Beef Nilaga or Bulalo is a favorite Filipino comfort food. It is healthy, simple to make, yet oh so tasty! In less than an hour, you can enjoy a very satisfying meal! You can substitute any type of meat and vegetables to make this very satisfying dish!
How to Cook Beef Nilaga (Bulalo) in Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot
Add olive oil to the Instant Pot and set it to sauté for 10 minutes.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add the onions to the Instant Pot and sauté until softened and lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes.
1 medium-sized onion
Add the chunks of beef with bone marrow and brown them on all sides. This step enhances the flavor of the broth. Then add 8 cups of water or broth into the Instant Pot and season with fish sauce, salt, and whole black peppercorns.
2 pounds Beef Shank, 1 tablespoons fish sauce, 4 cups of water, Salt + Peppercorns
Close the lid tightly, then set the Instant Pot to high Pressure for 30 minutes. Let the Instant Pot do its magic, tenderizing and flavoring the beef.
Once the pressure is released (you can also do a quick release if you're pressed for time), carefully open the Instant Pot. Add the vegetables to the pot in layers, starting with potatoes, cabbage, then broccoli on top. Close the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for an additional 5 minutes.
1 cup Potatoes, ½ Green Cabbage, 1 head of Broccoli, 2 Green Onions
Once the Instant Pot finishes cooking, release the pressure and open the lid. Ladle the Bulalo Beef Nilaga into bowls, making sure to include a generous serving of beef, vegetables, and broth. Enjoy this Filipino beef soup with steaming white rice.
How to Cook Beef Nilaga (Bulalo) Stovetop
In a Dutch oven or another stockpot, over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté onions until translucent, about 2 minutes
Add salt, peppercorns, and fish sauce, then sear the beef for 4 minutes on each side.
Add water, bring to a boil, turn the heat down to low, and continue to simmer the beef. This process takes anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. This is when you will skim the scum from the broth.
When the meat is tender, add the vegetables in the order as written giving them 3 minutes each to cook.
How to Cook Beef Nilaga (Bulalo) in a Slow-Cooker / Crockpot
Add oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, saute the onions until translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add salt, peppercorns, and fish sauce, then sear the beef for 4 minutes on each side. Add water and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat off.
Meanwhile, layer, the potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot, followed by cabbage, then broccoli.
Transfer the meat mixture to the crockpot; layering the meat on top of the vegetables.
Cover and cook on a high setting for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.
Notes
Safety first! Read and follow your Instant Pot instructions manual, especially if you're using it for the first time.
Soak the beef! Soaking the meat prior to cooking and using fresh, cold water as your base for the soup will give you a tastier and clearer broth.
Soak the onions! Did you know that a simple iced water soak before you slice onions helps to neutralize the sulfuric compounds that bring about an almost bitter taste and instead reward you with a more mellow and subtle sweetness from the allium?
Tasty + Healthy: If there's too much fat on the broth, use a fat separator (affiliate link)
Want Umami?! Sauté the meat with aromatics, like onions and fish sauce; this will give the meat a more succulent and savory flavor, and no fail, you will get that "give-me-some-more" umami flavor you crave.