The meat is tender, but needs to be cooked a long time. If you don’t do this it will come out stringy. The bones make a wonderful beef broth for the soup. I would plan on 2-3 ox tail bones per bowl.
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Ox-tail Soup
- Total Time: 9 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This hearty ox-tail soup features tender, slow-cooked meat and vegetables, perfect for warming up on a cold day.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (960 ml) of water
- 2 tsp of beef stock granules (or 2 cubes of bouillon)
- 2 lb (900 g) of ox-tail (approximately 8 pieces)
- Oil for browning meat
- 4 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
Instructions
- In a frying pan, heat a small amount of oil over medium-high heat. Brown each ox-tail piece on both sides until a deep golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Transfer the browned ox-tail pieces to the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Add 4 cups of water, 2 tsp of beef stock granules (or 2 cubes of bouillon), the quartered potatoes, and the chopped carrots to the slow cooker.
- Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours. The meat should be tender and easily pull away from the bone, and the vegetables should be soft.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary before serving.
Notes
- For best results, ensure the ox-tail is browned well to enhance the flavor of the broth.
- The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Serve with crusty bread for a complete meal.
- If you prefer a thicker broth, you can mash some of the potatoes into the soup before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 hours
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 grams
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 grams
- Carbohydrates: 30 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Protein: 25 grams
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does ox-tail need to cook for 8–10 hours?
The article states the meat needs to cook a long time or it will come out stringy. The extended 8–10 hours on low in the slow cooker breaks down the tough connective tissue around the bones until the meat is tender and pulls away easily.
What does browning the ox-tail pieces before the slow cooker actually do?
The notes emphasize that browning each piece well (about 3–4 minutes per side in hot oil) is essential for enhancing the flavor of the broth. Searing the bones and meat creates a deeper, richer beef broth than adding raw pieces directly to the slow cooker. 
How can I make the broth thicker?
The notes suggest mashing some of the quartered potatoes directly into the soup before serving — a simple way to thicken the broth without adding any starch or flour.
