Cook an Oxtail Soup

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Making Oxtail Soup

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Oxtail Soup

During rainy days, nothing is as comforting as indulging yourself in a warm or hot comfort food. You probably already have your own list of "winter recipes" in mind, but in my case, nothing can beat an old stew recipe that my mother always prepared on cold nights, especially now that the holidays are coming.

I am talking about a very delicious beef soup - oxtail soup. In many parts of the world, people have come up with different versions of this dish. Mine is an old-style slow cooking that is rather a long process. However, as some would put it, "Patience is a virtue," and I assure you this version of oxtail soup will really be worth the wait. Plus, as I have told you, this is an old recipe - tested for many generations.

Now, so much for the talk; it's time to get things started.

Ingredients

Before you start cooking, you first have to prepare all the necessary ingredients.

• 1 kilo of oxtail, cut into chunks or your preferred size
  
• 1 cup of flour
  
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
  
• 1 white onion, minced
  
• 4 cloves of garlic
  
• 5 cups of water or beef broth
  
• 2 teaspoons of salt (depending on your preference)
• ¼ teaspoon of pepper (to taste)
  
• 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 1 beef bouillon cube
  
• ½ teaspoon thyme (or basil)
  
• 2 medium-sized carrots, diced
  
• 1 stalk celery, diced (for added flavour)
  
• Parsley (for taste and presentation)
  

Directions

1. 1
   Heat the pan with oil over medium heat.

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2. 2
   Evenly coat the oxtail in flour that is seasoned with salt and pepper

   .

   Fry it over medium heat until golden brown.

   

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3. 3
   Drain it on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

   

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4. 4
   Using the same pan, sauté the onions first and then the garlic (This is to avoid burning the garlic, which might give the soup a bitter taste.)

   

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5. 5
   Add the tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

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6. 6
   After that, put the oxtail back in the pan and continue stirring until everything is mixed well.

   

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7. 7
   Slowly add the water and the beef bouillon cube (but if you are already using beef broth, you do not need to put in the cube).

   

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8. 8
   Cover the pan and braise for three to four hours, or until the meat becomes very tender or falling off the bone.

   

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9. 9
   Add the carrots and celery

   .

   Simmer for at least five more minutes or just until the vegetables are soft enough to bite, then serve.

   

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10. 10
    You may put parsley on top for added presentation

    .

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11. 11
    Bread will also complement this soup really well.

    

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12. 12
    This recipe makes five to six servings.

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• If you want a more flavorful soup, you can braise the oxtail meat throughout slow cooking. In this manner, you are allowing the meat to become more tender, and at the same time, bringing out extra-flavor from the bones and marrow.
• Just in case you cannot find oxtail meat, you may substitute with short ribs, meaty veal or beef neck, but don't expect it to be as flavorful as oxtail soup.
• If you want to add an additional kick to your soup, you may put in red pepper flakes or paprika.
• Red wine can also be incorporated in the beef stock for additional flavor. (Don't worry about the alcohol content. The alcohol evaporates as you cook it and only the flavor will remain.)
• Aside from bread, mashed potatoes also goes well with this dish.

How much is a kilo of ox tails?

I don't know how to figure pounds versus kilos-

One kilo (kilogram) is equal to 2.2 pounds.

Oxtails take how long to cook in a pressure cooker?

Cooking time for oxtail using a pressure cooker

Brown the oxtail for 10 minutes first. Combine the liquid to the oxtail as well as the seasonings once you have finished browning the meat. Add everything but the vegetables and cook for 40 minutes. You will then add the vegetables and cook for another 20 minutes or until they are tender and the oxtail comes easily off the bone.

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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