Ina Garten’s Cozy Oxtail Soup Recipe: Ultimate Comfort Food

Ina Garten oxtail soup represents the pinnacle of slow-cooked culinary comfort, transforming tough meat into a rich, deeply flavored delicacy.

Rich traditions of hearty cooking emerge when tough cuts become tender through patient simmering techniques.

Complex layers of aromatics dance within the broth, creating an intensely satisfying meal that warms from the inside out.

Robust flavors meld together, releasing an intoxicating fragrance that promises pure gastronomic pleasure.

The magical alchemy of slow cooking turns humble ingredients into an elegant dining experience that speaks to fundamental cooking wisdom.

Why Oxtail Soup Brings Deep Comfort

• Savor Deep Flavor Complexity: The two-day marinating process infuses the oxtail with rich, multilayered wine and herb notes that create an incredibly intense and sophisticated taste profile.
• Embrace Tender Texture Magic: Slow-cooking the oxtail for 3.5 hours transforms tough meat into meltingly soft, delicate strands that practically dissolve on your tongue with incredible smoothness.
• Master Professional Culinary Technique: This recipe demonstrates advanced cooking methods like salting, marinating, browning, and slow-braising that elevate home cooking to restaurant-quality preparation, allowing home chefs to develop professional-level skills with careful step-by-step instructions.
• Enjoy Make-Ahead Convenience: The recipe's design allows preparation across multiple days, making it perfect for busy home cooks who want to spread out cooking tasks and create a deeply satisfying meal without last-minute stress.

What You’ll Need for Oxtail Richness

• Oxtail: Rich, flavorful meat that becomes tender after long cooking, best when fresh and well-marbled.
• Salt: Helps tenderize and enhance meat's natural flavors, choose kosher or sea salt for best results.

• Thyme, Bay Leaves, Parsley Stems: Fresh herbs that add depth and complexity to the soup's flavor profile.
• Peppercorns, Star Anise: Provide warm, subtle spiciness and create a complex aromatic base.

• Carrots, Celery, Garlic: Classic mirepoix mix that builds a robust flavor foundation for the soup.
• Flour, Ketchup: Flour helps thicken the soup, while ketchup adds subtle sweetness and depth.
• Wine: Adds acidity and helps tenderize the meat during marination.
• Stock: Provides additional liquid and reinforces the soup's rich, meaty flavor.

Steps to Build a Bold Oxtail Broth

Step 1: Prepare Oxtail Marinade

• Thyme sprigs
• Bay leaves
• Parsley stems

Sprinkle salt over the oxtail. Add peppercorns and star anise. Pour wine over the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.

Step 2: Warm Up The Oven

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F) or 140°C (284°F) for fan ovens. Remove oxtail from marinade, reserving the liquid for later use.

Step 3: Sear The Meat

Heat oil in a large casserole pan. Brown oxtail in batches, creating a deep golden crust. Transfer seared meat to a separate plate.

Step 4: Sauté Aromatic Vegetables

• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic

Sauté until vegetables start to caramelize and develop a rich color.

Step 5: Create Flavor Base

Stir in flour and ketchup, cooking until a thick paste forms. Pour reserved marinade and boil for one minute.

Step 6: Combine Ingredients

Return oxtail to the pan. Pour in beef stock, covering the meat as much as possible.

Step 7: Slow Cook The Soup

Bring to a gentle boil. Skim off any foam. Cover and bake in the oven for 3 hours 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 8: Prepare Meat

Once cooled, remove oxtail from liquid. Shred meat using two forks. Discard bones and set meat aside.

Step 9: Strain And Chill Broth

Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container. Refrigerate overnight.

Step 10: Finish The Soup

Remove solidified fat from the top of the broth. Simmer in a saucepan, adding extra stock if needed. Fold shredded meat back into the broth.

Step 11: Serve And Garnish

Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into warm bowls. Optional: Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top.

Tips for Tender Meat and Hearty Flavor

• Maximize Marination Magic: Let the oxtail soak in the herb and wine mixture for the full 48 hours to unlock incredibly deep, complex flavors that will transform your soup.
• Master the Perfect Browning: Take extra time when searing oxtail pieces, creating a rich caramelized exterior that adds incredible depth and complexity to the entire dish.
• Remove Unwanted Froth: Carefully skim off foam during initial boiling to guarantee a crystal-clear, smooth broth without any cloudy or greasy appearance.
• Fat Separation Strategy: Overnight refrigeration allows fat to solidify, making it super easy to remove and resulting in a lighter, more refined soup texture.
• Gentle Reheating Technique: Warm the broth and meat slowly to preserve tenderness and ensure each bite absorbs the rich, developed flavors of the carefully prepared stock.

