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Best Oxtail Broth Recipe from Spain

Do you want to delve into the world of Spanish soup recipes that have healing powers? Then you are in the right place.

The oxtail broth recipe is perfect if you’re going through a cold and need to incorporate more nutrients into your system, if you want to use homemade beef broth in your recipes, or if you simply want to enjoy a cup of broth to get cozy.

Keep scrolling down this article and you will learn how to make oxtail broth, with some other helpful tips to store, serve, and customize the ingredients of this recipe.

a pin with a jar of soup made with the oxtail broth recipe

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Background of the Dish

oxtail broth recipe in a bowl with vegetables

The oxtail broth recipe was one of the first Spanish oxtail recipes to be created, as originally it was believed to be the only way to make oxtail tender.

Thanks to that it became a staple dish during the Andalusian winter, and since it is filled with nutrients it also got attributed to healing properties and was used to deal with colds and other illnesses.

After this oxtail broth recipe, different ones were created: some followed the traditional route such as the oxtail stew with vegetables, and others leaned towards cuisine fusions such as the oxtail dumplings.

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Things You’ll Need for Oxtail Broth Recipe

This is one of the best oxtail recipes because the real main ingredient is oxtail, so you will need other secondary ones (that are customizable or optional) such as carrots, onions, and different herbs.

How to prepare oxtail soup is super simple and the only equipment that you’ll need is a large pot, you can also make it in a slow cooker adapting the cooking times.

oxtails on a wooden board, onion and herbs for the oxtail broth recipe

Ingredients

  • 2kg oxtails
  • 2 onions
  • 3 carrots
  • 3 celery stalks
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and parsley (optional, to add flavor)
  • Salt (to taste)

How to Make Oxtail Broth Recipe – Step by Step Guide

Cook with a spoon removes the foam from the boiling oxtail broth recipe
  1. For the first step in this oxtail broth recipe, you have to preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  1. After that, pat the oxtails dry with clean kitchen paper. Season on each side with salt. Place them on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until they develop a rich brown color. 
  1. In the meantime, prepare the vegetables by peeling and chopping the onions, carrots, and celery. Also, peel the garlic, but don’t mince it because this Spanish oxtails recipe calls for whole cloves.
  1. Now grab a large pot and combine the roasted oxtails, vegetables, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and apple cider vinegar. Then add enough water to cover the ingredients, usually about 3/4 of the pot.
  1. Now bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
  1. For the next step in this Spanish style oxtail recipe, let the broth simmer on low heat for at least 4 hours. For a richer and more flavorful oxtail broth, simmer it on low heat for 6 hours.
  1. Once you reach the last hour of simmering, add fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and parsley, feel free to use your favorite ones. Season the Spanish oxtail broth with salt to taste.
  1. When you finish the simmering step on this Spanish oxtail recipe, strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer to remove solids.
  1. Most of the flavors and nutrients of the vegetables have been absorbed by the broth now, so you can discard them or use them for compost. You can remove the meat from the bones and put it in the broth or use it for a Spanish oxtail soup, pasta, stew, etc.
  1. For the final step on this oxtail bone broth recipe, allow your broth to cool before refrigerating or freezing. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for longer storage.

Substitution of Ingredients

closeup with leeks being cut on a cutting board for the oxtail broth recipe

The good news that we have for you is that as long as you have oxtails you can prepare this oxtail broth recipe, which also means that you can pretty much customize the rest of the ingredients.

You can make this bone broth oxtail with any vegetables of your choice, selecting the type and desired amount, for example; you can add leeks, tomatoes, turnips, etc.

To add another depth of flavor you can take inspiration from other healthy oxtail recipes and add your favorite mushrooms to the mix, about 2 hours before you finish the simmering.

To spice things up you can do something more similar to the Mexican oxtail soup and add crushed pepper, chili flakes, and a bit of hot sauce also in the last hour of simmering.

During the last hour of cooking, you can also copy another fan favorite among oxtail recipes (the famous red wine oxtail stew) and add one cup of red wine to the broth to enhance the flavor profile.

Tips on Serving Oxtail Broth Recipe

homemade oxtail soup in a bowl made with the oxtail broth recipe.

