Bulalo Soup
Recipe byThe key to making a good bulalo soup is to use the correct cut of beef. It has to be bone-in shank. How much meat is attached to the shank is a personal choice. But the bone has to be cut crosswise, and the marrow should be intact.Long and slow cookig is required. Stirring is not a good idea especially if both ends of the bone are open. You really don't want the precious marrow falling out prematurely and melting into the cooking liquid.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 kilograms bulalo (bone-in beef shank)
- 1 whole onion
- 1 whole garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 to 8 peppercorns
- fish sauce
- 1 head white cabbage cut into quarters
- 350 grams potatoes peeled and cut into wedges
Instructions
- Place the beef shanks in a thick-bottomed pot.
- Cover with water.
- Set over high heat and bring to a boil, removing scum as it rises.
- Add the whole onion, garlic (pierced in several places with a sharp pointed knife), bay leaf and peppercorns.
- Stir in two tablespoons of fish sauce.
- Lower the heat, cover and simmer for two hours (longer, for a more flavorful broth) or until the beef is fork-tender. It is important to taste the broth every half hour or so and adding more fish sauce, as needed.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the beef shanks and transfer to a tureen or serving bowl.
- Strain the broth, pour back into the pot and reheat to boiling point.
- Add the potatoes, cabbage, another tablespoon of fish sauce, and simmer for another ten to 15 minutes.
- Scoop the vegetables out and arrange around the bulalo.
- Pour in piping hot broth and serve at once.
Notes
Updated from a recipe originally published in May 5, 2009