How to Store This Hefty Soup Right

• Vacuum Seal: Extract all air from a heavy-duty freezer bag, pressing gently to remove oxygen and prevent freezer burn. This method preserves the soup's rich flavors and tender meat texture for maximum taste preservation.
• Portion Control: Divide soup into individual serving sizes using small, stackable containers. Smaller portions thaw faster and allow flexible meal planning without wasting any delicious oxtail soup.
• Glass Container Storage: Transfer cooled soup to thick-walled glass containers with tight-fitting lids. Glass prevents flavor absorption, maintains soup quality, and provides clear visibility of contents while ensuring a reliable, leak-proof seal.

Twists to Give Oxtail Soup a Lift

• Rustic Mountain Hearty: Swap wine with dark beer and add smoked paprika for a robust alpine-style flavor profile that brings earthy woodland notes to the soup.
• Mediterranean Herbal Fusion: Replace traditional herbs with fresh rosemary, oregano, and add sun-dried tomatoes to create a Southern European inspired version with bright, complex undertones.
• Spicy Asian Comfort: Incorporate ginger, star anise, and sriracha sauce for a warming Asian-influenced rendition that transforms the traditional recipe into a bold, punchy soup experience.
• Lean Protein Wellness: Use grass-fed beef oxtail, replace ketchup with tomato paste, and add quinoa for a nutrient-dense, health-conscious adaptation that maintains rich flavor while boosting nutritional value.

Wrapping Up Oxtail Soup Like a Pro

Garten’s oxtail soup emerges as culinary poetry, weaving comfort and complexity into each spoonful.

Slow-cooked techniques unlock deep, rich flavors that whisper tales of traditional cooking.

Complex marinades and patient preparation reward passionate home chefs with extraordinary results.

Mediterranean influences dance through this hearty soup, celebrating rustic authenticity with modern precision.

Layers of umami and robust seasoning create a symphony of taste that lingers long after the last bite.

Curious cooks and seasoned kitchen adventurers, this recipe promises an unforgettable gastronomic journey – share your dish, spark conversations, and inspire fellow culinary enthusiasts with Garten’s masterful approach.

Ina Garten Oxtail Soup Recipe

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4.6 from 20 reviews

• Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s hearty oxtail soup brings comfort from French countryside kitchens with rich, tender meat simmered to perfection. Warm herbal notes and deep beef flavors invite you to savor each spoonful of this soul-satisfying culinary embrace.

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Ingredients

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Meat:

• 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) oxtail, cut into about 4 pieces

Herbs and Spices:

• 6–8 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 20 grams fresh parsley, leaves and stalks separated
• 0.5 teaspoon black peppercorns, roughly crushed
• 1 star anise pod

Liquid and Additional Ingredients:

• 375 milliliters (12.7 fluid ounces) red wine
• 4 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, bashed once and peeled
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 liters (67.6 fluid ounces) beef stock

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Instructions

1. Prepare the oxtail marinade two days in advance by placing the meat in a large basin and generously salting. Create a herb bundle with thyme, bay leaves, and parsley stems, then add peppercorns and star anise to the container.
2. Pour wine over the seasoned oxtail, ensuring complete coverage. Seal the container and refrigerate for 48 hours to allow deep flavor infusion.
3. Remove the oxtail from the marinade, carefully reserving the liquid. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) with fan setting or gas mark 4.
4. Heat a large casserole pan with a light coating of oil. Brown the oxtail pieces in multiple batches, creating a rich caramelized exterior. Transfer the browned meat to a separate plate.
5. In the same pan, sauté chopped carrots, celery, and minced garlic until they begin to caramelize and develop a golden color.
6. Incorporate flour and ketchup into the vegetable mixture, stirring to create a thick, cohesive paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste.
7. Gradually pour the reserved marinade into the pan, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil for one minute to concentrate flavors.
8. Return the browned oxtail to the pan and pour in sufficient beef stock to nearly cover the meat. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
9. Cover the casserole pan and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 3 hours and 30 minutes, occasionally stirring to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking.
10. Once the meat is extremely tender, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Carefully extract the oxtail pieces and shred the meat using two forks, discarding bones and tough connective tissues.
11. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate container. Refrigerate overnight to allow fat to solidify on the surface.
12. The next day, remove and discard the solidified fat layer. Reheat the strained broth in a saucepan, adding additional stock if the consistency is too thick.
13. Reintroduce the shredded meat to the warmed broth, gently heating until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.
14. Ladle the rich, deeply flavored oxtail stew into serving bowls. Optionally garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a bright, herbaceous finish.

Notes

• Unleash the magic of slow cooking by marinating oxtail with an aromatic blend of thyme, bay leaves, and wine for a full two days, transforming ordinary meat into a flavor-packed delicacy.
• Develop deep, rich flavors by carefully browning each oxtail piece in batches, creating a caramelized exterior that promises an incredible depth of taste.
• Create a pristine broth by gently skimming away froth during the initial boiling, ensuring a crystal-clear liquid that speaks of culinary precision.
• Maximize flavor concentration by chilling the strained broth overnight, allowing fat to solidify and making it effortless to remove unwanted greasiness.
• Revive the dish with gentle, patient reheating, letting the shredded meat slowly absorb the concentrated broth and maintain its melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 450 kcal
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 15 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 25 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg