Over the years, Bulalo has remained a special and a popular dish in the hearts of the Filipinos everywhere. In fact, many restaurants strive to make their bulalo recipe the best one there is, because people really love a special bulalo.
People tend to search for this special soup dish whenever it’s cold because the soup serves like a warm blanket and it gives you a sense of comfort. So whether it is for a special occasion or just a regular day when you crave for something irresistible, bulalo is a perfect treat. Because no matter the occasion It will always remain special to us.
In this article, you will no longer need to drive out late at night or find the perfect restaurant where they serve bulalo and shell out a lot of money, because here from now on, you will learn how to make your very own special bulalo!
Satisfy your cravings anytime and surprise your loved ones with a hearty dish everybody likes. Read on about the article and learn tips and trivia about the all-time favorite Bulalo.
What is Bulalo?
If you’re ever curious about what bulalo means, well, it can mean different things. It might pertain to the bone marrow in the beef shank, it might be the one you call the cut used in making this dish, or it might even be what you call the soup that is made out of the beef shank.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t really matter because when we think about bulalo, we all picture the same thing, and it all makes us hungry.
Bulalo is simply a beef dish which is known to have originated here in the Philippines. It’s especially popular in Southern Luzon areas, such as Batangas and Cavite.
It is popularly known for having the beef shank and bone marrow, and letting its flavors melt into a super tasty broth. It is also traditionally paired with some vegetables, such as cabbage or pechay, and some other ingredients like corn or potatoes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Beef Shank
In this dish, we only use one type of meat cut, this is bone-in beef shanks with lots of bone marrow inside. In the Philippines, this is also known as the bulalo cut.
Fish Sauce
Fish sauce or patis will be our seasoning of choice. Not only will it add the savory taste but release umami flavors as well.
Vegetables
You can cook bulalo without the vegetables, but most recipes will included them for added flavors, texture, and of course, nutrients!
We only added corn, green onions, and pechay leaves here but you can also add others like cabbage, Baguio beans, kamote, and carrots.
Potatoes (Optional)
In this recipe, we use corn as part of the ingredients for our bulalo, but as an alternative or as an additional, you can also add in some potatoes to bring in more flavor and variety to the bulalo. Just slice the potatoes into small wedges and do as you would with the corn.
Aside from these, we will also be using other regular pantry ingredients like garlic, onions, salt, black pepper, and laurel leaves. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Equipment You’ll Need
- Cooking Pot- Cooking bulalo involves slow-simmering the meat in water. For this, you need a deep cooking pot that could hold 5 cups of water.
- Pressure Cooker (Optional)- If you have a pressure cooker, you can use this to greatly reduce the cooking time to 30 minutes.
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How to Cook Bulalo
Making your very own bulalo is nothing to be frightened about, because it is really a simple task. The main thing you want to deal with is the time needed in cooking, because it tends to take a lot of your time, so be sure to keep that in mind.
All you have to do is to prepare your ingredients using a knife and a chopping board, and then cook them afterwards.
When preparing for the ingredients, just slice them into serving pieces as recommended in the recipe. When shopping for the meat, it is important to be careful when picking as you might mistake other types of meat as an acceptable choice for a bulalo. What you’re going to need is the beef shank, because this is what also makes the broth of the dish.
Cooking the dish is an effortless task, all you have to do is put in the ingredients in a large cooking pot one after the other. You just have to be mindful of the ingredients and be careful not to overcook.
The longest part of the process is simmering the beef shank, because we want it to be as tender as possible and we want the full flavors of it blend into the broth we are also making. So you have to be patient when cooking this. But if you have a pressure cooker, this is a favorable option as it will cut your cooking time in almost half.
Cooking Tips
- During the first minutes of boiling, scum and froth may accumulate. Make sure to watch and remove these.
- Bulalo is cooked low and slow. This means we will slow cook the meat only at a simmer. This is key to developing a flavorful dish.
How To Serve Bulalo
Bulalo is usually served hot on lunch and dinner meals. It is a best seller on cold weathers and rainy days. It is paired with freshly cooked white rice. Make sure you cook extra because there something about bulalo that makes you eat more rice 😉
You might also want to pair it with a dipping sauce. You can use fish sauce or patis with calamansi and red chili. You can also use soy sauce as an alternative.
How To Store and Reheat Bulalo
To store leftovers, make sure you allow it to cool to room temperature then transfer it to clean food container with lid. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.
To reheat (thaw first if frozen), you can use a microwave oven or in a stove. Apply medium heat until the soup is hot enough to consume.
Other Soup Recipes
- Ilonggo Beef Kansi Recipe
- Pork Sinigang (Sinigang Na Baboy) Recipe
- Chicken Tinola (Tinolang Manok) Recipe
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Classic Bulalo Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking Pot (Kaldero)
- Pressure Cooker (Optional)
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) bone-in beef shank (bulalo cut)
- 2 pcs corn, sliced in 3 to 4 parts
- 1 pc onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 pcs bay leaves (laurel leaves)
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 bunch pechay leaves
- 1 tbsp peppercorn
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a large cooking pot, pour-in and boil water using high heat. Add-in the beef shanks and remove scum as it rises.
- Add-in the fish sauce, quartered onions, cloves of garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorn. Cover the pot and apply low heat. Let it simmer for 2 hours or until the beef is tender. If you’re using a pressure cooker, simmer it for 30 minutes.
- Add-in the corn slices and simmer for about 10 minutes. Or until the corn slices are lightly browned.
- Add-in the pechay leaves and green onion. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Prepare fish sauce as needed. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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