Oxtail Soup - Hong Kong Style Borscht
User Reviews
4.8
94 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
15 mins
-
Cook Time
5 hrs
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Total Time
5 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
544 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Oxtail Soup - Hong Kong Style Borscht
Report
Oxtail Soup Hong Kong Style Borscht blends oxtails and seared beef chuck roast with a hearty mix of celery, onion, carrot, tomato, green cabbage, and russet potatoes simmered in beef stock. Seasonings like bay leaf, basil, paprika, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper create a balanced broth with a subtle sweet, tangy, and savory profile. The preparation emphasizes soaking and blanching the oxtails to cleanse impurities and searing beef for added depth.
Description
This Hong Kong Style Borscht features tender oxtail pieces combined with seared beef chuck roast cooked alongside a selection of vegetables including sliced onions, chopped celery, carrots, tomatoes, green cabbage, and diced russet potatoes. The oxtails are soaked and blanched to remove blood and impurities, enhancing broth clarity and flavor. Seared beef adds a robust, savory element to the soup.
The broth, enriched with tomato paste and seasoning herbs such as basil, bay leaves, and paprika, along with brown sugar and white wine vinegar, balances sweetness and acidity to complement the hearty meat and vegetables. The slow simmer melds these flavors, resulting in a comforting and richly textured stew with soft tender meats and vegetables.
This soup can be served as a filling main dish, ideally paired with steamed rice or crusty bread to absorb the flavorful broth.
Soaking the oxtail and briefly blanching it before simmering helps reduce impurities and improve the final broth quality. Searing the beef chuck roast before adding it to the soup enhances the depth of flavor.
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Ingredients
- 1.2 lbs oxtails (4–5 pieces)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for searing the stew beef)
- 1.2 lbs beef chuck roast patted dry before searing; I recommend chuck roast for its tenderness and higher quality; you can use stew beef, but it‘s not as tender, boneless
- 1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for cooking the vegetables)
- 2 onion sliced
- 7 ribs celery (chopped into small pieces)
- 2–3 carrot peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces
- 4 tomato cut into wedges
- ¼ head green cabbage (chopped; about 3 cups)
- 8 cups beef stock or broth
- 1 can tomato paste (6 oz, 120 g)
- 2 russet potato peeled and cut into small cubes
For Seasonings A
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 Tbsp basil or 2 Tbsp fresh basil, dried
- 1 tsp paprika
- black pepper freshly ground
For Seasonings B
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar (packed)
- 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
Instructions
To Prepare the Oxtails
- Trim and discard any excess fat attached to the oxtail pieces. Soak 1.2 lbs oxtails in cold water for 1 hour, changing the water a few times. Transfer the oxtail to a large pot of water, bring to a boil, and lower the heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to remove the foam and scum. Set aside. Tip: Soaking and blanching the oxtail before cooking will remove any blood and impurities.
To Sear the Chuck Roast
- In a large heavy-bottom pot (you will need a 6.75 to 8 QT pot), heat 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the surface of 1.2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast. Once seared, transfer to a plate and set aside. Tip: This step will enhance the savory flavor.
To Cook the Soup
- In the same pot, heat 1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil on medium heat and sauté 2 onions (sliced) and 7 ribs celery (chopped) until they are tender.
- Add the seared chuck roast (or stew beef), 2–3 carrots (peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces), ¼ head green cabbage (chopped), 4 tomatoes (cut into wedges), 8 cups beef stock/broth, and 1 can tomato paste and bring it to a boil.
- Add the oxtails. Once it boils, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. With a fine-mesh sieve, skim off the scum and foam on the soup’s surface. This step can be tedious but it’s the key to a clean taste when you drink the soup.
- Add Seasonings A: 2 bay leaves, 1 Tbsp dried basil, 1 tsp paprika, and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low or low. Cover and simmer (not boiling) for at least 3–4 hours, or until meat comes off from oxtail bones and becomes tender.
- Add 2 russet potatoes (peeled and cubed) and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in Seasonings B: 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar, and 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Mix well. Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Enjoy!
To Remove Fat from the Soup (optional)
- After making the soup, refrigerate it for at least five hours or overnight. The fat will harden and float to the top, where you can skim it off with a spoon or skimmer. Another "hack" I saw online was to hold a stainless steel ladle filled with ice cubes over the soup to attract the grease. The ladle works like a magnet and you just keep wiping off solidified grease on the lade with paper towel.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container or in the pot and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month. Remove the potatoes as their texture changes when frozen.
Notes
- This recipe is adapted from a food blog, Lulu at Home, which is no longer available; the method includes soaking and blanching oxtails for a cleaner broth.
- Searing the beef chuck roast before adding it to the soup improves flavor depth.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
544kcal
(27%)
Carbohydrates
39g
(13%)
Protein
56g
(112%)
Fat
19g
(29%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Cholesterol
163mg
(54%)
Sodium
1060mg
(44%)
Potassium
1489mg
(32%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
16g
(32%)
Vitamin A
4929IU
(99%)
Vitamin C
40mg
(44%)
Calcium
132mg
(13%)
Iron
8mg
(44%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 544 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 544kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 39g | 13% |
| Protein | 56g | 112% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 163mg | 54% |
| Sodium | 1060mg | 44% |
| Potassium | 1489mg | 32% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 16g | 32% |
| Vitamin A | 4929IU | 99% |
| Vitamin C | 40mg | 44% |
| Calcium | 132mg | 13% |
| Iron | 8mg | 44% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
94 reviews
Excellent
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