Still clinging to the last vestiges of spring and the unusually cool weather we've been having, I wanted to break out my pressure cooker for one last hurrah before summer fully sets in. This dish comes from a country where the average temperature rarely falls below 80 degrees, making Bulalo a filling stew that's deceptively light. Perfect, even in warmer weather.
Native to the Southern Luzon region of the Philippines, Bulalo is a light colored soup that's made rich by cooking beef shanks and beef marrow bones for hours, until much of the collagen and fat has melted into the clear broth. The seasonings vary from chef to chef, with some using only salt and black pepper, while other variations call for patis, bay leaves or even garlic. But at its core, Bulalo is a simple cattleman's stew, best made in a large cauldron with whatever veggies are growing near by.
In that respect, it's actually quite similar to the Mexican beef stew, Caldo de Res, which is not entirely surprising given the 250 years of trade that occurred between the two countries while under Spanish rule.
To get the soup extra clear, I've employed a two boil technique that uses a short boil to remove all the impurities from the beef, followed by a long simmer to extract all the flavor from the meat and bones. The pressure cooker cuts the cooking time by about two thirds, but if you have the time/patience you can also do this in a large heavy bottomed stock pot or dutch oven.
For the veggies, I've used corn, sayote, and baby bok choy, but I've also seen this made with pechay (chinese cabbage), green beans, potatoes, carrots, etc.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Units
Ingredients
- 2 beef marrow bones (cut to expose marrow on one end)
- 1 pound beef shank
- 1 onion quartered
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons patis (fish sauce)
- salt (to taste)
- 2 cobs corn (cut into 2-inch segments)
- 1 chayote (peeled and cubed)
- 3 baby bok choy (leaves separated)
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water. Add the 2 beef marrow bones and 1 pound beef shank and return to a boil. Continue boiling until you don't see any more red blood coming from the meat or bones (about 10 minutes), then remove the meat and bones with tongs and scrub under cold water to remove any scum. Dump the water in the pot out and rinse the pot. This process rids the meat of excess blood and will ensure your soup is nice and clear.
- Return the cleaned meat and bones to the pot then add the 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns and 2 tablespoons patis. Cover with water then bring it to a rolling boil and skim off any scum that accumulates.
- Reduce the heat to medium low. If you are using a pressure cooker, affix the lid and let it cook for 1 ½ hours. If you're not using a pressure cooker, simmer until the meat on the shank is fork tender (4-5 hours). Skim off any excessive fat from the top but do not remove it all (remember, fat=flavor). Transfer the meat and bones to a bowl, then strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve, discard the solids then return the meat and bones to the strained stock.
- Add the 2 cobs corn and 1 chayote and simmer for another 20 minutes or until the chayote is tender. Add salt to taste, then add the 3 baby bok choy at the last minute. Serve with rice.
Clayton Kunitake says
I tried the recipe for the first time and it turned out fantastic and tasted better than many restaurants here in the Philippines. I used a heavy pot on a gas stove and cooked it over low heat for two hours and turned off the heat and let it rest for 90 minutes. I skimmed of the scum and oil and brought it back to a boil and simmered over low heat for another 90 minutes and adding the veggies during the final 30 minutes.
Marc Matsumoto says
Happy to hear you enjoyed this! It's a dish I throughly enjoyed on my first visit to the Philippines many years ago and I made this recipe shortly after. Glad to see it it's still finding use.
Hakdogens says
What is the storing procedue of bulalo?
Marc Matsumoto says
You can store it in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove (I don't recommend using a microwave because the meat won't heat through properly).
Shaley says
Is the cooking time in a regular pressure cooker the same as when using the electric pressure cooker?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Shaley, I think so, but I've never used an electric pressure cooker, so to be honest, I'm not sure.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Maxi, yes you could just leave it out, or replace it with another vegetable.
maxi paguirigan says
Can i cook bulalo without sweet corn?
joe says
I made this receipt with moose bone and meat. Wow it turned out great 🙂 thx
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Neil, I like making escabeche with black pomfret. Just clean and salt and pepper the fish whole, dust it in flour, deep fry it and then marinate it with shredded carrots, onions, garlic, ginger patis, salt sugar and vinegar.
Neil Vincent Ruiz Lopez says
Hi marc..anyways.. tommorow ill cook that for my dinner.. but can you also help me to figure what is the best filipino cooking for black pomfret(labahita)? Thabks and hope you can help me.
Abie TFlo says
Gonna cook this one for my husband too. Hes american but he loves this...imma cook this for him, but i think i will use whole yellow corn kernels instead.
phillip says
Bulalo with ginger is famous in the province of Cebu
Bali Indom says
best in slow cooker. for meat like this, i set it to high for 12 hours.
chris says
My husband is French but he really like bulalo, this is the first time I'm gonna cook it for him. Hope he will love it,.. Thanks for the delicious recipe.
Dalefaith24 says
Petchay = bokchoy
Maliit na petchay = baby bok choy
nhapp jose says
Im cooking this now for the first time. I dunno how so i hope this recipe is great.
Hoping it to be "bulalo ala cham"
Thanks!
