Simple Korean oxtail soup on the stove is delicious. If you had this at a restaurant and want to make it homemade yourself here’s an easy oxtail soup recipe to follow that is is an Asian, inexpensive, healthy and family friendly meal.
We shared how to cook oxtails last week and then used the meat to make this Korean oxtail soup. You can make it as simple as you want with just radish, green onions and broth or amp up the flavors. You could even make a spicy version if you wanted. (affiliate links present)
Oxtail Korean Soup
If you loved a bowl of Instant Pot oxtail soup when you were out and about but this cut of beef seems really intimidating to you, it’s okay. At first I was a little confused as well but once you get the hang of boiling oxtails to tender then you can use the meat in just about any dish.
Asian oxtail soup can definitely vary depending on whom is cooking it. It’s no different than chicken noodle. Your grandma may insist that you start with a whole bird where your neighbor may say that that is wrong, you have to only use thighs. Neither are wrong, it is just different from person to person.
Oxtail Soup Korean
This one is simple, clean and easy to make. The most time consuming part is getting the meat around the bone fork tender. Stovetop takes 5 hours to get to this point where it can pull off without a lot of effort so don’t be in a rush. You can cut that down to 1 hour with Instant Pot oxtail to start with.
It is best to have fresh or thawed pieces but you could use frozen oxtail if that is all you had. Biggest difference is the flavors won’t be able to seep in and marinate quite as well for the first few hours.
You’ll need water, broth, green onions and daikon radishes. That is the base, you can add from there.
Since you are cooking with the bones together it is full of collagen which is killer for your hair and skin. The meat is low in fat and lean too. If using the ingredients suggested here it is packed with protein!
You’re going to want to get a large stock pot for the soaking and then boiling processes. You could use a dutch oven if that is what you had on hand too if it were large enough to hold all the liquid etc…
Asian Oxtail Recipe
We have shared several different ways recently, this is one of many. Cooking oxtail on the stove doesn’t take quite as long but won’t get quite as tender. Oxtail in the oven cuts the timing from 5 to 3 hours as well but will create a browned texture on the outside where this is fork tender all the way around.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs oxtails fresh or defrosted
- Daikon radish is traditionally added
- Minced garlic or freshly roasted air fryer garlic
- Green onions diced
- 1 tsp salt and pepper, and any other oxtail seasoning you might enjoy
- 12-15 c water or vegetable broth
- (some like 2 star anise in the pot to permeate but that is not my favorite flavor profile)
- This is similar to our oxtail pho except different seasonings
Do you have to soak oxtail before making soup?
When you soak them for a few hours I would just use water with a little salt. In the second step when they are on a low boil for another few hours you can add a lot more flavor to the meat if you use some broth and the rest water. Totally up to you but a suggestion.
Most of the directions remain the same if you were wanting to cook, but not create a soup out of them. If you just wanted to tenderize them to instead use the protein inside air fryer tacos or something you would just not add the radish. Cook for the same timing, drain, remove meat and you’re on your way.
How to Make Simple Korean Oxtail Soup Recipe
- You’re going to want to trim off any extra fat on the edges of your oxtails. Rinse under running water. Add the oxtail in a large pot filled with water, cover them. Soak for 1-2 hours.
- Slice radish and cut into bite size pieces.
- Dice green onions on the diagonal. Set aside soaked oxtails onto a dish, and discard water.
- Return to cooking pot, refill pot with new cups of water, homemade bone broth in Instant Pot is fabulous , or half and half ensuring they are submerged.
- Turn the heat to low/medium until cold water reaches a low boil. Reduce to simmer.
- After 2 hours skim off any fat at the top. Add sliced Korean radish, salt, black pepper, and minced garlic. Bring to a boil on low another 3 hours.
- 5 hours of simmering ensures the oxtails with be very tender. Remove one at a time and place on a cutting board to remove meat and discard bones.
- Put meat back into pot and stir. Serve soup with cooked white rice, kimchi, chopped green onion, etc.
Can you add noodles?
If you wanted to turn this into a noodle soup you could quite easily. At the end, remove meat and set aside. Boil the broth in the pot and add rice noodles until tender.
Then remove protein and add that back in before serving. This addition would take less than 30 minutes as an option and makes a bit heartier. I love fast meals for sure. If you’re like me, our Instant Pot Korean chicken is a winner.
Dutch Oven Oxtail Soup
Another name for this is soup kkori gomtang, officially. If you see that on a menu you will know what to expect, deliciousness. If you want to try these in a different way with more packed on seasoning I would give our slow cooker oxtail recipe a whirl too.
This is how to save leftover soup, it saves quite well. Allow it to cool completely and then store in a sealed container or mason jars in the fridge. Then transfer it to a heat safe bowl and microwave to warm about 1 minute. Or pour it into a pot on the stovetop and warm the next day.
It goes great as a side dish with Instant Pot Korean beef as the main dish too.
Korean Oxtail Soup
Equipment
- 1 stock pot
Ingredients
- 3 lbs oxtails, fresh or defrosted
- 1 medium radishes, daikon variety
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 4-5 green onions, diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 12-15 c water, or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Trim off any extra fat on the oxtails. Rinse under running water. Place oxtails in a large cooking pot filled with water, covering them. Soak for 1-2 hours.
- Meanwhile, slice daikon radish and cut into bite size pieces. Slice green onions on the diagonal. Set aside soaked oxtails onto a dish, and discard water. Return oxtails to cooking pot, refill pot with 12-15 c. water, broth, or half and half ensuring they are submerged. Bring to this to a low boil. Reduce to simmer.
- After 2 hours skim off any foam/fat at the surface of the water. Add sliced daikon radish, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Simmer 3 hours. Pot can be slightly covered if desired.
- 5 hours of simmering ensures the oxtails with be very tender. Remove one at a time and place on a cutting board to remove meat and discard bones. Put meat back into pot and stir. Serve soup with cooked white rice, chopped green onion, and kimchi.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Homemade version of an oxtail soup sounds fab! Love korean flavors, I am sure this tastes wonderful.
your korean oxtail soup recipe is fantastic! the flavors are rich and comforting, and it was surprisingly easy to make. my whole family loved it, and it’s now a favorite in our dinner rotation. thank you for sharing such a delightful dish!
I love oxtail! It’s so nutritious and comforting, our favorite dish when we’re sick. Thanks for the easy recipe, I liked the daikon a lot!
Healthy and delicious, gotta try this in my next meal. thank you for sharing