Filipino Bulalo Beef Shank Soup (Print Version)

Tender beef shank and bone marrow simmered with vegetables in a rich, clear Filipino broth.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 3.3 lbs beef shank, bone-in with marrow
02 - 1 lb beef bone marrow bones

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 ears corn, cut into 3-4 pieces each
04 - 1 medium onion, quartered
05 - 1 medium carrot, cut into large chunks
06 - 9 oz baby potatoes, halved
07 - 1 small head napa cabbage, cut into large pieces
08 - 1 small bunch green beans, trimmed
09 - 2-3 saba plantain bananas, peeled and halved

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 10 cups water
11 - 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
12 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis), plus more to taste
13 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Chopped scallions, for serving
15 - Calamansi or lemon wedges, for serving

# How To Make:

01 - Place beef shank and marrow bones in a large stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any scum and impurities that rise to the surface.
02 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Add quartered onion, whole peppercorns, and fish sauce. Cover and cook for 2 hours or until beef is fork-tender.
03 - Add halved potatoes and carrot chunks. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly softened.
04 - Stir in corn pieces and plantain bananas. Cook for another 10 minutes.
05 - Add napa cabbage and cook just until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or additional fish sauce as needed. Serve hot, topped with chopped scallions alongside calamansi or lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The broth develops an incredible depth that only long simmering with bone-in shank can achieve
  • Every bowl feels like a warm embrace from someone who loves you
  • Its one of those forgiving soups that actually tastes better the next day
02 -
  • Parboiling the beef for 5 minutes and discarding that water first yields the clearest, cleanest tasting broth
  • Adding fish sauce gradually is better than dumping it all in at once, you can always add but cannot take back
  • The marrow is the prized part, provide small spoons so guests can scoop it out themselves
03 -
  • Cook the soup a day ahead and refrigerate, then skim off the solidified fat for a lighter version
  • If you cannot find saba bananas, firm regular plantains make an acceptable substitute

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