Ox Tail Soup

In Dad's recipe he boiled the ox tail, but I don't think he's mind that I tweaked it a little. I browned the ox tail first for extra flavor and used a new Pho based beef paste that has a nice ginger finish. The last time I was in Chinatown I saw someone walking down the street with the whole ox tail on his shoulder wrapped in plastic, I was always used to buying it in a Styrofoam tray nicely cut at the American markets, I've been westernized! 

 

Dad’s OX TAIL SOUP

 

Ingredients

  • 5# ox tail generously seasoned with black pepper, garlic salt
  • dried Chinese orange skin 1 piece
  • 2 dried anise flower
  • 6 small red potato big cuts
  • 16-20 whole garlic cloves - it melts away into the soup.
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1-2 T minced
  • 2 C raw peanuts
  • 1-2 t pho bouillon

Directions

  1. Brown ox tail in Dutch oven with tallow over medium high heat, about 5-7 minutes for all sides.
  2. Cover ox tail with water and bring to boil, about 8 C.
  3. Add beef bouillon
  4. Reduce heat to simmer.
  5. Add orange skin, anise, onion, garlic, ginger, and raw peanuts.
  6. Simmer till meat is tender easy to separate from bone, a couple of hours.
  7. Optional: Add potatoes and carrots about 30 to sixty minutes before serving.
  8. Serve with grated ginger and cilantro.