Oxtail Soup

By the RecipeCafe Archives

Ingredients

• 1 small oxtail
• 1 teaspoons (9 g) salt, divided, plus more for seasoning
• 1 Black pepper, to taste
• 1 All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1 Butter, for frying (approximately 2 tablespoons / 30 g)
• 6 cups (1.4 L) Brown Stock
• 1 cup (130 g) carrot, cut in fancy shapes
• 1 cup (130 g) turnip, cut in fancy shapes
• 1 cup (160 g) onion, cut in small pieces
• 1 cup (100 g) celery, cut in small pieces
• 1 Few grains cayenne pepper
• 0.5 cup (120 ml) Madeira wine
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. 1. Cut the oxtail into small pieces (approximately 2-inch / 5 cm segments). Wash under cold running water and drain well.
2. 2. Sprinkle the oxtail pieces with salt and black pepper, then dredge thoroughly in flour, shaking off any excess.
3. 3. Melt approximately 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides. Add the floured oxtail pieces and fry — this step is known as browning, which develops the Maillard reaction for deeper flavour — for 10 minutes, turning as needed, until the pieces are deep golden-brown on all sides.
4. 4. Transfer the browned oxtail to a large pot. Pour in 6 cups (1.4 L) of Brown Stock, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer — uncovered or partially covered — for 1 hour, until the meat shows some give when pressed with tongs and begins to pull away slightly from the bone.
5. 5. While the soup simmers, parboil the carrot, turnip, onion, and celery — parboiling means briefly precooking in boiling salted water to partially soften — in boiling water for 20 minutes, until just tender when pierced with a knife tip but not fully cooked through. Drain and set aside.
6. 6. Add the parboiled vegetables to the soup. Continue to simmer for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are fully soft when pierced and the oxtail meat is very tender and easily separates from the bone.
7. 7. Stir in the cayenne, Madeira wine, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Simmer a further 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavours to meld, then serve hot.