Rich, hearty, and deeply comforting, this Oxtail Ramen recipe combines slow-cooked oxtail broth with ramen noodles for the ultimate fusion dish. When ramen meets oxtail, magic happens! This rich, collagen-packed Oxtail Ramen will have you hooked at first slurp. Comfort food taken to the next level! #OxtailRamen #ComfortInABowl #RamenFusionÂ
It’s no secret that oxtail is my absolute favourite beef cut. I’ve found countless reasons to cook with it, from Filipino classics like Kare Kare and Balbacua to Asian favourites like Kkori Gomtang and Oxtail Pho. I’ve even experimented with freestyle dishes like Oxtail, Apricot and Prune Tagine and Oxtail Curry. But despite all my oxtail adventures, I realized I hadn’t yet tried one essential combination – Oxtail Ramen.
Today, that changes, and I’m excited to share this recipe that blends the rich, gelatinous oxtail with the soul-warming goodness of ramen. Brace yourselves, because this is a dish that brings out the best of both worlds – hearty, meaty flavours paired with slurpable ramen noodles in a deeply rich broth.
Oxtail ramen is a fusion dish that marries the unctuous, beefy taste of slow-cooked oxtail with the comforting simplicity of ramen. The broth is the true star here – simmered for hours, it pulls all the goodness from the oxtail bones, creating a collagen-rich soup that’s not only delicious but also deeply nourishing. Paired with chewy ramen noodles, tender oxtail meat, and your favourite toppings, this dish is a bowl of umami heaven.
While oxtail ramen isn’t part of traditional Japanese ramen cuisine, it has become a celebrated fusion dish in various parts of the world. Most notably, it gained popularity in Hawaii, a cultural melting pot where Japanese and Hawaiian culinary traditions meet.
Hawaiian cuisine has long embraced oxtail soup, a comforting broth often flavoured with ginger, star anise, and peanuts. Oxtail is prized in many Asian and Caribbean cultures, and in Hawaii, the combination of slow-simmered oxtail broth with ramen noodles emerged as a natural fusion. As Japanese ramen became more popular globally, chefs and home cooks alike began incorporating oxtail into their ramen creations, giving rise to this flavourful, comforting dish.
Oxtail soup without noodles has been beloved in many cultures for centuries. In Hawaii, the rich, slow-cooked oxtail soup is made with a fragrant broth, often enriched with ginger, star anise, and even peanuts, for a meal that’s both hearty and aromatic. As ramen exploded in popularity worldwide, it was only a matter of time before someone married the two. Hawaiian chefs began to combine the robust flavour of oxtail soup with the comforting slurp of ramen noodles, creating the fusion dish we now know as oxtail ramen.
Though it didn’t originate in Japan, oxtail ramen is an excellent example of how traditional dishes can evolve and adapt in diverse cultural settings. Today, you’ll find oxtail ramen in specialty ramen shops, Hawaiian restaurants, and fusion eateries across the globe.
If you’ve been following my blog, you know how much I adore oxtail. It’s meaty, flavourful, and full of rich, gelatinous goodness that gives any dish a satisfying, luxurious texture. Despite being an underrated cut of meat, it’s the secret to so many of my favourite dishes. The collagen in oxtail breaks down beautifully during long cooking, resulting in an incredibly thick and rich broth.
The key to making oxtail ramen is patience. The broth needs time to simmer so that it can develop its deep, beefy flavour and the oxtail can become tender enough to fall off the bone. Trust me, though – the end result is worth every minute.
If you’re up for a labour of love, this oxtail ramen recipe is going to be your next favourite homemade ramen dish. The process is simple but requires time and patience to develop that rich, collagen-packed broth.
Soak the kombu in a large bowl with 6 cups of water. Set it aside overnight for a deep umami flavour.
To ensure a clear broth, blanch the oxtail by placing it in a large pot, covering it with water, and bringing it to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the oxtail under cold water to remove impurities.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat some oil over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail on all sides, about 3 minutes per side, to enhance the flavour.
Add the browned oxtail, onions, garlic, ginger, spring onions, dried shiitake mushrooms, and kombu to the pot.
Discard the kombu from the soaking liquid and pour it into the pot along with the remaining 6 cups of water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the broth simmer for 4 hours.
After 3 hours of simmering, add the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and rice vinegar. Continue to simmer for another hour, adjusting the seasoning with salt or soy sauce as needed.
Periodically skim off any fat or foam that rises to the surface to keep the broth clean and clear.
After simmering for 4 hours, strain the broth to remove the aromatics and oxtail. Set oxtails aside and discard the aromatics.
Prepare the ramen noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain, and set aside.
Divide the cooked ramen noodles into serving bowls. Ladle the rich, flavourful oxtail broth over the noodles.
Top each bowl with braised oxtail meat, ramen eggs (cut in half), blanched bok choy, and chopped spring onions.
Add a dash of soy sauce and a drizzle of sesame oil for extra flavour.
Serve.
Oxtail ramen is a hearty, flavourful take on the classic ramen experience, with a broth that’s rich in collagen and packed with umami. Although it takes time to prepare, the results are well worth it, offering a comforting and delicious bowl of ramen that’s perfect for a special occasion or a cold evening.
I’ve been curious about oxtails for the longest time! It does sound like the perfect addition to ramen, adding richness and body to the broth all at once. I’ve seen some recipes for vegan oxtail that I’d love to try one day, it just seems like such a project! But, to end up with a bowl of this brilliant soup, worth it, no doubt.
Can I add the kombu into the first 3-hour simmer instead of soaking overnight? If I were to soak kombu overnight, do I pour cold or hot water over it? Do I leave it on the counter or in the fridge? Thank you!
Yeah, you can totally do that. Actually, that’s the better way to go. If you leave it overnight like I did, it might get bitter. I guess I got lucky when I did it before because it wasn’t bitter, and my overnight was from midnight to morning, so probably around 6 hours. Plus, it’s in cold water and has to stay in the fridge. Best to do it in cold water.
Oxtails are my favourite. This looks so good, Raymund.
I’ve been curious about oxtails for the longest time! It does sound like the perfect addition to ramen, adding richness and body to the broth all at once. I’ve seen some recipes for vegan oxtail that I’d love to try one day, it just seems like such a project! But, to end up with a bowl of this brilliant soup, worth it, no doubt.
I would love to see your vegan version on thia one
I’ve always wanted to cook with oxtail, but they cost like a car here in Atlantic Canada lol. This is such a beautiful and hearty noodle dish!
Love oxtail — so unctuous and fulsome. This sounds wonderful.
Can I add the kombu into the first 3-hour simmer instead of soaking overnight? If I were to soak kombu overnight, do I pour cold or hot water over it? Do I leave it on the counter or in the fridge? Thank you!
Yeah, you can totally do that. Actually, that’s the better way to go. If you leave it overnight like I did, it might get bitter. I guess I got lucky when I did it before because it wasn’t bitter, and my overnight was from midnight to morning, so probably around 6 hours. Plus, it’s in cold water and has to stay in the fridge. Best to do it in cold water.