Place beef shanks in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat for 8 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and discard blanching water. Rinse the beef and the pot to remove scum.

Simmer the broth

Return the blanched beef to the cleaned pot. Add 4 L fresh water, halved onion, ginger slices, crushed garlic (reserve 2 cloves for later if you prefer a milder garlic aroma), and whole black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim any foam that rises during the first 20–30 minutes.

Cover partially and simmer until beef is very tender and marrow begins to release into the broth, about 2 to 2.5 hours (pressure cooker: 45–60 minutes). Add fish sauce and 1 tsp salt about 15 minutes before finishing if needed; adjust seasoning to taste.

Vegetables

When the beef is tender and nearly done, add the corn pieces and potatoes to the pot. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until potatoes are almost tender.

Add green beans and banana blossoms or bok choy (if using). Cook another 4–6 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Finally add the cabbage wedges and cook 2–3 minutes until just wilted but still bright and slightly crunchy.

Aromatics & Garnish

Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce or salt as needed. Grind 1 tsp fresh black pepper into the soup and stir through.

Ladle bulalo into deep serving bowls ensuring each bowl gets pieces of bone marrow, beef, and vegetables. Garnish with chopped spring onions and the remaining crushed garlic if you reserved any. Serve with calamansi or lime wedges and small bowls of fish sauce for individual seasoning.

To eat: scoop marrow from the bone with a spoon and spread on steamed rice or mix into the broth for extra richness.