Ulam · Main Dishes · Rainy Day Comfort

Bulalo

Name: Bulalo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 3 lbs beef shank, cut crosswise with bone-in marrow; 1 onion, quartered; 1 knob ginger, sliced; 12 cups water; 2 tbsp fish sauce (patis); 2 ears corn, cut into 2-inch pieces; 1 small cabbage, quartered; 1 bunch pechay (bok choy), leaves separated; 2 whole peppercorns, cracked; Salt, to taste; Fish sauce and calamansi, for serving

Beef shank and bone marrow simmered for hours into a clear, deeply savory soup with corn, cabbage, and pechay. A Batangas and Tagalog comfort-food classic — the marrow, scooped straight from the bone, is the whole point.

By: Andrew Arcangel | Last Updated: September 27, 2026

Jump to Recipe

Total time2 hr 45 min

Servings6

DifficultyEasy

Dietary noteOne-pot, freezes well

Good forRainy Day

Before you start

Step 3 (Skim and simmer) takes about 2 hours.

Bulalo takes its name from the Batangas town where it's said to have become a specialty, though it's eaten across the country today, especially in cooler weather or high up in the mountains, where a bowl of hot marrow broth is exactly what the occasion calls for. Unlike a lot of Filipino soups, it leans almost entirely on the beef itself for flavor — no fish sauce-heavy broth or sour tamarind base, just long-simmered bone and meat.

What makes bulalo different

The marrow bone is non-negotiable — it's what separates bulalo from a simpler beef soup like nilaga. As the shank simmers for a couple of hours, the marrow slowly renders into the broth and softens inside the bone, ready to be scooped out with a small spoon once the bowl reaches the table.

Ingredients

Serves 6

3 lbs beef shank, cut crosswise with bone-in marrow
1 onion, quartered
1 knob ginger, sliced
12 cups water
2 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
2 ears corn, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 small cabbage, quartered
1 bunch pechay (bok choy), leaves separated
2 whole peppercorns, cracked
Salt, to taste
Fish sauce and calamansi, for serving

Ask your butcher to cut the shank crosswise into rounds (osso buco-style) so the marrow is exposed and easy to scoop.

Instructions

Blanch. Boil the beef shank in water for a few minutes, then drain and rinse to remove impurities. You'll need 3 lbs beef shank12 cups water
Start the broth. In a large pot, combine the shank, onion, ginger, peppercorns, and 12 cups water, and bring to a boil. You'll need 3 lbs beef shank1 onion1 knob ginger12 cups water2 whole peppercorns
Skim and simmer. Skim off any scum that rises, then lower the heat and simmer covered until the beef is fork-tender, about 2 hours. You'll need 3 lbs beef shank
Season. Stir in fish sauce, then add corn and simmer 10 minutes more. You'll need 2 tbsp fish sauce2 ears corn
Add vegetables. Add cabbage and pechay, and simmer just until wilted, a few minutes. You'll need 1 small cabbage1 bunch pechay
Serve. Season with salt to taste and serve hot, with extra fish sauce and calamansi on the side for dipping the beef. You'll need 3 lbs beef shank2 tbsp fish saucesaltfish sauce and calamansi

Kitchen tip: Add leafy vegetables like pechay and cabbage last — they only need a few minutes and turn dull and mushy if simmered too long.

Tips & variations

Bulalo with corn on the cob: keeping the corn in full rounds instead of pieces is common in some households — either way is traditional.
Add sayote: chayote squash is a common addition alongside the cabbage and pechay, adding a mild, slightly sweet vegetable note.
Pressure cooker shortcut: cook the beef shank under pressure for about 45 minutes before adding the vegetables, cutting the total time significantly.

Nutrition estimated per serving

380Calories
30gProtein
22gFat
14gCarbs
5gSugar

Estimated automatically from this recipe's ingredients; actual values will vary based on brands and exact quantities used.

Glossary Patis Calamansi

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between bulalo and nilaga?

They're very close relatives — both are clear beef-and-vegetable soups — but bulalo specifically uses beef shank with the marrow bone left in, prized for scooping out the marrow, while nilaga is more flexible about the cut of beef used.

How do I get the broth clear instead of cloudy?

Blanching the shank first and skimming off the scum that rises in the first few minutes of simmering are the two biggest factors — skipping either tends to leave the broth cloudier.

Can I make bulalo in a pressure cooker?

Yes — pressure cooking the beef shank for about 45 minutes gets it fork-tender much faster than a 2-hour open simmer, though some cooks feel the open-pot method gives a clearer, more developed broth.

Pairs well with

Fellow clear-broth comfort soup

Sinigang na Baboy

Tamarind-soured pork soup with radish, eggplant, and water spinach.

Another long-simmered beef classic

Goto

Beef tripe and oxtail simmered into a rich, long-cooked rice porridge.

Simple side to soak up the broth

Lugaw

Simple rice porridge simmered in broth, topped with fried garlic and calamansi.