This old-fashioned Oxtail Soup recipe results in a delicious, broth-y dish that is packed with tender meat and healthy veggies. The long-simmering base of red wine, beef broth, and herbs gives the soup an intense depth of flavor. Serve up a hot bowl of this soup on a cold winter day, and I guarantee this hearty meal will warm the tummy, heart, and soul.
IIngredients – 4 pounds meaty oxtails – salt and pepper – beef broth, divided – dry red wine – tomato paste – garlic cloves, chopped – rosemary, thyme, bay leaves – onion and leeks – Celery, carrots, and parsnips – potatoes – Italian parsley
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or large stock pot and sear the oxtail sections over medium-high heat until browned.
Add the liquids, tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bay leaf to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and return the oxtail to the soup pot. Cover and simmer.
Set aside the oxtails. Pour the cooking liquid into a smaller container and place it in the freezer until the fat rises to the top. Once it’s solid, you can take the pot out of the freezer and scrape off all of that fat. Remove the meat from the bones. Use your hands to separate the meat from the globs of fat, gristle, and bones.
In the empty soup pot, heat the reserved oil and cook the onions, leeks and celery. Add the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, oxtail meat and cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the veggies are tender.
If it’s your first time preparing homemade oxtail soup, you should know that the reason it produces a lot of flavor comes down to the long cooking time and the oxtails, of course. Great oxtail soup simmers for a while and this traditional method is key to turning a very cheap cut of meat into a hearty beef soup.
Simmer this beefy soup for hours and serve it along with your favorite sides for a complete meal. We suggest a slice of sourdough bread, cheddar cornbread or rustic barley biscuits to go with it. A side salad or a meatloaf sandwich are also tasty options.