Beef Bouillon Soup from Oxtails

Highly flavorful beef bouillon soup made from beef oxtails.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated June 15, 2022
Elise Bauer
Oxtail Bouillon
Elise Bauer

Many recipes call for beef stock (e.g. French onion soup), but good beef stock is hard to come by, with beef prices these days, expensive to make.

Beef oxtails make a wonderful stock and sometimes you can get them (try Costco) at a reasonable price. If you've never cooked oxtails before, they do indeed come from the tail of a steer, and they make the most divinely flavorful stew.

Their bones are also filled with marrow, perfect for making bouillon. It makes a delicious soup all on its own. You can also use it as a base for French onion soup or other beef-based soups.

We found this recipe in an old issue of Gourmet magazine. It accompanied an oxtail pâté which you make from the strained oxtails from this recipe.

Beef Bouillon Soup from Oxtails

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 3 hrs 30 mins
Total Time 3 hrs 40 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 pounds oxtails, patted dry

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 onions, peeled and quartered

  • 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch sections

  • Zest from 1 orange, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 4 quarts water

  • 1/3 cup fresh cranberries (if in season, otherwise use a quarter of a lemon)

  • 10 ounces mushrooms, chopped coarse

  • 3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch sections

  • 4 sprigs thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 4 cloves

  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns

Method

  1. Roast the oxtails, carrots, onions:

    Preheat the oven to 450°F. Pat dry the oxtails with paper towels and put them in a roasting pan. Sprinkle on all sides with salt and pepper.

    Add the carrots, onions, and zest. Roast in the middle rack, turning the oxtails as the are browned.

    Once browned, remove from oven and place the oxtails and vegetables into a large stockpot.

  2. Deglaze the roasting pan:

    Place the roasting pan on the stovetop on medium high heat. Add the wine to the pan to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits.

  3. Simmer the oxtails and other ingredients:

    Add the deglazing liquid to the stockpot with the oxtails. Add the cranberries, mushrooms, celery, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, and peppercorns.

    Bring the liquid to a boil, skimming whatever foam rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 3 hours.

  4. Strain the bouillon from the oxtails:

    Ladle the mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towels into a large bowl.

    Reserve the oxtails for another use, such as oxtail pate. Discard the remaining solids.

    The bouillon can be made 3 days in advance and kept chilled. Discard excess fat (leave enough to cover soup when chilled).

Recipe from December 1993 issue of Gourmet magazine.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
473 Calories
25g Fat
9g Carbs
47g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 473
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 10g 48%
Cholesterol 156mg 52%
Sodium 180mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 47g
Vitamin C 6mg 29%
Calcium 80mg 6%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 858mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.