Once you finish making this oxtail broth recipe you can serve it as an old-fashioned oxtail soup for lunch or dinner, or transform it into dishes that come from different Spanish oxtail recipes

For example, you can prepare a few portions of your favorite pasta and use this broth to prepare the delicious oxtail noodle soup, the same applies to rice.

Besides that, you can use this bone broth as the base for a fantastic oxtail soup with mixed vegetables, or the classic homemade oxtail soup.

The beef tail soup benefits are that it will fill you up with nutrients, so if you or someone you love is facing a cold then we can assure you that this bone broth will help you to recover way faster, especially if you serve it with more vegetables.

How to Store Oxtail Broth Recipe

How to Store Oxtail Broth Recipe. A photo with different products in a fridge

If you love making dishes and being able to store them, then the oxtail broth recipe will soon reach the top of your list.

As soon as you finish preparing the oxtail soup recipe you have to let it cool to room temperature before transferring it to freezer-safe containers, this way it will preserve its quality.

Then, you can store the dish in the fridge for up to 7 days, and reheat it in the microwave or stove over medium heat before serving.

Besides that, the oxtail broth can be frozen for an extended period, making it convenient to prepare a larger batch and store it for later use.

As a tip, you can store the broth by dividing it into smaller portions, using containers or freezer bags, and then you only thaw what you need to use for the recipe or serving.

Are you a fan of simple oxtail recipes that can be stored? Then check our fried oxtail recipe, the fantastic oven baked oxtail recipe, and the classic Portuguese oxtail stew.

Recipe Card: Oxtail Broth Recipe

Yield: 8

Best Oxtail Broth Recipe

broth in a glass bowl with onion and oxtails next to it that was made with oxtail bone broth recipe

Do you want to delve into the world of Spanish recipes that have healing powers? Then you are in the right place.

The oxtail broth recipe is perfect if you're going through a cold and need to incorporate more nutrients into your system, if you want to use homemade beef broth in your recipes, or if you simply want to enjoy a cup of broth to get cozy.

Keep scrolling down this article and you will learn how to make oxtail broth, with some other helpful tips to store, serve, and customize the ingredients of this recipe.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2kg oxtails
  • 2 onions
  • 3 carrots
  • 3 celery stalks
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and parsley (optional, to add flavor)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Water (enough to cover 3/4 of the pot)

Instructions

  1. To start with this oxtail broth recipe, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Pat the oxtails dry with clean kitchen paper. Season on each side with salt. Place them on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until they develop a rich brown color. 
  3. While the oxtails are roasting, prepare the vegetables by peeling and chopping the onions, carrots, and celery. Also, peel the garlic.
  4. In a large pot, combine the roasted oxtails, vegetables, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and apple cider vinegar. Add enough water to cover the ingredients, usually about 3/4 of the pot.
  5. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
  6. To continue with this Spanish oxtail recipe, let the broth simmer on low heat for at least 4 hours. For a richer and more flavorful oxtail broth simmer it on low heat for 6 hours.
  7. In the last hour of simmering, add fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and parsley if desired. Season the oxtail bone broth with salt to taste.
  8. Once the broth has simmered and the flavors have melded, strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer to remove solids.
  9. Most of the flavors and nutrients of the vegetables have been absorbed by the broth now, so you can discard them or use them for compost. You can remove the meat from the bones and put it in the broth or use it for soup, pasta, stew, etc.
  10. To finish this bone broth recipe you just have to let it cool before refrigerating or freezing. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for longer storage.

Notes

By adding herbs to this old-fashioned oxtail soup recipe you are giving it a new profile and depth of flavor.

If you want to use the broth from this oxtail broth recipe as a beef oxtail soup you would just need to add some vegetables, noodles, or rice to make it more filling.

To spice things up on this traditional oxtail recipe you can add chili flakes, chopped peppers, or some hot sauce in the last hour of simmering.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 280Total Fat 6.2gSaturated Fat 2.1gCholesterol 28mgSodium 4971mgCarbohydrates 50.6gFiber 13gSugar 4gProtein 15g

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