Bò Lúc Lắc
Bò Lúc Lắc·(baw look lahk)
Giao Thoa: The Hyphenated Holiday Table
This is a dish born of collision—French colonial beef and butter meeting the high heat and indigenous sensibilities of a Vietnamese wok. Historically a wedding banquet luxury, shaking beef is the ultimate hyphenated meal. The secret to that glossy, steakhouse-level finish isn't culinary smoke and mirrors. It's squeezing out pure garlic juice so the aromatics don't burn to bitter ash in a screaming hot pan, and mounting the whole thing with a knob of unsalted butter at the absolute last second.
Ingredients
- ribeye or sirloin steak1 1/2 lb
- garlic4 large cloves
- oyster sauce1 1/2 tbsp
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- sugar1 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- cooking oil1 tbsp
- cornstarch1 tsp
- high-smoke-point oil2 tbsp
- red bell pepper1 small
- green bell pepper1 small
- yellow onion1/2 med
- unsalted butter1 1/2 tbsp
- watercress or baby lettuce1 bunch
- tomato1 large
- cucumber1/2 med
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- lime1 large
Method
- 01
Extract the garlic juice into a large mixing bowl.
Use a garlic press, or smash the minced garlic and squeeze it through a fine strainer, making sure to reserve the dry garlic pulp for later. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, first teaspoon of black pepper, cooking oil, and cornstarch to the juice and whisk. Toss the dried beef cubes in this mixture and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- 02
Arrange the serving platter and dipping sauce.
Lay out the watercress, tomato slices, and cucumber on a large serving platter. In a small ramekin, mix the kosher salt and remaining teaspoon of black pepper, serving it alongside the lime wedges for diners to squeeze fresh at the table.
- 03
Blister the vegetables in a screaming hot wok.
Heat a wok or heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the high-smoke-point oil, followed by the reserved garlic pulp, onion, and bell peppers. Toss quickly for about 2 minutes just to take the raw bite away, then remove the vegetables to a bowl.
- 04
Sear the beef undisturbed to build a crust.
Wipe the wok if needed, return it to high heat, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the beef cubes in a single, uncrowded layer, working in two batches if your pan isn't large enough. Leave them completely undisturbed for 90 seconds to develop a dark, aggressive crust.
- 05
Shake the pan vigorously to sear the remaining sides.
Once a heavy crust has formed, perform the namesake shake, violently tossing the wok to flip the beef cubes. Sear for another 1 to 2 minutes until nicely charred on the outside but still medium-rare on the inside.
- 06
Mount the dish with butter off the heat.
Pour the vegetables back into the pan with the beef and immediately turn off the heat. Drop in the unsalted butter and toss continuously until it melts, mingling with the pan juices into a glossy, rich glaze. Pour everything directly over the bed of watercress and serve immediately.