Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 3 hrs 30 mins
Total: 3 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Although the name implies otherwise, oxtails are beef tails (no specific breed of cow is used), and they happen to make the most delicious soup. While some people may balk at the idea of eating a cow’s tail, this recipe may change their minds. Oxtail tastes like beef, but more specifically, like a more tender, silkier short rib in terms of texture. In fact, oxtail is often used on its own to make stock because it’s such a gelatinous, rich meat.
It is believed that this oxtail soup recipe was created in the 1700s in London by French and Flemish immigrants. With their long cooking time and high-fat content, oxtails were traditionally a very cheap cut of meat meant to economize all parts of the animal. It's a dish that is made all over the world, from Korea, Indonesia, and Russia to Africa, Spain, Jamaica, and the American South.
The British recipe is made with onions, carrots, celery, and thyme. It does need a lot of time to simmer because of the fatty meat, but requires little work. Once you taste the soup, you will see that the result is well worth it.
“This soup was very flavorful. I refrigerated the soup so I could skim more fat from the top. I also added the dry sherry, but the broth was excellent with or without it. All in all, a tasty soup with French bread.” —Diana Rattray
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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2 pounds oxtail, fat trimmed cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch chunks
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1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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2 tablespoons beef drippings, or cooking oil
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2 medium yellow onions, minced
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2 quarts water, or 6 cups water and 2 cups beef broth or bouillon
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2 tablespoons tomato paste
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2 teaspoons kosher salt
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1 bay leaf
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1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
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3 whole cloves
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2 sprigs fresh parsley
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2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
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1 stalk celery, diced
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1/3 cup dry sherry, or port wine, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Dredge oxtails in the 1/2 cup flour.
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Heat the beef drippings or cooking oil in a large, heavy pot over high heat. Cook to brown the meat, remove (keeping the fat in the pan), and drain on paper towels.
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Add the minced onions to the pot, turn the heat to medium, and saute 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
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Sprinkle in remaining 2 tablespoons flour, mix well, and brown lightly.
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Slowly add the water, and stir in tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Tie the bay leaf in cheesecloth with the thyme, cloves, and parsley and add to the pot.
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Return oxtail to pot, cover, and simmer 3 hours until meat is fork-tender. Cool and skim off fat; remove cheesecloth bag.
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Remove the oxtail from the soup and separate the meat from the bones. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and return to pot. Add the carrots and celery.
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Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until carrots are tender. If you like, mix in sherry or port.
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Serve as is, or strain the liquid and serve as a first course. Follow with oxtail and vegetables.
Why is Oxtail So Expensive?
It's a bit of irony that a cut of meat associated with economical cooking—i.e., using every part of the animal because it was efficient and inexpensive—has turned a different corner. In the wake of farm-to-table cuisine, chefs have of late rediscovered this cut of meat and demand has gone up. After all, there's only one tail per cow.
How to Store and Freeze Oxtail Soup
Oxtail soup can be stored and frozen like any other beef soup, which means it's good in the refrigerator, covered, for 3 to 5 days and frozen, in a freezer-safe container or zip-close bag, for up to 3 months.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 485 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 26g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat 9g | 44% |
| Cholesterol 139mg | 46% |
| Sodium 541mg | 24% |
| Total Carbohydrate 16g | 6% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 7% |
| Total Sugars 3g | |
| Protein 43g | |
| Vitamin C 6mg | 28% |
| Calcium 64mg | 5% |
| Iron 4mg | 20% |
| Potassium 710mg | 15% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
