Oxtail Soup

Oxtail soup is not a common dish in this country. After watching the UK version of Kitchen Nightmares, with Chef Gordon Ramsay, I knew, I wanted to taste it. The first time I went looking for oxtails, I was surprised by the price. I expected them to be inexpensive. I found for the amount of meat on the bone, it was the opposite. Either way, this makes a wonderful addition to your soup recipes.

When I made this the first time, my husband was out on a deployment. This for me, was always a good time to test new recipes. If the kids didn’t care for a recipe, then I knew he wouldn’t either. The kids surprised me and actually did enjoy this soup.

There is one huge suggestion when making this dish. Make it ahead of time, to be able to remove the fat. This would be good to make the day before a winter snowstorm hits. When the kids come inside from playing in the snow, serve oxtail soup to warm them up.

Ingredients:

3 pounds ox tail

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, sliced into one inch pieces

1 small turnip, chopped

2 oz butter

1 tsp. Peppercorns

1 Bay leaf

 Thyme, preferably in a sprig

8 cups water

 ½ cup port wine (optional)

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Sauté the oxtail and vegetables in butter until brown

 Add water, peppercorns and herbs, and boil until the meat falls off the bones. About 4 hours.

Strain the liquid, cool in fridge, and take off the fat.

Add  meat to the defatted stock and reheat gently. Add seasoning to taste, and wine if desired.