Oxtail soup is made with oxtail, a cheap cut of beef. In English usage the term "ox" reflects the social divide in England after the Norman Conquest: beef () referred to the superior cuts served to the Anglo-Norman ruling class; the less favoured parts of the animal were referred to with the Saxon prefix "ox". The soup has been adopted in French cuisine, and there are examples from several other parts of the world. Being made with tough meat, oxtail soup requires slow, gentle and long cooking.
England In English usage the "ox" arises from the social divide that existed in England after the Norman Conquest: beef () referred to the choice cuts reserved for the Anglo-Norman ruling class; the less esteemed parts of the animal, with which the conquered Anglo-Saxons had to be content, were referred to with the Saxon prefix "ox",Davidson, p. 562 such as ox-cheek and ox-tongue.;
In 1845 Eliza Acton printed a recipe, calling it "An inexpensive and very nutritious soup". As well as the oxtail her recipe includes ham, a knuckle of bacon, onions, celery, turnips and herbs, and she suggests using beef stock rather than water as the cooking liquid.Acton, p. 43 Mrs Beeton (1861) offers a similar recipe, with the addition of a little port wine.Beeton, p. 92 Both Acton and Beeton thicken their soup with flour or arrowroot.Acton, p. 43; and Beeton, p. 92 The soup is simmered long and gently.Ceserani and Kinton, pp. 72–73
France Alexis Soyer (1853) published a recipe for oxtail soup in his The Modern Housewife, or, Ménagère. The ingredients and technique are similar to those of English cooks, and like his successors he gives variants for thickened or clear oxtail soups.Soyer, p. 114 In his (1873), Alexandre Dumas gives recipes for oxtail stews but not soups.Dumas, pp. 265 and 630 Auguste Escoffier (1903) prints two recipes for . It is given its English title rather than the French and noted as .Escoffier, p. 245 In Escoffier's book, and also in Louis Saulnier's , recipes are given for clear oxtail soup () and for (thickened).Escoffier, p. 245; and Saulnier, p. 52 A slow and gentle simmer is required.
Germany German versions of oxtail soup () typically use similar ingredients to those in British and French versions: to the oxtail are added vegetables such as onions, carrots, celery, turnip or parsnip, with the possible addition of diced boiled ham. As with other oxtail soups, the cooking is a gentle, long simmer. The soup may be served with noodles ().Krüger, p. 25
Hawaii In the Hawaii version, the soup is reminiscent of Vietnamese pho broth. The broth may contain star anise, ginger, onions, chen pi (dried citrus peel), peppercorns and bay leaves. The soup is garnished with shallots and coriander, with fresh grated ginger and soy sauce for dipping or as a condiment.
Indonesia
In Indonesian cuisine, oxtail soup () is made of slices of fried or barbecued oxtail, served with vegetables in a rich but clear beef broth. It contains boiled potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, leek, celery, fried shallots and dried black mushrooms. It is seasoned with shallot, garlic and spices. A variant is called sop buntut goreng (fried oxtail soup), where the oxtail is seasoned, fried and served dry; the soup is served in a separate bowl. The dish is commonly eaten with rice and accompanied by sambal, sweet soy sauce and lime juice. Some restaurants specialize in oxtail soup, among them being the Bogor Café in the Hotel Borobudur in Central Jakarta.
The dish is also eaten in Malaysia, where it is known as sup ekor.
Jamaica A Jamaican oxtail soup recipe includes lima beans and chopped yam in the ingredients as well as a scotch bonnet pepper.Quinn, p. 60
Spain Elisabeth Luard prints a recipe for Andalusian oxtail soup that includes paprika, chopped serrano ham, chopped tomatoes, cinnamon, garlic and other spices in addition to the oxtail.Luard, p. 85
See also Bulalo Kangaroo tail soup Oxtail stew List of Chinese soups List of Indonesian soups List of soups
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