Bulalo Filipino Beef Marrow Stew: A Slow-Simmered Recipe

Bulalo is a Filipino beef shank and marrow stew, usually served hot with corn, leafy greens, and a clear, savory broth. A gentle, extended simmer draws flavor from the bones and makes the shank tender; family and regional versions vary in their vegetables and seasonings.

Ingredients

4 lb (1.8 kg) bone-in beef shank, preferably with marrow in the bones; ask the butcher for cross-cut bulalo shanks if available.
10 cups (2.4 L) cold water for the stew, plus about 8 cups (1.9 L) for blanching the beef.
1 medium yellow onion, about 8 oz (225 g), peeled and quartered.
1 head garlic, about 1½ oz (40 g), cut in half crosswise.
1 tablespoon (8 g) whole black peppercorns.
1½ teaspoons (9 g) fine salt to start, plus more to taste.
2 ears corn, about 1 lb (450 g) total, husked and cut into thirds.
1 lb (450 g) green cabbage, cut into 6 wedges, or 10 oz (280 g) napa cabbage.
1 bunch pechay or baby bok choy, about 10 oz (280 g), roots trimmed and leaves separated if large.
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce, plus more for serving. Use a gluten-free fish sauce if needed, and check the label.
2 scallions, about 1 oz (30 g), thinly sliced, for garnish.
Calamansi or lime wedges, about 6 wedges, for serving; optional but refreshing.

Instructions

Prepare the beef and aromatics. Rinse the shanks under cool running water and pat them dry. If the butcher has left any loose bone fragments, wipe them away. Quarter the onion, halve the garlic, cut the corn and cabbage, and trim the pechay. Keep the cabbage and pechay aside so they can go into the pot near the end rather than turning soft during the long simmer.
Blanch the shanks. Put the beef in a large stockpot and cover it with the 8 cups (1.9 L) blanching water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 10 minutes. A gray-brown foam will rise; this first boil helps remove surface impurities. Drain the beef in a colander, discard the blanching water, and rinse the pot and the shanks. This extra step takes a little time, but it helps keep the finished broth cleaner in flavor and appearance.
Start the broth. Return the rinsed shanks to the clean pot. Add the 10 cups (2.4 L) cold water, onion, garlic, peppercorns, and 1½ teaspoons (9 g) salt. The water should mostly cover the beef; add a little more if needed, but avoid diluting the broth unnecessarily. Bring it just to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. A few small bubbles are right; a hard boil can break up the meat and make the broth cloudy.
Simmer until tender. Partially cover the pot, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Simmer gently for 2 hours 45 minutes, skimming foam or excess fat from the surface occasionally. Check the water level now and then and add hot water if the bones become exposed. The shank is ready for the next step when a fork goes into the meat with little resistance and the meat is beginning to loosen from the bone. If it is still firm, continue simmering and check every 20 minutes; some pieces take longer depending on their size and the animal.
Check the beef and cook the corn. Use a food thermometer to check the thickest part of the beef, away from the bone. USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of beef; this stew is simmered well beyond that point for tenderness. Once the beef is fork-tender, let it rest in the hot broth for at least 3 minutes. Add the corn and simmer for 15 minutes, until the kernels are tender but still hold their shape.
Finish with the greens. Stir in the fish sauce, then taste the broth before adding more salt. Add the cabbage and simmer for about 3 minutes, just until it begins to soften. Add the pechay or bok choy and simmer for 2 more minutes, until the stems are tender-crisp and the leaves have wilted. Avoid cooking the greens for a long time: they should stay bright and distinct rather than dissolving into the broth.
Serve hot. Lift the shanks, corn, and vegetables into a large serving bowl or divide them among six bowls. Ladle the broth over everything and scatter scallions on top. Offer calamansi or lime wedges and extra fish sauce at the table. Take care when serving marrow bones, since the bones and the broth will be very hot.

Tips

Choose shanks with both meat and marrow. Cross-cut shanks are convenient because each slice has a bone and a central marrow section. If you can only find meaty shank, ask for a separate marrow bone or two; the stew will still work without them, but the broth will have less of the rich, silky character associated with marrow.
Keep the simmer low. A rolling boil can make the broth cloudy and cause tender meat to break apart. If the surface is bubbling vigorously, lower the heat. Skim with a spoon rather than stirring often, which can also disturb the broth.
Adjust salt at the end. Fish sauce varies in saltiness, and broth reduces slightly as it simmers. Start with the listed salt, add fish sauce near the end, and taste before seasoning again. If the broth becomes too salty, add a little hot water rather than trying to mask it with more aromatics.
Use a practical greens substitute. Pechay is a type of bok choy commonly used in Filipino cooking. If it is hard to find, baby bok choy works well; regular bok choy or napa cabbage is also suitable, though napa becomes softer and sweeter. Add any delicate greens at the very end.

