Slow Cooker Oxtail Soup is a hearty stew oozing with rich broth and succulent, tender meat that’s comforting any time of the year, cold and warm weather. Oh, and remember to serve it with a loaf of bread, preferably a baguette, because you’ll need it to soak up the soup for a more fantabulous dining experience.
Who says soups are only good during winter? I don’t know about you, but if anything hearty elicits mouthwatering, lip-smacking flavors…count me in! I can’t wait for a specific time of the year to indulge. Sorry, patience is not one of my strong suits when it comes to food.
I’ve had tons of requests for a slow cooker oxtail soup or stew, and since YOU, my lovely reader, have a place in this lady’s heart, I’m granting your request while I also satisfy my oxtail craving. Win-win, right? 😉
What Is Oxtail Soup?
If you’ve never tried oxtail before, you are seriously missing out. YES. The cow’s tail is full of bones and connective tissue, giving you a rich, luscious, soupy flavor when cooked for hours. And don’t forget about the bones. There’s nothing like nibbling on the bones and enjoying every flavor! No worries, I don’t judge.
This oxtail soup recipe is seriously packed with flavor from a tasty broth and various herbs and seasonings. Combining beef broth and tomato paste makes a flavorful and savory combination for this often neglected main dish. If they only knew! Well, I’d rather have it that way. If not, the price would go through the roof.
Recipe Ingredients
Like most stew recipes, I preferred to brown the oxtail first on the stove rather than throwing everything in the slow cooker. The extra 10 minutes is for the oxtail to caramelize, creating a rich flavor to the finished dish.
- Oxtail – Medium-cut oxtails are great for soup, more tender yet meaty as short ribs.
- Aromatics – Onion, garlic, and green onions are hands down the best flavor enhancers for almost every dish.
- Seasonings – This oxtail crockpot has a party of spices with allspice, thyme, smoked paprika, curry, and Worcestershire sauce. And, of course, it’s even better with ear-satisfying heat from Scotch bonnet peppers.
- Tomato Paste – Add some tangy-sweet taste with tomato paste or ketchup.
- Bouillon – Bouillon powder or cubes make it richer and more flavorful, capturing real meat essence.
- Veggies – Cannellini beans, carrots, and potatoes provide additional flavors and nutrients for a delicious, balanced meal.
How to Make Slow-Cooker Oxtail Soup
Sear the Oxtail Soup
- Rub – Season oxtail with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Brown the Oxtail – In a large cast-iron or saucepan, heat oil (2-3 tablespoons) over medium heat until hot. If using cast iron, only use about a tablespoon of oil. Add the oxtail and sauté, frequently stirring, any browned bits off the bottom of the pot until the oxtail is brown. Drain oil if necessary, leaving 1-2 tablespoons.
- Saute – Add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, Worcestershire, and smoked paprika, and stir for about a minute. Throw in scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, bouillon, and curry powder, then stir for a minute more.
Into the Slow Cooker
- Transfer – Then add the carrots, beans, and potatoes to the crockpot or slow cooker.
- Add Water – Deglaze pan with about 2 cups of water, gently pour into the slow cooker and add about 2-3 cups. You may adjust with more or less water at the end.
- Cook – Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or until desired tenderness has been reached. Remove and serve with rice and or baguette.
Recipe Variations
- Oxtail Swap – Replace oxtail with other beef cuts or lamb for a new flavor!
- Liquid Sub – Use broth instead of water and add red wine for a deliciously bolder and deeper taste. You can also reduce liquid for a meaty stew!
- More Veggies – If you’re a fan of veggie-filled soup, then add sweet potatoes, cabbage, or turnips! Corn is also a great addition.
Tips and Tricks
- If you can, get oxtails that are well-trimmed. If not, remove as much visible fat as possible before cooking it.
- Oxtail soup tends to be too oily for some folks, so toward the end of the cooking process, use a spoon to spoon off any extra fat at the top of the dish.
- Also another way is to cook the dish a day ahead, refrigerate and remove solidified fat at the top.
- Searing the oxtail gives wonderful caramelization, but don’t crowd the pot so they sear instead of steam.
Make-Ahead Instructions
If you’re a fan of recipes that are even better the next day, this best oxtail recipe slow cooker is for you! You can brown and simmer your oxtail a day ahead of time. This will intensify the taste, and you can skim off the fat when it solidifies.
Or cook the dish as instructed and transfer it to an airtight container or freezer-safe resealable bag. Then store it in the fridge or freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat when ready to serve.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Of course, piping hot oxtail soup straight from the pot is best enjoyed with your favorite bread. Hot steaming, yum!
Oh yes, this meaty soup is refrigerator-friendly! It keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Or you can freeze it for 3 months.
Tip: Pack leftovers in serving sizes in a freezer-safe resealable bag for easy thawing and reheating.
FAQs
It is not necessary, but it definitely adds flavor. It also seals all the meaty juices inside, keeping the meat tender and moist. Plus, caramelized meat tastes much better than boiled or simmered meat.
Using a stovetop will take about 2½-3 hours of simmering. But if you’re in a hurry, I suggest cooking the oxtail in a pressure cooker for 40 minutes on high pressure. Or 7-8 hours in a crock pot set on low.
It’s an underrated cut from the tail, with meaty well-marbled fat. It’s perfect for a slow-cooking method of stews and soups because the collagen-filled bones give you a gelatinous, rich soup!
Yes, it has a lot of good-for-you collagen. It’s also ideal for a keto, paleo, and any low-carb diet! Combine it with veggies, and you’ll have a delicious and nutritious dish!
