Filipino Bulalo Beef Shank Soup (Printable)

Tender beef shank and marrow simmered with corn, potatoes, 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

→ 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

→ 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 It:

01 - Place beef shank and marrow bones in a large stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
02 - Skim off any scum and impurities that rise to the surface. Lower heat to a simmer, then add quartered onion, whole black peppercorns, and fish sauce. Cover and cook for 2 hours, or until beef is fork-tender.
03 - Add halved baby potatoes and carrot chunks to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Add corn pieces, plantain bananas, and trimmed green beans. Cook for another 10 minutes until corn is tender and plantains are soft.
05 - Stir in napa cabbage pieces and cook just until wilted, about 2–3 minutes. Avoid overcooking to maintain texture.
06 - Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with additional salt or fish sauce as needed. Serve hot in bowls, topped with chopped scallions, alongside calamansi or lemon wedges for squeezing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The marrow creates an incredibly rich broth that tastes like it simmered for days
  • Its one of those soups that actually gets better overnight, making it perfect for meal prep
02 -
  • Parboiling the beef for 5 minutes and discarding that first water gives you a crystal clear broth
  • The marrow bones can become slippery during long simmering, so check on them occasionally
03 -
  • If your broth looks cloudy, try the parboiling trick next time
  • Add leafy greens like bok choy in the last minute if you want more vegetables

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