This easy recipe for Shaking Beef is a Vietnamese spin on a stir-fry supper with a dash of lime juice for a fresh and delicious flavor!
Hi all! I am coming to you LIVE from beautiful North Carolina, where we are all settled in to the kids’ guest room as we wait for the Carolina Dream House to be ready.
We got to see it for the first time since February when the framing had just been completed, and let’s just say that more than a few things have been finished up since then.
That is our actual car in the place where our actual driveway is about to be poured. There are sinks and lights and fans.
There are fireplaces and closets and paint on the walls. And today when we went over, THIS WAS HAPPENING.
The installation of the reclaimed wood on one wall of our media room. The wood is from the fabulous Raleigh Reclaimed, and it most likely came from an old barn somewhere not too far from where our house is.
The wall is painted black in case any teeny bits of it show through – it will blend right into that spectacular wood.
In other news, I have now been appointed head chef in the kids house, which makes me all kinds of excited – I am now cooking for four, and while I love whipping up supper for the Southern husband, I now have two more folks tossing me supper ideas. It’s the best.
And one of the things that is definitely going on the North Carolina menu soon is this good and good for you recipe for Shaking Beef!
Here’s how you make Shaking Beef!
This is a traditional Vietnamese stir-fry dish, and while it has a longer list of ingredients than I usually go for, I promise that if you are a stir-fry fan it will all be worth it. This recipe calls for a whole lime’s worth of lime juice, and for me that is what takes this from good to fantabulous.
You start by marinating chunks of beef tenderloin in a bath of garlic, sugar, sesame oil, salt and pepper for at least an hour, and if you want to let it lounge around in the fridge overnight that is a-okay.
When you are ready to cook, combine the rice vinegar, white wine, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small measuring cup and set aside. (This is the cooking sauce for the meat).
Next, combine lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper (this is the dipping sauce) and divide the lettuce and tomatoes among four plates so you are all ready to go when the meat is done. Stir-fries go FAST!
Get your oil nice and smoking hot, and add the beef cubes in one layer and let them sear for about 2-3 minutes. Flip them over and let them sear for another 2 minutes. I know this doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but I promise it’s enough.
Add the shallot and scallions, and give it a good stir. Now pour in the vinegar mixture and shake shake shake the pan for about 30 seconds until the meat releases. (Now you understand the recipe title, right?)
All that’s left to do now is ladle the beef mixture on top of the lettuce and tomatoes and pour any drippings from the pan over the beef. Serve it up a sprinkle of sesame seeds and with the lime dipping sauce and lime wedges on the side!
And that is what we call shaking up your usual stir-fry recipe!
(I know, ouch. I couldn’t resist!)
Want to round out your meal? This recipe pairs well with...
Shaking Beef
Prep Time: 2 hours (includes marinating time)- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
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This easy recipe for Shaking Beef is a Vietnamese spin on a stir-fry supper with a dash of lime juice for a fresh and delicious flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 4 cloves crushed garlic
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Juice from one lime
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 small head of romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 shallot, peeled and chopped
- 3 scallions, root ends cut off and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- Lime wedges for serving
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Put beef, garlic, 1 tablespoon of sugar, sesame oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in a zippered plastic bag and marinate in the fridge for at least one hour and up to 12 hours.
- When you are ready to cook, combine the rice vinegar, white wine, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small measuring cup and set aside. (This is the cooking sauce for the meat).
- Combine lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper (this is the dipping sauce.)
- Divide the lettuce and tomatoes among four plates so you are all ready to go when the meat is done.
- Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it is smoking hot, add the beef cubes in one layer and let them sear for about 2-3 minutes. Flip them over and let them sear for another 2 minutes.
- Add the shallot and scallions, and give it a good stir. Now pour in the vinegar mixture and shake the pan for about 30 seconds until the meat releases.
- Place the beef mixture on top of the lettuce and tomatoes and pour any drippings from the pan over the beef. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, the lime dipping sauce and lime wedges on the side!
I would love to try this but the box with your beautiful…condolances…dog won’t t get out of the way. I have been on the mailing list since before you had a website. I am frustrated.
Hi Jane – I’m so sorry about that! I’m going to email you and see if we can’t figure that out, and I will also send you a screenshot of the recipe.