the velveting tip with baking soda!!! One of my problems with making "strip" kind of beef dishes is that the beef always seems too chewy . . but this did the trick. So delicious.
★★★★★
Nancy says
The baking soda hack totally makes a huge difference to the beef texture!
Terri says
Thanks for the baking soda tip! Can’t wait to try this in my air fryer- yum!
★★★★★
Nancy says
Can't wait to see your results!
Kristen says
On our menu plan this week again. Love the flavours of this dish and the fact that it's not spicy makes it an easy win in our house with young kids.
★★★★★
Nancy says
Our little likes to nibble on this too! We just make a small batch without chili for her.
Vanessa says
Yum! What a delicious and flavourful meal!
★★★★★
Julia says
The beef was so aromatic, I served these with some fresh lettuce and it was sort of like making fresh lettuce wraps. Easy to make in the air fryer and even easier clean up
Stacey says
The beef is so tender, and I love the flavor of the sauce! So great to have air fryer recipes like this one.
★★★★★
Sunrita says
Thank you so much for this recipe, esp the tip on tendering the beef with baking soda. Always wondered how they do it in restaurants. Love it!
★★★★★
Geetanjali Tung says
Love the flavors here! Glad you have made this in air fryer.
★★★★★
DJ says
This turned out super good. My first time cooking this recipe and I was pleased how it turned out.
★★★★★
Jan says
so so delicious! thank you for another amazing recipe Nancy
★★★★★
Donny says
I used coconut aminos instead of the soy sauces and it turned out great! So much flavor.
★★★★★
Janessa says
Wow, I can't believe how quick this Vietnamese Shaking Beef was to make in the air fryer! Loved the flavour of this.
★★★★★
Nancy says
the air fryer guarantees the perfect doneness everytime!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
What an amazing recipe. I love the info on tenderizing meat with baking soda!
★★★★★
Nancy says
Hope your beef turns out velvety soft!
Amy Liu Dong says
Such an easy and delicious dish to prepare for tonight's dinner.
I am sure they will love this!
★★★★★
Nancy says
Can i come over for dinner? It sounds amazing!
Keri Bevan says
I loved that we could make this dish in the air fryer. So simple, and tastes amazing!
★★★★★
Katie says
Such a great air fryer recipe! It's perfect for quick and easy weeknight dinner!
★★★★★
swathiiyer says
This air fryer beef recipe looks delicious . I like that it makes perfect juicy steak.
★★★★★
Zhen says
I love Vietnamese recipes and have been meaning to make this dish, love how your version can be made in an air fryer!
★★★★★
MacKenzie says
This quick meal is great for busy weeknights. The beef turned out so tender and flavorful. I will be adding this to my monthly rotation. The entire family loved it!
★★★★★
Jessie says
This sauce is AMAZING! So much flavor and so easy to throw together. Also love the tip about tenderizing beef with baking soda - totally remembering that for the future! Thank you!
★★★★★
Tara says
Never would have thought of using an air fryer for beef but I was so delighted! So easy and very flavorful. Yum!
★★★★★
Brittany F says
This dish is delicious! Thanks for sharing tips on how to tenderize beef. Total game changer!
★★★★★
Dee says
Awesome beef recipe! Better than takeout. Really looking forward to making this again. The whole family loved it!
★★★★★
Alyssa says
This looks SO good! The marinade sounds so yummy, I cant wait to make this for dinner!
★★★★★
Neha says
Sounds like a great dinner idea to me! Love how you clicked this recipe and that it's made in air fryer! So trying it out
Beth says
That beef looks so juicy and tender. Another delicious recipe for my air fryer!
★★★★★
Natalie says
Oh, Nancy, this looks amazing! Your recipes always leave me breathless. We loved your Vietnamese beef recipe, thanks!
★★★★★
Rosanna says
So delicious! Thank you for the recipe
★★★★★
kushigalu says
This beef looks fantastic. I will have to try this in the air fryer. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Dana says
Goodness gracious the FLAVORS! This was so incredibly tender and tasty. I'm already so excited to make this again. Absolutely fuss-free, too!
★★★★★
Nancy says
Thanks Dana!! It is the perfect back to school , work busy weeknight go to meal!
Suja md says
One of my favorites! These looks absolutely great! can't wait to try!
★★★★★
Nancy says
i will love it! this air fryer beef recipe is so easy and tender!
Nancy says
It won't disapoint!
Kim says
So delicious! Great balance of flavors and love all the veggies with it. Leftovers made a great salad!
★★★★★
Nancy says
I almost always make extra just for the leftover portion to make a spicy beef salad!
Sara Welch says
This was such a quick and easy dinner that does not disappoint! Great for busy weeknights; my entire family loved it!
★★★★★
Nancy says
I'm so happy that your whole family loved this easy air fryer beef recipe!
Bernice says
Excellent recipe! This is one of my favourite dishes to order out and you nailed all the flavours. Best of all, I can make this tasty beef in my air fryer!
★★★★★
Nancy says
Thanks Bernice! I'm so happy to hear that you're a fan!
Biana says
Beef looks great! I like that you make it in the air fryer. Will go great with some air fried veggies.
★★★★★
Nancy says
Air fryer recipes are so fuss free amiright? 🙂
Kathryn says
This beef was so delicious! I love all the flavors and it was so easy to make. I loved it over a salad or rice. Will be making this again!
★★★★★
Nancy says
Don't you just love versatile recipes?!
Claudia Lamascolo says
We are big pf using the air fryer here and this beef was super moist tender and fabulous!
★★★★★