What to Serve With Slow Cooker Oxtail Soup
This meaty soup is absolutely amazing in flavor, so you might want to consider side dishes that are light and mellow—for example, homemade skillet cornbread, jasmine rice, or Caribbean rice and beans.
More Soul-Food Oxtail Recipes to Try
Conclusion
Slow cooking is the best to make oxtail soup. A slow cooker doesn’t heat the house as much as a stove or oven. Would you like more easy and tasty recipes? Follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in June 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Slow Cooker Oxtail Soup
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Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds (1-1.5k) oxtails, cut into medium pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) cooking oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (15g) garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme, chopped
- 5-6 whole allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon (2.5g) smoked paprika
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) ketchup (or tomato paste)
- 1 tablespoon (35g) bouillon powder or cube (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (3g) curry (or more according to preference)
- 1 pound (450g) carrots
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 large potatoes, cut into chunks
- 4-5 cups (950-1,180ml) water
Instructions
- Season oxtail with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat oil (about 2-3 tablespoons) over medium heat until hot in a large cast-iron or saucepan. If using cast iron, only use about a tablespoon of oil. Add the oxtail and sauté, stirring frequently, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot until the oxtail is browned. Drain oil if necessary (leave about 1-2 tablespoons).
- Add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, Worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika, and stir for about a minute. Toss in the scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, bouillon, and curry powder, and stir for another minute.
- Then add to crockpot or slow cooker with carrots, beans, and potatoes.
- Deglaze the pan with about 2 cups of water, gently pour into the slow cooker, and add 2-3 cups more water. You may adjust with more or less water at the end.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or until desired tenderness has been reached. Remove and serve with rice and or baguette.
Tips & Notes:
- If you can, get oxtails that are well-trimmed. If not, remove as much visible fat as possible before cooking it.
- Oxtail soup tends to be too oily for some folks, so toward the end of the cooking process, use a spoon to spoon off any extra fat at the top of the dish.
- Also another way is to cook the dish a day ahead, refrigerate and remove solidified fat at the top.
- Searing the oxtail gives wonderful caramelization, but don’t crowd the pot so they sear instead of steam.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. Please keep in mind that it is a rough estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary greatly based on the products used.
Chris says
Hi. If I were to use ground allspice instead of the seeds how much would i use?
Dana says
What would you recommend in lieu of scotch bonnet, if I can’t find it in my local store? Would like to try this for me and my boo this week.
ImmaculateBites says
You can use habanero pepper or cayenne pepper to taste . Happy Cooking !!!!
Michelle says
Simply delicious! Kids loved it too ! Cant wait to try another one of your recepies. I will definitely be making this oxtail again!
ImmaculateBites says
That’s Wonderful to hear Michelle! Thank you so much!!!!
AJ says
I added celery…thanks for the receipt
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!
Ellen Bornstein says
I made this a few weeks ago and cannot wait to make it again. I used jarred jalapenos instead of the Scotch Bonnet (couldn’t find it in the market and thought it might be too spicy for us) and it was so delicious that I can’t wait to make it again. Thanks for the great recipe.
ImmaculateBites says
M pleasure ! So happy to hear it worked out well for you.
Leslie Farquharson says
I was out of Allspice so I threw in some cinnamon and a little nutmeg after browning meat but before adding water. Also, im slow cooking this recipe in an intant pot on the slow cooker setting. Hope it works!
ImmaculateBites says
It sure will! Bon Apetit!
Hallie Moore says
I added Mushrooms to this, the dish was fabulous!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!!!
Gigi says
I like adding different vegetables like corn, lima beans,okra, cabbage, potatoes,carrots,onion of course have you ever heard of using other vegetables than that of carrots. Also I like adding stewed tomatoes instead of catsup or tomato paste does either of those make a difference in taste. ( catsup in tomato paste).
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing !!!
Sandy Johnson says
Does the scotch bonnet pepper add too much heat for some folks.
ImmaculateBites says
Not that much. You may throw it in the last hour of cooking .
A says
Under cook time it says 3h 10m, but in the instructions it says 7-8 hours. Which is it?
ImmaculateBites says
If you are cooking on high , then it’s about 3 hours on low it’s double the amount of time.
Andrew Norris says
Hello. I was wondering why you wouldn’t deglaze with red wine ore even beef stock.. I will be trying this recipe. Thanks!!!;
ImmaculateBites says
Hey Andrew ! You sure can! No particular reason why. Feel free to deglaze with stock or wine. Do let me know how it works out for you.
Mabs says
Nkwobi for the win!
Urban @ Urban's Kitchen says
Yeah, I presume the beans is added at the end to warm thru as well so they retain their texture. Nice dish and recipe. For me, I’d add a few BayLeafs and a littlebit of Cloves to up and add to the flavors with that long slow cooking.
Ann says
Thanks for the ideas. Bayleaf sounds like a great addition.
Cynthia Stensaa says
I love your idea. I am making it tomorrow. Will add it.
ann says
I presume the beans are thrown in close to the end of cooking?
Will be trying this. Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
You can throw it in the beginning or towards the end. It’s a matter of preference . It your like your beans with a slight chew then throw it at the end. Happy Cooking!!!
anna murphy says
Imma,
When do you add the beans?
ImmaculateBites says
I add the beans together with the potatoes and carrots. And it works out just fine- like you see in the pictures. Slightly mushy but firm. You may add about 2 hrs before removing from the slow cooker if desired.
Omar Gutierrez says
I’m trying it with lentils—will let you know how it turns out.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Can’t wait!
Lynette says
Hi what curry powder do I use As we get a huge variety here in Australia? Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Any variety would do just fine here. If you are making curry chicken then homemade is best . Check it out here https://www.africanbites.com/jamaican-curry-powder/