Cebu Pochero, Bulalo

Cebu Pochero, Bulalo. There is no better way to cook a bulalo than to slow cook it until the tendons and meats almost fall off from the bone. Cebuanos call their bulalao pochero. Beef shanks in one piece with meats still clinging to the bone and the bone marrow safely intact at the bone cavity are slow cooked for hours which results a very savory beef broth with out the addition of artificial flavorings.

Flavors are further enhanced by the use of bamboo shoots and sweet corns in cobs, these are the two vegetable ingredients of Cebuano pochero that distinguished the dish from the Tagalog bulalao version. I love bulalo but the dish is loaded with cholesterol that is evident by the amount of floating fats on the broth. I have to scooped them out, the best way is to chill the broth until the fats solidify this way it is easier to scoop them out. Here is my recipe.

Ingredients:

1 to 1.5 kilo bulalo, beef shank, in one piece
2 bundles pechay, trimmed
1/2 medium size cabbage, cut into wedges
4 young sweet corn in cob, cut in halves
1/4 kilo sliced bamboo shoot, pre-boiled
1 whole garlic
1 tbsp peppercorn
2 medium size whole onion
2 medium size onion, quartered
1 bundle chives or spring onion, cut in 2” length
salt

Cooking procedure:

Place the whole beef shank in a large casserole. Cover with water. Add the whole onion, garlic and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, remove scum that rises. Lower heat, cover and simmer/slow cook for 3 to 4 hours or until the beef tendons are tender. Remove the now tender beef shank from the casserole and keep aside. Place the remaining broth in a big bowl, set aside. Wash the casserole of all scum, using a sieve strain the broth and replace in the same casserole, add more water as necessary. Add in the bamboo shoot and sweet corn, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until the sweet corn are cooked. Season with salt to taste. Add in the beef shank, cabbage and pechay, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are just cook, garnish with chives or spring onion. Transfer in a big serving bowl and serve at once with a dipping sauce of patis, kalamansi and siling labuyo.

See other related bulalo recipe:

Asado Bulalo, Beef Shank Asado
Bistek Bulalo
Bulalo