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.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Instructions
- 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.
- Pour wine over the seasoned oxtail, ensuring complete coverage. Seal the container and refrigerate for 48 hours to allow deep flavor infusion.
- 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.
- 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.
- In the same pan, sauté chopped carrots, celery, and minced garlic until they begin to caramelize and develop a golden color.
- 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.
- Gradually pour the reserved marinade into the pan, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil for one minute to concentrate flavors.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate container. Refrigerate overnight to allow fat to solidify on the surface.
- 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.
- Reintroduce the shredded meat to the warmed broth, gently heating until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.
- 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