We grew up with oxtail stew, a deeply rich, hearty stew perfect for cold days. You don’t find them that often in the market. So, when they appear, I’ll usually pick up a few pounds.
What Are Oxtails?
The oxtail is the tail of a steer, usually cut into segments. It is a tough, flavorful cut, well marbled with fat, and perfect for slow braising in stews or soups,. And here’s the best part, the bones have a ton of collagen, so good for making a gelatinous stock. Oxtail soup is served all over Hawaii. Unlike the thick and hearty stew I grew up with, the Hawaiian soup is relatively light with a thin broth and seasonings from ginger, star anise, orange, green onions, and cilantro. Peanuts make an appearance too. What a combination! The flavors just sparkle. By the way, although oxtails are often hard to find at regular markets, Costco and Asian groceries often carry them. The restaurants most famous for serving great oxtail soup in Hawaii happen to be connected to bowling alleys.
Why Parboil the Oxtail First?
Parboiling (partially boiling) oxtails frees the bones impurities that may cloud the soup. If you don’t want to parboil the oxtails, you can also roast them for about 30 minutes in a 350°F oven on a sheet pan before boiling. This not only adds an extra layer of flavor, but also helps extract some of the fat.
What Is Dried Orange Peel?
Chenpi (or chen pi or chempi) is a sun-dried mandarin or tangerine peel that serves as an aromatic in Chinese cooking and medicine. Traditionally, it was made using green, unripe citrus fruits. Just like herbs, mandarin peels get more pungent when dried. Here’s a method for making your own. Or you can just buy it at Asian and other international markets or online.
Oxtail Soup Substitutions and Additions
Feel free to add or remove the peanuts, based on your preferenceAdd fresh or dried shiitake mushroomsSubstitute mustard greens with baby bokchoy or another vegetableAdd a cinnamon stick, some whole black peppercorns, and/or a bay leafSubstitute fresh orange or tangerine peel, if you don’t have any driedAdd chopped carrots, onions, or daikonUse beef broth instead of water for a thicker, richer flavorReplace the salt with fish sauce, miso paste, or soy sauce
More Delicious Oxtail Recipes
Glazed Oxtails Oxtail Paté Oxtail Stew Beef Bouillon Soup from Oxtails
What I did for this ingredient is I used a vegetable peeler to strip off a long strip of peel (just the zest) from an orange. I set it on a shelf in my kitchen for a week to dry out. It worked great! If I didn’t think ahead to dry the peel, I would just use a couple teaspoons of orange zest instead.
Fresh cilantro, chopped Green onions, white and green parts, sliced on the diagonal Freshly grated ginger
The flavors will also be absorbed by the oxtails, if you let the soup sit overnight. If you want, you can strip the meat off the bones before serving. We prefer the meat served bone-in, in which case, you will want to provide a bowl for the bones.