Sandro says
Kano ako but I've learned to cook many filipino dishes. I just got back from Cebu city where Abuhan Dos has my favorite Pochero, which is the visayan Bulalo. I followed the recipe on this site exactly and sarap/lami! On my own plate I add calamansi/limoncito and fresh ground black pepper, but that's just me. Tonight I cook Dinuguan! Salamat sa recipe!
Yvi De Dios says
at home i add in lots of onion leeks before serving, other than beef I put in corn, bok choi or chinese cabbage. Also a few dashes of worcestershire. Seasoning with patis is also a must for my household. We enjoy this dish with a dipping sauce (soy sauce, calamansi (lime) and chili.
doc says
bulalo with sayote??hehehe anyway kanyakanyang panlasa yan...
Russell Bautista says
This is best with patis (fish sauce) and calamansi (lime). OMG! PENGE NG KANIN (give me rice)!!! Love your broth... Hope i can make one like that. Thank you for featuring a Filipino dish here Marc. Looking forward to see more soon!
ricky javier says
much better ang taste ng bulalo pag mas matagal itong nakasalang sa apoy,kc yung lasa ng buto ng bulalo ay humahalo sa mga ibang ingredients...kaya mag blanch ka na lang ng gulay para di ma overcook,then pag ihahain mo isama mo na lang yung naka blanch na mga gulay....mas swabe po e....
Saluyot says
i was hoping to read more from people NOT from las islas commending the dish. but since you introduced it here, it must be a good dish for everyone else who would want to try a very tasty broth/soup. plus, this is a dish your pressure cooker would come very useful. LoL.
cherry pauline says
hi 😀 since you are a capampangan... i just find it unusual for bulalo to have sayote? isn't it? hehe. just a thought.
Mo Derby says
We have recently acquired Phillopino run Asian shop in the uk East Midlands and I saw packs of Bulalo in the freezer - I have now fund your useful recipes and blogs and am going to have a go next week end - I am nearly 80 wish me luck!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mabel, I've never made this in a slow cooker so I'm not really sure what settings it needs to be on. You'll probably need to experiment to figure out the right setting/time but it's almost impossible to over cook this, so I would let it go for quite a while. You can check it periodically, when the meat easily falls off the bone and is tender, its done. Also, if you want to get the clear broth, you'll need to boil the bones once in a regular pot to remove the impurities.
Mabel says
Hi Marc! Can I use my slow cooker with this? How long will I cook it? In auto or low temp?
Edwin says
Yes, adding the ginger will change the recipe, otherwise, the Bulalo recipe above is the traditional method I use. Love this dish, hot or cold weather!
Marc Matsumoto says
It's a type of Chinese cabbage (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_cabbage). I put it in for color but you could really use just about any green.
Edenshinma says
what is bok choy?
Pinoystyle711 says
i'm a chef and own a resto.....here in Central Texas, not a bad idea it is going to add some flavor to it....but down side is it will not be named BULALO anymore since you add ginger it's going to be NILAGANG BAKA now...for you're own used i guess it's ok...good luck though...and SALAMAT for giving a chance our PILIPINO dishes.....ENJOY
Faisal says
MSARAP: please try it once and i hope u would like to eat always...very delicious and healthy....i am very thankful of my one friend who changed my eating habbits nd forsed me to eat nd like to Folipino Food.
E Torres says
not sure bout the heathy part. 🤣
Skin_peeling says
I have a Bulalo house in Cavite...and one in tagaytay..different styles yet the core end..zip soup delicious bulalo!
Jushinjungwest says
hi guy's does anyone here know's how to cook butt & balls of the cow? thanks guys
Edslowhand says
Hello! My name is Edwin and I'm also a chef currently residing here in Toronto, Canada. Been here for more than 2 decades and my roots are from Angeles City, Pampanga. I've acquired my late father's secret recipe in preparing the real tasty Capampangan Bulalo. No offense to anybody, but my best advice for a much more tastier recipe is to refrain from using pressure cooker, not only forces the blood out from the bones(the taste) a lot quicker, and a lot more different taste to it than using a palayok with lump charcoal. Since all chefs have secret recipes, this is one of my tips I can share. Enjoy and more power to you guys!
Marc Matsumoto says
Maybe not the most traditional thing to add, but I say go for it! I think it
will compliment the beefy flavor nicely:-)
Brian says
Amerikano ako. I went to the Philippines with my wife last year and fell in love with the food. This recipe is as good or better than any bulalo I had over there. I am becoming a pinoy chef now LOL. I am thinking about adding some shaved ginger root. What do you all think?
yhow says
yeah i like bulalo and i like to zip the marrow shet..,,, hhhhmmmnnn....
JOWJOW says
IM HUNGRY!!
Jackolero says
nakakagutom po!!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Just to clear this up, I think kolokoy was confused, They're looking at the photo before it was cooked, which is why there's a raw onion and garlic in it (2nd one from the top). The photo at the top is the finished product without any changes. Straining the soup works too, but it's a lot easier if you prevent the soup from getting cloudy to begin with. This can be achieved by doing a pre-boil and then dumping the murky water before cooking the bones and meat as specified in the steps above.