Oxtail. It sounds fancy, elegant, and difficult to use in everyday cooking – but you couldn’t be further from the truth. Oxtail, simply the culinary name for the tail of cattle (technically the tail of a steer) typically weighs about three pounds and is skinned and cut into short, usable lengths for cooking.
Oxtail not only tastes good, but it is also good for you. It adds plenty of flavor, as the meat becomes tenderized as it is subjected to wet cooking for long periods of time. With fewer than three hundred calories per hundred gram serving, this fatty meat can be used in a variety of recipes.
It contains no trans fats and while it is higher in cholesterol than other types of meats, it is a natural form of fat that can actually strengthen your cardiovascular health instead of weaken it.
Oxtail is naturally low in sodium and carbohydrates, and very high in protein. It can aid in muscle development and growth, and is also a good source of energy. It is also high in iron and contains trace amounts of calcium, making it a healthy and tasty choice for your wintertime dinner table.
This gelatin-rich meat is often braised or used for soup stock, and it adds a rich, decadent flavor to any soup recipe. That being said, there are several easy-to-follow and beyond delicious recipes for oxtail soup that you must try today.
Traditional Oxtail Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef oxtail
- 3 potatoes chopped and peeled
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato (any kind – Roma tomatoes work best)
- 3 stalks celery cubed
- 1 carrot cubed
- 1 cucumber
- 2 cups beef broth (or 2 beef bouillon cubes )
- Pepper and salt to taste
Instructions
- First, combine all of your ingredients in a large stock pot. Add water to continue filling the pot, with about an inch to two inches of headspace. All ingredients should be covered by the water.
- Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender and the beef is cooked all the way through. Add salt and pepper to taste. It should be ready in about half an hour to an hour, depending on how tender you would like your meat and vegetables.
Oxtail is used as a main or side dish all over the world. This soup is common in China, Indonesia, Spain, West Africa, and even South America.
Depending on where you live around the globe, this soup can be eaten with rice, as a simple stock, or even prepared with unique additions like peanuts. Consider whipping up one of these tasty recipes today to enjoy all the flavors and health benefits that eating oxtail soup provides.
Rebekah is a high-school English teacher n New York, where she lives on a 22 acre homestead. She raises and grows chickens, bees, and veggies such as zucchini (among other things).
As a child, Oxtail Soup is one of my favorite soups. Looking forward to trying your recipe. Onw question: how do I prepare the cucumber? Thanks.