The Hawaiians love this dish, and I don’t see any reason for you not to love it as well! This is one heck of a good comforting soup. Hawaiian Oxtail Soup is a type of clear soup prepared with Oxtails slowly cooked with aromatics alongside herbs and peanuts.
If there is one food item you need to try when visiting Hawaii for the first time then it will be this dish, the Hawaiian Oxtail Soup. It is so popular in Hawaii, every local knows and loves this dish. It can be found in most local restaurants, cooked in most locals homes even in bowling alleys these are quite common, actually they are always associated to them. Its history has Chinese roots, but the islanders made it their own by the addition of abundant aromatics like star anise, dried orange peel, more ginger and herbs and peanuts.
It’s one of those dishes that is low effort, basically you just toss everything in the pot and wait for it to cook, but the rewards are amazing, a very comforting hearty dish perfect during cold breezy island dinners. If you even want to one up the game, then it will yield an even richer robust flavour if you brown the meat, giving it a nice flavour and nice c olour too.
Before we already made a similar dish, a Copycat of one of the Popular Bowling Alleys that serve them. Now that one has more elements on it so for our recipe today, it will be less complicated and a more straightforward approach, perhaps the same approach when Hawaiian home cooks prepare them at home, yet it delivers the same satisfaction.
Generously season oxtails with salt, set it aside.
In a pot heat oil on high heat, once it starts to smoke add the oxtails and brown it on all sides.
Pour enough water to cover oxtails, add onion, dried orange peel, star anise and ginger. Bring to a boil and simmer in low heat for 2 1/2 hours, check liquid levels once in a while and add water if necessary.
Add the peanuts and red chilli flakes, then continue to simmer for 30 more minutes.
Taste and season with salt as required then turn heat off then place in serving bowls topped with generous amounts of fresh coriander and spring onions. Serve with rice.
Lordie – have been to Hawaii dozens of times – my daughters nearly ‘grew up’ there during our August school holidays . . . but, I did not even know they had enough cows on the islands to make oxtail soup ! Have had dishes wild and wonderful there but never that !!! That sai it looks absolutely wonderful and the spice agenda more than suits and guess what . . . may repost to friends also . . .
I love this! Can see the meat is fall off the bone tender…and I love the tendons, collagen overload, so very delicious! Bet the soup is simply awesome, thick and rich!
I’m definitely making this soup this coming winter! They say meat is sweetest close to the bone and oxtail is proof of that. I love the stuff, whether in soup or in stews. And those wonderful warming flavorings… right in my wheelhouse.
Just one question out of curiosity: Are the peanuts added whole or do they get chopped or grounds at all? Asking because of the color of the soup which looks as if the peanuts might be ground (also for thickness).
I’ve only had an oxtail once or twice – I bet it was an African Cuisine dish (Loved it!) I must admit the oxtails look quite peculiar but overall this soup looks and sounds terrific!
Lordie – have been to Hawaii dozens of times – my daughters nearly ‘grew up’ there during our August school holidays . . . but, I did not even know they had enough cows on the islands to make oxtail soup ! Have had dishes wild and wonderful there but never that !!! That sai it looks absolutely wonderful and the spice agenda more than suits and guess what . . . may repost to friends also . . .
I love this! Can see the meat is fall off the bone tender…and I love the tendons, collagen overload, so very delicious! Bet the soup is simply awesome, thick and rich!
Absolutely LOVE oxtails! This looks totally right up my alley.
I’m definitely making this soup this coming winter! They say meat is sweetest close to the bone and oxtail is proof of that. I love the stuff, whether in soup or in stews. And those wonderful warming flavorings… right in my wheelhouse.
Just one question out of curiosity: Are the peanuts added whole or do they get chopped or grounds at all? Asking because of the color of the soup which looks as if the peanuts might be ground (also for thickness).
I’ve only had an oxtail once or twice – I bet it was an African Cuisine dish (Loved it!) I must admit the oxtails look quite peculiar but overall this soup looks and sounds terrific!
★★★★★
A fascinating combination of flavors! And I imagine the broth is really silky, too. Adding this to my list of recipes to try. Thanks, Raymund.