Slow cooker oxtail soup for me is the epitome of comfort food. Rich and unctuous, this thick creamy soup if full of deliciously tender pieces of meat.
The soup is cooked long and slow and the flavours left to develop overnight, but the wait is so worth it!
Bon appétit!
Jump to:
Why you will love this soup
- This soup is so rich and flavourful, which makes it perfect as a meal in itself just served with some crusty bread.
- No special skills are required and the soup is very easy to make.
- The long cooking time means you don't need to watch the soup at all so you can get on with something else.
- Leaving the soup overnight means the flavours become even richer.
What are the ingredients?
I've used precut chunks of oxtail, which is in fact just the name for any type of beef tail. The meat is naturally gelatinous, which adds to the flavour and thickness of the soup.
For the vegetables I've used onion, carrot, a bay leaf and thyme, which is very traditional. Celery is normally used but instead I grow leaf celery herb in the garden. It has the same flavour as celery stalks but I find it's easy to throw into dishes when I need it. Often, for me the only option for buying celery is as a whole cut plant. Unfortunately some always goes to waste as I can never use it up in time, so the herb is a more economical option.
You will also need red wine, worcester sauce and beef stock, but of course you can omit the wine and replace with stock if you prefer.
How to make slow cooked oxtail soup
Set the slow cooker to high setting or the oven to 140FanN/160C/310F/Gas4.
Chop the onion, carrots and celery stalk or herb. The chopping doesn't have to be precise as the soup will be liquidised later.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onions and carrots for a few minutes then transfer to the slow cooker or a lidded casserole.
Brown the oxtail for a few minutes each side and transfer to the slow cooker or casserole.
Add a splash of wine to deglaze the pan and then stir in the flour for a minute. Pour in the rest of the wine and stock and bring to a boil.
Season with black pepper and add the bay leaf and fresh thyme leaves.
Cook in the slow cooker for about 8 hours or in the oven for about 3 ½, until the meat is tender.
Lift the oxtail from the pot and shred all the meat from the bones. When the meat is cool transfer to a covered container and refrigerate overnight.
Leave the stock to cool then cover and refrigerate overnight.
When you are ready to eat the soup use a spoon to gently scrape off any fat that has risen to the surface and discard.
Remove the bay leave and tip the stock into a liquidiser and process until smooth.
Tip in the reserved meat and heat through to a simmer.
Check the seasoning and serve.
Frequently asked questions
This recipe works well for any cut of beef on the bone that you want to make soup with or have as a slow roast. In France I used to buy beef shin on the bone but only use about 300ml/1/2 pint of liquid for a great economical roast.
For different flavours add sliced mushrooms or rehydrated dried porcini mushrooms. They have an amazing taste!
You could also give this soup a spicy accent by stirring in some fried peppers and chillies after you have made the soup.
This soup will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. Freeze after you have liquidised and stirred the meat back in.
Thick, comforting and delicious, oxtail soup always reminds me of my childhood.
Serve with bread or a sandwich and savour every spoonful!
Top tips
- You can serve the soup as soon as it is ready by skipping the overnight step but you may find that it is too oily. It is definitely worth leaving overnight to scrape off the excess fat.
- If you don't want to make soup the stock from this dish will make the most amazing base for other stews or gravies.
More soup recipes
📋 Recipe
Slow Cooker Oxtail Soup
Equipment
- liquidiser
- slow cooker or lidded casserole dish
Ingredients
- 700 g oxtail in chunks
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 300 ml red wine
- 1 litre beef stock
- 1 tablespoon worcester sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 stick celery or 1tbsp fresh leaf celery
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped to garnish
Instructions
- Set the slow cooker to high setting or the oven to 140FanN/160C/310F/Gas4.
- Chop the onion, carrots and celery stalk or herb.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onions and carrots for a few minutes then transfer to the slow cooker or a lidded casserole.
- Brown the oxtail for a few minutes each side and transfer to the slow cooker or casserole.
- Add a splash of wine to deglaze the pan and then stir in the flour for a minute. Pour in the rest of the wine and stock and bring to a boil.
- Season with black pepper and add the bay leaf and fresh thyme leaves.
- Cook in the slow cooker for about 8 hours or in the oven for about 3 ½, until the meat is tender.
- Lift the oxtail from the pot and shred all the meat from the bones. When the meat is cool transfer to a covered container and refrigerate overnight.
- Leave the stock to cool then cover and refrigerate overnight.
- When you are ready to eat the soup use a spoon to gently scrape off any fat that has risen to the surface and discard.
- Remove the bay leave and tip the stock into a liquidiser and process until smooth.
- Tip in the reserved meat and heat through to a simmer.
- Check the seasoning and serve garnished with parsley.
Notes
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article.
Food safety
We sometimes take for a granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience, that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Beth
Yummy! This looks so delicious and interesting! I can't wait to give this a try!
Jess
Soup season is the best season and I love that this is made in the slow cooker!
Sue
This soup looks amazingly rich and satisfying. I will be trying this for sure!
Dionne
This oxtail soup must be so falvorsome & warming! Definitely something to try this season - yum!
Katherine
Such a great idea to cook this in a slow cooker. It makes it so tender and tasty.