Eat Your Colors - June / July 2024

#AskHLuiz

What is Beef Bulalo?

Beef Bulalo is a Filipino beef shank and bone marrow stew. It is a flavorful dish that is slow-cooked in a rich broth with a variety of vegetables, including cabbage, bok choy and pechay (Filipino spinach). The name Bulalo is a Filipino word which means "bone marrow," and refers to the marrow that is extracted from the beef bones during cooking.

In the Philippines, Beef Bulalo is cooked in many households. It is served with white rice or bread and is a staple in many Filipino homes and restaurants.

I make this recipe with the help of my homemade bone marrow butter. I just roast beef bones, crack the bones and remove the rich marrow and mix it in with butter- plant based butter, that is. I just don’t want the dairy or the extra cholesterol. Mixing bone marrow with butter, makes it easier to add to stews and sauces for an extra boost of nutrients. You would not want to spread bone marrow butter on your toast though. Eating bone marrow has many benefits (skin health, brain health, blood sugar, immunity and stem-cell formation) but should be eaten in moderation. It is very caloric-rich and high in cholesterol (that’s why I use plant-based butter).

Untraditionally, I use shredded carrots and I omit the potatoes all together. I wouldn’t serve potatoes and rice anyway. I rarely use a beef shank for this and I use my bone-marrow butter of course. Here’s my simplified recipe…

My Simple Beef Bulalo Recipe

Ingredients

* I don’t use the traditional, costly beef shank, I use beef braciole (thinly pounded top round steaks), it’s inexpensive and thin- cooks quick

* 1 medium onion (or half of a Large) chopped

* 4 garlic cloves minced

* 1 cup beef broth (at times, I use chicken stock)

* ½ cup water

* shredded carrot

* chopped cilantro or your favorite herb(s)

* bone-marrow butter (tap recipe link below)

Instructions ( >30 minutes of cook time )

Add your thin slices of beef in a hot pan (medium heat) with oil and cook with salt and pepper until browned (about 5 minutes). Remove and set aside. Then add your sliced onions to the same pan and cook them until they’re translucent- you may need to add more oil (I use olive oil for this dish.) Next in the pan goes your garlic (give them a minute to cook) then add your broth or stock- plus water. Salt and pepper it to your preference.

Add your beef back to the pan, with the shredded carrots and your herb(s). Stir to combine, then cover the pan and reduce the heat for 10 minutes.

Serve hot, garnish with herbs, a squeeze of lime and pepper flakes over rice.