Bulalo Recipe
It’s a well known fact that Filipinos love stew and soup dishes. From the sour sinigang to the sweet tinola, there’s guaranteed to be a soup dish for every flavor palate preference –– all great to sip and enjoy, especially during long, cool nights. But one of the most popular, and arguably most delicious, soups…
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It’s a well known fact that Filipinos love stew and soup dishes. From the sour sinigang to the sweet tinola, there’s guaranteed to be a soup dish for every flavor palate preference –– all great to sip and enjoy, especially during long, cool nights. But one of the most popular, and arguably most delicious, soups out there, is the classic Bulalo, or beef shank stew.
One might classify bulalo as a kind of nilaga –– after all, there doesn’t seem to be much difference in ingredients, nor in the cooking process. But what sets bulalo apart is the very specific choice of meat we use for it. The star of a great bulalo is always the meat –– more specifically, the use of beef shank, with marrow still inside the bone. The meat of bulalo is famous for melting in your mouth, practically falling off the bone with how tender it becomes! Doesn’t the mere thought of it make your mouth water?
How to prepare it
Bulalo may only have a few ingredients, but it takes an awful lot of patience to prepare. This is only because you have to wait for the beef to reach optimal tenderness. In this recipe, we let our bulalo sit and boil for about an hour and a half. If you have a pressure cooker it should take less time, but still a while, compared to other dishes. In fact, one and a half hours might still be short compared to other recipes, which let the bulalo simmer for much longer. My Batangas Bulalo recipe recommends a boiling and cooking time of 4 hours! But fear not –– with bulalo, especially when cooked well, the wait is always worth it!
The other ingredients of bulalo are also delicious and nutritious contributions; cabbage, pechay, corn and onions are also typical ingredients in this great dish. You can also choose to add in fish sauce or patis as a substitution for salt.
Bulalo Variations
Because it’s such a classic dish, there have been many variations of bulalo made by Filipinos, making this humble and already delicious dish more exciting! If you’re a fan of the classic kare-kare, my Bulalo Kare-Kare gives you the best of both worlds, combining delicious beef shank with the trademark peanut sauce. Even more different from the classic recipe is this Deep Fried Bulalo with Teriyaki Sauce! By coating the beef shank in breadcrumbs, eggs and flour, you create a dish crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. With restaurant style teriyaki sauce on the side, it makes for an amazing, yummy meal –– a great twist on a Filipino favorite!
Without question, Bulalo is a quintessential comfort food. It’s no wonder so many restaurants –– bulalohans –– have dedicated themselves to making bulalo their trademark dish. But now you won’t even have to go far to enjoy this meal; with this easy recipe, you can have Bulalo any time you’re craving the comfort of home.
A Step by Step Guide to Making Bulalo
The steps to making Bulalo are simple, albeit quite long because of the tenderizing process. Nonetheless, you should be able to follow this beef shank stew with ease!
An optional precursor step to making bulalo is blanching your meat to avoid excess fat and sediments. Boil your beef shanks in water over medium heat, skimming the excess fats and scum that accumulate and float on the water. After 10 minutes, take your beef out and bring it under cold running water, “cleaning” it. Once you’ve removed the excess sediments and thrown out the used water, you can now start officially cooking your bulalo!
Pour 34 ounces (or about a liter) of water into a large cooking pot, bringing it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, it’s time to put in your beef shank, followed by your medium sized onion and peppercorn. If you’re using a pot, let the meat simmer for about an hour and a half. But for a pressure cooker you’ll only need about half an hour. Let your meat tenderize.
Add in your corn. For this recipe I use 3 whole corns, but cut it up into 3 parts each for convenience. Keep the bulalo simmering for another 10 minutes. After your 10 minutes are up, you can now add in your other vegetables: your cabbage, pechay, and green onion (or onion leeks). This is when you can also add in 2 tablespoons of patis, but again, this is an optional step.
Once you’ve fully cooked your vegetables, you’re ready to eat your bulalo! Serve it hot and share it with your family and friends. With a steaming cup of rice to pour your soup over, it’s definitely an awesome, unforgettable meal!
Let us know what you think of this bulalo!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we can see your creations!
Bulalo Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef shank
- ½ cabbage whole leaf individually detached
- 1 bundle bok choy
- 2 cobs corn each cut into 3 parts
- 2 Tablespoons whole peppercorn
- 1/2 cup green onions cut unto 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 onion
- 34 ounces water
- fish sauce to taste optional
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Instructions
- In a big cooking pot, pour in water and bring to a boil
- Put-in the beef shank followed by the onion and whole pepper corn then simmer for 1.5 hours (30 mins if using a pressure cooker) or until meat is tender.
- Add the corn and simmer for another 10 minutes
- Add the fish sauce,cabbage, pechay, and green onion (onion leeks)
- Serve hot. Share and Enjoy!
Lily Tan says
4 cups of water aint right with 2 lb beef shank. I had to add more water.
Vanjo Merano says
Thanks for trying the recipe. I should say that 4 cups is the minimum amount. You will need to add more as needed while boiling the shank until the meat gets tender. May I please know how much water you ended up using?
Lachlan says
Tastes Very Good
Bong Comia says
Hi chef good morning
Ask ko lang po kung paano paakuluaan ang bone marrow na nde nahuhulog ang laman o utak nito para pag serve eh nasa loob pa din po sya. Thanks and more power. Go bless po.
Lili says
Bulalo is life. I tasted it while i was at a bday party, and wow. That’s just amazing, and this recipe is exactly like it. I did mine in a crockpot, over night, maybe 8-9hrs on low. Wow.
Thx again
Joeviella Moss says
May I ask chef kung ano po pwede pangreplace sa pechay? Thanks.
Vanjo Merano says
You can use Napa Cabbage or regular cabbage.
Jody Paguirigan says
Can i cook bulalo without sweet corn?
Melrose says
Ive been wondering the same thing! Its out of season now in Canada.
Aida Bulan Huber says
I missed the bulalo recipe,and I try to search in the panlasang pinoy which I am just guessing to type panlasang pinoy,and i was so happy that i found your bulalo recipe,now I start cooking but i did not know what kind of beef meat but i had the beef ribs, and i don’t have corn,but i have cbbage, bokchoy, i will try again now i found your recipe.and i will tell you.thanks again, its wonderful.
Vanjo Merano says
Aida, you might want to cook Nilagang Baka (boiled beef soup) for now, since you have most of the ingredients for it. You can always cook bulalo when you have the ingredients available.
Eircka Grace Murcia says
I really miss home as well as the Filipino food. I will make Bulalo this weekend after work. I am craving a lot and I can’t wait.
robie says
In making the Bulalo .,no need to put a salt? coz you didnt indicate …so what would be its taste…???
Vanjo Merano says
The fish sauce in the recipe replaces salt.
Elodie Jane Amora says
nothing better than a big bowl of Bulalo in this rainy season!
adelaida acosta says
during the boiling process of the beef shank, i usually add ginger and garlic to add flavor and aroma
panfilo escueta says
hi,me and my family we’re staying here in italy, and it is only here that i’ve learned how to cook and it is bcoz of u and ur recipe…thanks BRO..! and MORE POWER 2 U..!!
kiko says
hello again pare! I find it interesting that you put “whole” onions…i’ll try it next time i make bulalo… what do you think it does na naiiba if i use sliced onions?
paoix says
nice looking bulalo! now you’re making me hungry
vanjom says
Thanks Chef Paoix. It’s nice of you to drop by. BTW, the ukoy looks great.