Although the ox tails, is a pretty simple term to understand, some people can't wrap their heads around the idea of using the cow's tail to make a soup. Hopefully this recipe changes your mind. The cow's tail makes the most rich and delicious soup. Thick and gelatinous, because the meat is filled with fat and flavour. With their long cooking time and high-fat content, oxtails were a very cheap cut of meat meant to economize all parts of the animal.
I love how this soup requires a long cooking time and takes a few hours to really break down the fats and draw out all that beefy flavour. It's great when you have so much to do and need a dinner that you can just throw in a pot and leave to do it's thing. The addition of root vegetables, cuts through the richness of the beef soup and makes for a filling dinner.
Preparation Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Serves 6
Ingredients
1.5 kg oxtails, cut into rounds
500 grams beef chuck- cut into chunks
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion- chopped
3 cloves garlic- minced
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock (or beef stock/vegetable stock according to preference)
8 tomatoes- ground
2 carrots- peeled and sliced into rounds
2 potatoes- peeled and cut into chunks
Step- by- step Instructions
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the oxtails. Set them aside for 30 minutes.
In a large pot, heat up 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Fry off the oxtails on a high heat until well browned and caramelised. Caramelisation means flavour, so don't be afraid to let them brown. Remove them from the heat and set them aside.
Fry the chunks of beef chuck on a high heat until well browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add the minced onions to the pot, turn the heat to medium, and saute 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
Add the tomato paste to the onions and mix well until the onions are well coated. Do not cook down the paste, as it may become bitter and burned.
Pour in the chicken stock. If you prefer a stronger flavour then stick to beef stock. Chicken stock can also be exchanged with vegetable stock too. Whatever suits you and your family.
Add the ground tomatoes and mix well. If you prefer to use tin tomatoes, go ahead. In which case, you will need 400 grams tin tomatoes, ground down until smooth.
Now the oxtails and beef chunks can be added back to the soup, including all their delicious juices. Don't miss those!
Bring to a boil and cook on a low heat for 4 hours until the meat is tender and falls apart.
At this point, cool the soup, or refrigerate until the fat accumulates on the top. You can then go ahead and just scoop that off with a slotted spoon.
Once the soup is hot again, add your root vegetables, and cook on a low heat until they are tender but still firm to the tooth.
Serve with warm, crusty bread and butter.
Instructions
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the oxtails. Set them aside for 30 minutes.
In a large pot, heat up 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Fry off the oxtails on a high heat until well browned and caramelised. Caramelisation means flavour, so don't be afraid to let them brown. Remove them from the heat and set them aside.
Fry the chunks of beef chuck on a high heat until well browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add the minced onions to the pot, turn the heat to medium, and saute 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
Add the tomato paste to the onions and mix well until the onions are well coated. Do not cook down the paste, as it may become bitter and burned.
Pour in the chicken stock. If you prefer a stronger flavour then stick to beef stock. Chicken stock can also be exchanged with vegetable stock too. Whatever suits you and your family.
Add the ground tomatoes and mix well. If you prefer to use tin tomatoes, go ahead. In which case, you will need 400 grams tin tomatoes, ground down until smooth.
Now the oxtails and beef chunks can be added back to the soup, including all their delicious juices. Don't miss those!
Bring to a boil and cook on a low heat for 4 hours until the meat is tender and falls apart.
At this point, cool the soup, or refrigerate until the fat accumulates on the top. You can then go ahead and just scoop that off with a slotted spoon.
Once the soup is hot again, add your root vegetables, and cook on a low heat until they are tender but still firm to the tooth.
Serve with warm, crusty bread and butter.
Notes
This soup can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 3 months.
Exchange the carrots and potatoes with any root vegetables you like. The sweetness of the root veggies cuts through the richness of the beef soup.
Frying the oxtail on a high heat gives that delicious caramelisation. And caramelisation means bags of flavour. So make sure you fry the meat off until well browned.