Serving Suggestions

Serve bulalo as a filling main course with steamed white rice, which soaks up the savory broth. Put the shanks and corn in the bowls first, then add plenty of broth and greens so each serving gets a little of everything. A small dish of fish sauce with calamansi or lime lets diners add a salty, tart accent to their own bowl. If marrow is part of the meal, provide small spoons so it can be scooped from the bone and stirred into the rice or broth.

For a simple meal around the pot, offer extra rice, sliced scallions, and citrus wedges rather than several heavy side dishes. The stew is rich, so a crisp vegetable side or a plate of sliced tomatoes can add contrast. Serve the broth hot, and portion carefully around the bones; shanks can be awkward to eat neatly, so a spoon and fork are useful.

Variations

There is no single fixed set of vegetables for every pot of bulalo. Some cooks use cabbage and pechay, while others add green beans, potatoes, or additional corn. For potatoes, add 2 medium potatoes, about 12 oz (340 g), peeled and cut into large chunks with the corn; smaller pieces may fall apart during simmering. Green beans, about 8 oz (225 g), can go in during the last 8 to 10 minutes so they keep some bite.

For a lighter-tasting broth, chill the finished stew and lift off the solidified fat before reheating. This removes some richness, so taste and adjust the fish sauce after warming. For a fuller broth, use a mix of meaty shanks and marrow bones, but keep the total beef and bones close to the recipe’s 4 lb (1.8 kg) so the water-to-beef balance remains useful. If you cannot find pechay, baby bok choy is the closest practical substitute; cabbage alone is fine, although the final bowl will have less leafy variety.

Some versions season the broth more assertively with fish sauce, while others leave it relatively mild and put fish sauce on the table. Start with the amount in this recipe and let diners season their portions. You can also add a small amount of sliced ginger with the onion and garlic for a gently warming aroma; it changes the flavor, so use about 1 oz (28 g) peeled ginger rather than a large handful.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover bulalo within 2 hours of cooking. For quicker cooling, divide it among shallow, covered containers instead of leaving a full stockpot on the counter. Store the meat, vegetables, and broth together or separately, and use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days. The broth may become gel-like when cold because of the collagen released during simmering; it will turn liquid again as it warms.

Reheat only the amount you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring gently, until the broth is steaming and the leftovers reach 165°F (74°C). Check with a food thermometer, especially in a large portion, and avoid repeatedly warming and cooling the whole batch. The vegetables soften further after storage, so you can remove them before refrigerating and add freshly cooked cabbage or bok choy when reheating if you prefer firmer greens.

For longer storage, freeze the cooled stew in airtight, freezer-safe containers for about 2 to 3 months for best quality, leaving a little room for expansion. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat it to 165°F (74°C). Frozen greens may be softer after thawing, but the beef and broth generally reheat well. Do not leave the stew at room temperature for extended storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cut of beef is best for bulalo?
Bone-in beef shank is the classic choice because it provides meat, marrow, and connective tissue that enrich the broth as the stew simmers. Cross-cut shanks are especially convenient for serving. If you cannot find them, use meaty beef shanks and add a marrow bone if available; boneless stew meat will cook, but the broth will be less rich.

Why is my bulalo broth cloudy?
A vigorous boil, frequent stirring, or skipping the blanch-and-rinse step can leave more particles suspended in the broth. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer and skim foam from the surface. Cloudiness does not mean the stew is unsafe, and the flavor can still be good; it is mainly a difference in appearance and texture.

Can I make bulalo in a pressure cooker?
Yes, but timing depends on the cooker and the size of the shanks. Blanch and rinse the beef first, then pressure-cook it with the water and aromatics until fork-tender, following your appliance’s instructions for beef shank and safe release. Add the corn and greens afterward and simmer them uncovered until done. Do not fill a pressure cooker above its marked limit, and do not use the stovetop timing in this recipe as pressure-cooking time.

Can I make the broth ahead?
Yes. Simmer the beef and broth, cool and refrigerate them within 2 hours, then lift off any firm fat the next day if desired. Reheat the broth and beef to 165°F (74°C), add the corn until tender, and finish with freshly cooked cabbage and pechay. Cooking the greens at serving time helps them retain a better texture.

How do I eat the marrow?
Use a small spoon to scoop marrow from the center of a marrow bone once the stew is served. It is naturally rich, so a little can be enough; stir it into hot rice or broth if you like. Take care because the bone and marrow can retain heat, and avoid trying to crack bones at the table.

What can I use instead of pechay?
Baby bok choy is a straightforward substitute, and regular bok choy works too. Napa cabbage can also fill the leafy-vegetable role, although it softens more quickly and has a milder, slightly sweet taste. Add napa near the end of cooking and stop when it is just tender.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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