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How to Cook Adobong Bulalo (Beef Shank Adobo)

Adobong bulalo is a hearty Filipino dish made by simmering tender beef shank in a rich, savory, and tangy adobo-style sauce, transforming leftover bulalo into a flavorful new meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Beef Recipe
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: adobo recipe, adobong bulalo, beef shank adobo
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Manny

Ingredients

  • 1 and 1/2 kilo boiled Bulalo or beef shank bone-in
  • 1/8 cup oyster sauce or soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup soup stock from the boiled beef shank or bulalo
  • 1/8 cup vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
  • 1/2 head garlic crushed
  • 1 pc medium onion chopped for sauteing

Instructions

How to Cook Adobong Bulalo or Beef Shank Adobo:

  • You can get the beef shank from a nilagang bulalo dish but if you don't have any you can boil the beef shank until the meat is tender. You can use a pressure cooker to speed up the cooking. (Before boiling the beef shank, put 1 pc peeled onion, sliced in half.)
  • Remove the cooked bulalo from the soup stock and get the meat with the bone shank.
  • In a deep pan or wok, heat the cooking oil and saute garlic and onion.
  • Then follow the beef shank or bulalo and stir fry with the sauteed garlic and onion.
  • Allow the beef to fry a little bit for 3 minutes. Then pour the soup stock and pepper.
  • Simmer for 5 minutes then add the oyster sauce, vinegar and sugar.
  • When the sauce becomes thick, remove from fire and serve hot.

Notes

Cooking Tips:

Use Tender Beef Shank

The success of adobong bulalo starts with beef shank that is already tender before making the sauce. If the meat is still chewy, continue simmering it or use a pressure cooker until a fork slides in easily. Tender beef absorbs the adobo flavors better and stays juicy during the second cooking.

Let the Vinegar Cook Undisturbed

After adding the vinegar, avoid stirring it right away and let it boil for a minute or two. This traditional technique allows the sharp acidity to mellow naturally, giving the sauce a smoother and more balanced flavor. Once the vinegar has cooked, you can stir everything together without leaving a harsh sour taste.

Reduce the Sauce Gently

Simmer the sauce over medium to low heat until it lightly coats the beef shank instead of rushing the process over high heat. Gentle reduction concentrates the flavors without burning the sugars in the sauce or drying out the meat. Stop cooking once the sauce becomes glossy because it will continue to thicken slightly as it cools