Bacolod Beef Kansi
Recipe Guy
Filipino Classics
Beef shank, lemongrass, and green jackfruit give this kansi a substantial broth with a sour finish. The long simmer comes first; tamarind or batwan and a final measure of calamansi follow, so the acidity sits alongside the beef rather than replacing it.
About This Recipe
Local name: Kansi / Cansi
The shank is briefly boiled, drained, and returned to a clean pot with fresh water and aromatics. From there, a steady simmer does the work of tenderizing the meat. Skimming early keeps loose foam from becoming part of the finished bowl.
Young green jackfruit goes in after the beef is tender, with annatto oil and the souring ingredients near the end. Use jackfruit in brine, drained and rinsed, rather than sweet fruit packed in syrup. Scallions and extra calamansi finish the soup at the table.
Ingredient Notes
Beef shank
Cross-cut shank gives you marrow, collagen, and tender slices after a long simmer. Short ribs work if shank is unavailable.
Souring agent
Frozen batwan is ideal. Tamarind concentrate plus calamansi is the easiest substitute and gives a clean sour finish.
Green jackfruit
Use canned young green jackfruit in brine, drained and rinsed. It softens into the broth without turning sweet.
Annatto oil
A little annatto oil adds the warm golden color many Bacolod bowls have, but it should not overpower the broth.
Cooking Notes
- Bruise and tie the lemongrass before adding it to the broth. Keeping the stalks together makes them easier to remove once they have flavored the long-simmered beef.
- Check the water level during the covered simmer and use the permitted hot water as needed. Exposed meat and an overly reduced broth are signs the pot needs attention before souring.
Bacolod Beef Kansi Recipe
Bacolod beef kansi is a sour, beefy soup built around tender shank, marrow, lemongrass, and green jackfruit for a bowl that lands between bulalo and sinigang.
Yield: 6 servings Serving size: 1 1/2 cups soup with 5 oz beef
Yield note: Use bone-in shank for the richest broth; the meat shrinks as it simmers.
Shopping List
Meat
- 3 pounds bone-in beef shank or beef shank plus short ribs
Produce
- 1 yellow onion
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 1 thumb ginger
- 1 bunch scallions
- Calamansi or limes
Pantry
- Tamarind concentrate or batwan
- Young green jackfruit
- Fish sauce
- Annatto oil
- Whole peppercorns
- Steamed rice for serving
Ingredients
Broth
- 3 pounds bone-in beef shank, rinsed
- 10 cups water, plus more as needed
- 1 onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and tied
- 1 thumb ginger, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Finish
- 1 1/2 cups young green jackfruit, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate, or 8 to 10 batwan if available
- 1 tablespoon annatto oil
- 2 tablespoons calamansi or lime juice, more to taste
- 2 scallions, sliced
- Fresh chilies or chili oil, optional
Serve
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Calamansi halves
- Fish sauce and chili for the table
Instructions
- Place the beef shank in a heavy pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a hard boil for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the beef, and wash the pot; this keeps the finished broth clean.
- Return the beef to the pot with 10 cups fresh water, onion, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, peppercorns, fish sauce, and salt.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a steady simmer. Skim during the first 20 minutes.
- Cover loosely and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, adding hot water as needed, until the beef is spoon-tender and the marrow is soft.
- Lift out the lemongrass, onion, and ginger. Add the green jackfruit and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in tamarind concentrate or batwan and annatto oil. Simmer 5 minutes, then taste the broth.
- Balance with calamansi juice, more fish sauce, and salt until the broth tastes beefy first, then cleanly sour.
- Rest the soup off heat for 10 minutes so the fat settles and the sourness rounds out.
- Serve hot with scallions, chilies or chili oil, steamed rice, and extra calamansi.
Nutrition Estimate
Estimated per serving with beef shank, jackfruit, and broth; marrow, trimming, and fish sauce brands can change the final numbers.
Tips For The Best Bacolod Beef Kansi
- Keep the simmer low: A rolling boil clouds the broth and tightens the beef.
- Sour in stages: Add the tamarind first, then use calamansi to brighten at the end.
- Skim, do not degrease fully: Some beef fat carries the aroma of lemongrass and annatto.
- Cook ahead: Kansi tastes even better the next day after the broth rests overnight.
How To Serve And Store
Serving: Serve with hot rice, calamansi, and a small dish of fish sauce with chilies.
Make Ahead: Cook the beef and broth a day ahead, then add jackfruit and souring agent before serving.
Refrigerate: Refrigerate for up to 4 days in a covered container.
Freeze: Freeze the broth and beef for up to 2 months; add fresh scallions after reheating.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stove and adjust sourness with calamansi after reheating.
Safety: Cool perishable leftovers within 2 hours and reheat cooked foods to steaming hot before serving again.
Common Questions
What is the difference between kansi and bulalo?
Bulalo is usually a milder beef bone soup, while kansi is deliberately sour and often includes lemongrass, batwan or tamarind, and green jackfruit.
Can I make kansi without batwan?
Yes. Tamarind concentrate plus calamansi gives a practical sour profile when batwan is unavailable.
Can I use a pressure cooker?
Yes. Pressure cook the beef with aromatics for about 45 minutes, then simmer uncovered with jackfruit and souring ingredients.
Should the broth be orange?
It should be golden, not aggressively red. Annatto oil adds warmth without making the soup taste like achuete.
Can I make this kansi without batwan?
Yes. Tamarind concentrate is the listed alternative, with calamansi or lime added at the finish. Let the tamarind simmer into the broth first so you can judge its contribution before the final citrus goes in.
Which canned jackfruit should go into kansi?
Choose young green jackfruit in brine, then drain and rinse it as directed. Ripe jackfruit in sweet syrup is not the same ingredient; it would add sweetness and a different texture to this sour beef broth.
