Why do people love to eat bulalo?

Bulalo is a very popular Filipino food. It is a kind of soup or stew. Bulalo is made by cooking beef and vegetables in beef broth or stock. The soup usually has corn, cabbage, petsay (Chinese bok choy), and sometimes potatoes.

The main ingredient that makes bulalo special is beef bones and beef meat. Beef shanks and marrow bones are used to make the rich beef broth base of bulalo.

Tender, fall-off-the-bone beef

One big reason why people love bulalo is because of the melt-in-your-mouth beef in the soup. The beef shanks and marrow bones are slow-cooked until the meat becomes super tender and falls right off the bone.

When you eat bulalo, the beef is so soft that it practically melts in your mouth. Each bite gives you extremely tender, juicy meat that’s been cooked to perfection in the tasty beef broth.

People love sinking their teeth into the soft, succulent beef pieces in a steaming hot bowl of bulalo. The satisfaction of eating perfectly tender braised beef that comes right off the bone is unbeatable.

Rich, savory beef broth

Another major reason bulalo is a beloved dish is because of its deeply savory, mouthwatering beef broth base. The slow cooking of marrow bones in the soup releases lots of delicious beefy flavors and nutrients into the broth.

The long simmering extracts the maximum essence and tastes from the beef bones, making the bulalo broth ultra flavorful. This creates an incredibly rich, hearty beef stock that forms the soul of the dish.

The savory, umami flavors of the beef bone broth in bulalo are simply irresistible. One slurp is never enough, as the tasty broth makes you crave more and more of it.

Nutritional benefits of bone broth

Additional flavors and aroma

While the beef and beef broth are the main attractions, other ingredients also contribute key flavors and aromas that make bulalo even more appetizing.

Ingredients like fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, onions, peppercorns, and lemon or calamansi juice provide additional layers of delicious savory, salty, sour, and aromatic elements.

The melange of all these flavors, led by the rich beefiness, creates a multi-dimensional taste experience that satisfies many cravings in one bowl of bulalo soup.

Comforting warmth

One simple but important factor is that bulalo is a warm, comforting dish that’s perfect for cold weather or when you’re feeling under the weather.

There’s just something incredibly soothing and nourishing about sipping on a steaming hot bowl of beef soup with tender meat that warms you from the inside out.

The heat from bulalo broth spreads a cozy feeling throughout your body, making it a beloved dish for rainy days, chilly nights, or times when you’re feeling sick and need something warm and fortifying.

Nourishing nutrients

People also love bulalo because it’s an undeniably nutritious dish packed with plenty of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients from the beef bones and veggies.

The bone-in beef provides a bounty of nutrients like:

Protein for muscle growth and repair

Calcium, phosphorus and other minerals for bone health
Collagen for skin, hair, nails and joints
Iron for blood and energy

B vitamins for metabolism and nerve function

Meanwhile, the veggie additions like cabbage, pechay, potatoes and corn provide extra fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants to make bulalo even more nourishing.

Many view bulalo as a delicious and satisfying way to get important nutrients for overall health and well-being.

Easy to make and customize

Bulalo is beloved because it’s surprisingly easy to make at home, using simple and affordable ingredients found in most markets.

The basic method is just simmering beef bones and meat with veggies in a pot, seasoned with garlic, onions, fish sauce, and peppercorns. It’s a simple one-pot meal anyone can whip up.

Bulalo is also highly customizable. You can easily tweak it by adding more broth ingredients like whole peppercorns, star anise, or bay leaves for extra aroma. Or toss in other veggies like potatoes, carrots or chili peppers for more variety and nutrition.

Some like adding pork or chicken for additional protein. Others enjoy bulalo with a side of rice, puto or pancit noodles to soak up the tasty broth.

With so many personal twists possible, people find satisfaction in enjoying their own unique version of this comforting soup.

Affordable indulgence

For all its homey, stick-to-your-ribs satisfaction, bulalo remains an affordable comfort food luxury that most can enjoy without breaking the bank.

The key ingredients of beef bones, shanks and basic vegetables are relatively inexpensive and go a long way when stretched into a big pot of soup to feed a whole family.

So for a low cost per serving, you get to indulge in premium flavors of rich, savory, beefy goodness from the bones and tender, fall-off-the-bone meat. It’s an economical way to treat yourself.

Money saving tips for making bulalo

Easy to find

With Filipino cuisine and culinary influences spreading globally, good authentic bulalo can increasingly be found in many cities and neighborhoods worldwide.

From hole-in-the-wall eateries to mainstream restaurants, food courts and take-out joints, this hearty beef soup is popping up in more locations across international food scenes.

The widespread availability of quality bulalo makes it even easier for more people to discover, access and enjoy this unique, immensely satisfying Filipino dish.

Even if you don’t have a Filipino restaurant nearby, bulalo ingredients are easy to source from ethnic groceries or regular supermarkets to cook up a batch at home.

Cultural connection and nostalgia

On a deeper level, bulalo holds a special nostalgic meaning and cultural connection for many Filipinos, both in the Philippines and abroad.

This classic beefy soup represents the comfort of home-cooked meals and treasured family memories of gathering around the pot for a shared culinary experience.

For Filipinos overseas, bulalo can provide a powerful tie to their ethnic roots, heritage, and childhood food memories from the homeland. The familiar flavors are nostalgic reminders of tradition and family.

So beyond just being tasty, bulalo also serves as a sentimental favorite that people love as a connection to their cultural identity, roots and loved ones.

Connection between food, culture and identity

Popular in everyday meals and celebrations

The versatility of bulalo allows it to be enjoyed in a variety of ordinary and special settings beyond just casual home cooking.

It’s a beloved meal for daily lunch or dinner, but also commonly served at important Filipino celebrations, gatherings, and festivals like:

Birthdays

Weddings
Holidays (Christmas, New Year’s, etc.)
Town fiestas

Family reunions
Baptisms and graduations

So no matter if it’s an average weeknight meal or a big milestone event, bulalo has a special place at the table that adds to the spirit of bonding and feasting.

People love that it plays such a consistent role in marking both everyday occasions and significant life celebrations through delicious shared food experiences.

Warming childhood memories

For many Filipinos, bulalo invokes deep, comforting childhood memories of slurping up mommy’s or lola’s (grandma’s) home-cooked bulalo during family meals.

The distinct meaty aroma and flavors can transport people back to the kitchen of their youth, bringing a rush of nostalgia for the simple joys of life growing up in a Filipino household.

Those fond memories get recreated when enjoying a steaming bowl of bulalo as an adult, evoking the feelings of being nurtured, cared for, and immersed in the familiar traditions of Filipino home cooking.

People cherish bulalo for its ability to provide a tangible taste of family, tradition and treasured moments from their childhood food experiences.

Nutrients in Bulalo

Nutrient	Sources	Benefits
Protein	Beef meat and bones	Builds and repairs muscles, bones, cartilage
Collagen	Bones and marrow	Supports skin, hair, nail and joint health
Calcium	Bones	Builds and maintains strong bones and teeth
Phosphorus	Bones, meat	Supports bone health and energy production
Iron	Beef	Helps make red blood cells to prevent anemia and fatigue
B Vitamins	Beef, veggies	Converts food into energy, supports nerve function
Vitamin C	Veggies like cabbage	Powerful antioxidant, supports immune system
Fiber	Veggies	Promotes healthy digestion and feeling full

In the end, the tasty rich beef flavors, tender melt-in-your-mouth textures, warming comfort, nourishing nutrients, and nostalgic family connections are what make classic bulalo so beloved. This humble yet satisfying Filipino dish continues bringing people together over shared culinary traditions and delicious home-cooked memories.