Filipino Bulalo Beef Shank Soup (Printer-friendly)

Hearty Filipino soup with tender beef shank, bone marrow, corn, and vegetables in a rich clear broth.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 3.3 lbs beef shank, bone-in with marrow
02 - 1 lb beef bone marrow bones (optional, for extra richness)

→ 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 & sliced in halves (optional)

→ 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 Guide:

01 - Place beef shank and marrow bones in a large stockpot. Cover completely with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
02 - Skim off any scum and impurities that rise to the surface. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, then add quartered onion, whole black peppercorns, and fish sauce. Cover and maintain a low simmer for 2 hours, or until beef becomes fork-tender.
03 - Add halved baby potatoes and carrot chunks to the simmering broth. Continue cooking for 10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Add corn pieces and plantain bananas (if using) along with trimmed green beans. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until corn and plantains are tender.
05 - Stir in napa cabbage pieces and cook just until wilted, approximately 2–3 minutes. Avoid overcooking to maintain texture and vibrant color.
06 - Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with additional salt or fish sauce as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
07 - Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Top generously with chopped scallions and serve alongside calamansi or lemon wedges for squeezing at the table.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bone marrow creates this velvety richness you cant get from beef alone, like liquid gold in your bowl
  • Its one of those rare soups that feels fancy enough for guests but humble enough for Tuesday night dinner
  • The longer it sits, the better it tastes, making it perfect for make-ahead meals
02 -
  • That first foam when boiling the beef makes for cloudy broth if you don't skim it thoroughly, so be patient with this step
  • Adding leafy vegetables too early turns them sad and gray, so wait until the very end
  • The soup tastes even better the next day as flavors continue to develop, so don't worry about leftovers
03 -
  • If your marrow bones are especially large, wrap them in cheesecloth first to prevent any small bone pieces from escaping into your soup
  • Room temperature beef goes into cold water, never add straight from the fridge or the broth will turn cloudy
  • A splash of vinegar added during the last 5 minutes brightens all the flavors beautifully

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