Oxtail Recipe: How to Make the Best Oxtail Pepper Soup

scotch bonnet peppers

💰Cheaper: jalapeño peppers

Jalapeños provide heat with a milder flavor.

oxtail

🥗Healthier: beef shank

💰Cheaper: beef stew meat

Beef stew meat is more affordable and still flavorful.

Clean the oxtail with white vinegar and lemon juice, scrubbing with half a lemon until clean.

Trim off excess fat from the oxtail pieces.

Rinse the oxtail under clean water for about two times and set aside.

Blend celery stalks, spring onions, scotch bonnet pepper, red chili pepper, scallion, garlic cloves, and fresh ginger into a chunky paste.

Pour the blended paste over the cleaned oxtail and add beef stock cubes and half a tablespoon of salt. Mix thoroughly and marinate in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

In a large pot, add about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and chopped onions, sauté for 3 minutes until fragrant.

Add diced chili peppers and sear the marinated oxtail pieces for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cover the pot and let the meat steam for about 8 minutes.

Grind UDA, calabash nutmeg, uziza seeds, and black pepper into a fine powder.

After 8 minutes, add the ground spices, more stock cubes, salt, and the marinade from the bowl to the oxtail. Stir to combine.

Add about 3 cups of water to the pot, rinsing off the marinade bowl, and cover the pot.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 2 and a half hours.

After 2 and a half hours, check the oxtail for tenderness by piercing with a fork; it should fall off the bone easily.

Garnish the soup with freshly chopped scent leaf and stir.

Leave the soup to boil for about 2 minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary