Beef Archives - Beyond Sweet and Savory

Growing up in Vietnam, the only beef I remember eating was from pho. Other than that, luxurious beef dishes like shaking beef (thit bo luc lac) were reserved for the rich since quality cuts of beef were quite expensive in the post Vietnam war era. Back then I doubt Vietnamese people even knew what wagyu is. It wasn’t until we moved to the US that my mom began cooking thit bo luc lac for us given its affordability.

To this day, thit bo luc lac is one of my favorite beef dishes. The term “luc lac” stands for the movement of the beef or “shaking” as they are quickly seared in the wok. So no you don’t get dancing beef or quivering beef when the dish arrives at your dinner table. Many Vietnamese restaurants serve thit bo luc lac with sauteed onions, lettuce, tomato, and red rice or on a bed of watercress. I prefer the latter because watercress with its peppery and refreshing taste lends a nice contrast to the deeply flavored beef. For those who are willing to shell out money for filet mignon, you will get super succulent and flavorful thit bo luc lac. I usually stick to sirloin and it stills turn out quite tender and delicious. Whatever way you like your shaking beef, enjoy!

Thit bo luc lac (Vietnamese shaking beef)

1 lb of beef (sirloin cut), cut into ½ inch cubes

1 tbsp soy sauce (Maggie brand)

3 tbsp oyster sauce (Lee Kum Kee brand)

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

4 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 cup of red onions, thinly sliced

1 bunch of watercress, washed and cleaned with tough stems removed

Dipping sauce

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, water, and sugar until well combined.

2. Add the cubed beef and pepper to the marinade. Toss to combine and let stand in refrigerator for an hour. (If you’re hungry and can’t wait, 30 minutes will suffice.)

3. When ready to cook, heat a wok over high heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil around the top of the wok, letting it run down the side and into the middle of the wok. Add half of the beef to the wok in a single layer and sear for 3 minutes. Shake and toss the beef in the wok and cook for another minute or two. The beef should be seared on all sides. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

4. Add the rest of olive oil and repeat with the remaining beef.

5. While the wok is still hot, add the garlic and onion and continue to stir fry until fragrant and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and onion to the beef and toss to combine.

6. When ready to serve, arrange the watercress on a plate and top with the beef.

7. For the dipping sauce, stir together salt, pepper, and lime juice.

8. Serve the shaking beef with dipping sauce and rice.

Cook’s note: cook the beef to your liking but try not to overcook the meat. Medium-rare should take 3-5 minutes. You also don’t need to dress the watercress because the sauce from the beef already adds so much flavor to the dish.

Asian braised short ribs that fall of the bone and infused with lemongrass, star anise, and cinnamon flavors.

When I walking through the meat section at Whole Foods, I did a double take on the short ribs sitting in the window. They were the best looking short ribs I have ever laid eye on! They were rich, vibrant red with nice marbles. At $9.99 per pound, it was a bit steep for me. However, it’s not unusual to see that kind of price with the current cattle shortage. The ongoing drought and high demand for beef have skyrocketed cattle prices in recent years. So I stood there for a while, contemplating if I should get them. Other customers came and left. After 10 minutes of internal debate and nudging from Vu, I caved in. My justification? We eat short ribs once a month. Sometimes as long as once every two months. So it was a TREAT! I was ready to make our favorite short rib recipe! Asian braised short ribs.

The meat is seared and then slow cooked in a Dutch oven in a bath of spices, soy sauce, and rice wine until the meat becomes tender and falls off the bone. Both Betsy and Vu were camping in the kitchen, tantalized by the lovely aroma of spices and developing broth. After two long hours, we were able to enjoy the tender short ribs, falling easily at the pull of our fork. Rice and steamed asparagus were our accompaniments. Nothing fancy. So simple yet satisfying! This is definitely our favorite way of cooking short ribs. I would love to hear about your favorite short ribs recipe.

Asian Braised Short Ribs

3 lbs English-cut bone-in short ribs

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, smashed

¼ cup soy sauce (Maggie or Kikkoman brand)

¼ cup hoisin sauce (Lee Kum Kee brand)

½ cup rice wine (Shaoxing brand)

½ cup brown sugar

3 cups of water

2 lemongrass stalks, tender bulb part crushed

1 stub of ginger, thumb size, crushed

2 cinnamon sticks

5 star anise

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 green onions, white and pale green part, thinly sliced

cilantro leaves, chopped

cooked white or brown rice to serve

your favorite vegetables (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.

2. Place ginger, cinnamon sticks, and star anise on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice wine, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, and water until evenly combined. Set aside.

4. Season short ribs with salt and pepper.

5. Place a Dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat and add oil.

6. Add garlic, lemongrass, ginger, cinnamon, and star anise to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove everything and set aside.

7. Working in batches, add the short ribs and sear until all sides are browned. Remove ribs to a plate and set aside.
8. Return garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and spices to the Dutch oven.

9. Stir in combined sauce of soy sauce, rice wine, hoisin sauce, sugar, and water and bring to a boil.

10. Return ribs to pan and bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
11. Cover and transfer to oven to cook, turning occasionally, until meat pulls easily with your fork, about 2 hours.
12. Transfer the ribs to a platter and cover to keep warm.

13. For the glaze, remove 1 cup of braising liquid and skim off as much fat as possible from the surface.

14. Place the braising liquid in a sauce pan and cook on high heat until syrupy, about 15 minutes.

15. Divide the ribs among individual plates with rice, spoon the glaze over the ribs, garnish with green onion and cilantro. Serve right away.

Note: this dish is best enjoyed the same day. If you have leftover, make sure the ribs are covered in braising liquid otherwise they will dry out.