4 Ways to Cook Delicious Oxtail Hotpot – Mytour

Oxtail hotpot is known as a casual and beloved dish, not only favored by men but also praised by anyone who tries it. Moreover, this dish has various variations, each bringing a unique flavor. In this article, Mytour will reveal 4 ways to cook oxtail hotpot that is not only free from any unpleasant odor but also delicious like in restaurants! 

1. Northern Herb-infused Oxtail Hotpot

Dishes cooked with traditional herbs not only have a rich and exotic flavor but are also highly nutritious. On cool days, enjoying a pot of Northern herb-infused oxtail hotpot is undoubtedly a delightful experience. Show off your cooking skills and treat your family to this enticing dish! 

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Ingredients Needed

• 800g cured oxtail
• 3-4 tofu sheets
• 3 lemongrass stalks
• 10g Chinese apple (about 12 pieces)
• 1 white radish
• Traditional herbs: star anise (10g), cinnamon (5g), cloves (5g), 
• 3 purple onions
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 ginger
• 400ml white wine
• Various seasonings: sugar, dark soy sauce, seasoning powder, MSG,...

How to Cook Northern Herb-infused Oxtail Hotpot

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients: 

• After buying the oxtail, wash it with salt and chop it into small pieces. Then, marinate the oxtail with 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of MSG. Mix well to let the oxtail absorb the flavors. 
• Remove the base of lemongrass, cut it into small pieces, and crush the head. 
• Cut the ginger into small pieces and crush it.
• Peel and finely chop the purple onions and garlic.
• Cut the white radish and tofu into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2: Simmer the Oxtail

• Put the crushed ginger, lemongrass, and chopped garlic and onions from the preparation into the pot and stir-fry until fragrant. 
• Add the marinated oxtail from step 1 along with cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. Stir well to make the oxtail firm. 
• Add the white radish and 1 liter of water to simmer for about 1 hour and 30 minutes until the oxtail is tender. You can use a pressure cooker to save time (pressure cooking takes about 40 minutes).

Step 3: Prepare the Broth

• After simmering, pour the broth and oxtail into a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1.5 tablespoons of black soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of MSG, and ½ tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of rock sugar. Adjust the seasoning to your family's taste.
• Add red apples, jujubes, and water (if needed). Before eating, add tofu.

Finished Product

The broth of oxtail hot pot has a sweet taste from radish, balanced and flavorful spices, and the aromatic scent of traditional herbs. The oxtail is tender, not gamy. When enjoying the hot pot, you can also dip green vegetables to enhance the flavor.

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2. Taro Oxtail Hot Pot

When oxtail combines with taro, it creates a rich and creamy flavor. If you're wondering what to cook with oxtail, check out the suggestion below. Making this hot pot is also a breeze. 

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Ingredients to prepare

• 800g - 1kg fire-kissed oxtail
• 300g taro
• 200g lotus stem
• 5 stalks lemongrass
• 1 piece of ginger
• 1 garlic bulb, 2 shallots
• 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• ½ tablespoon red pepper
• 400ml white wine
• Various spices: salt, seasoning, sugar, pepper...

Guide to cooking Taro Oxtail Hot Pot

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

• Prepare oxtail similar to the method above. 
• Clean the lotus stem, peel and cut the taro into bite-sized pieces. 
• Trim lemongrass, cut into small sections, and crush the head. 
• Peel garlic, shallots, and ginger, then finely chop.
• After cleaning the oxtail, marinate it with half of the chopped garlic and shallots, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of broth powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and let it marinate to absorb the spices. 

Step 2: Simmer the oxtail

• Saute the remaining chopped garlic and lemongrass until fragrant. Then, add the marinated oxtail and stir until firm, then add water. 
• Simmer the oxtail mixture using a pressure cooker for about 30-40 minutes until tender. 

Step 3: Prepare the broth

• Heat a bit of cooking oil in a pan and add red peanuts, stir until the peanuts release their color, then strain to remove the peanuts.
• Pour the oxtail broth into a pot for preparing the broth. Add peanut oil, season with 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of broth powder, seasoning powder, and pepper. 
• Continue to add oxtail, taro, and lotus stem to cook until the taro and lotus stem are tender, then turn off the heat. 

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Finished product after completion

Unlike herbal oxtail hot pot, when eating oxtail hot pot with taro, you will feel the natural sweetness from the oxtail. The broth has an eye-catching brown-red color. The oxtail and taro are tender. 

3. Spicy and Sour Oxtail Hot Pot Recipe

If you're not a fan of the bitter taste of herbs, you can try this spicy and sour oxtail hot pot recipe. The mildly tangy and spicy broth is incredibly stimulating to the taste buds! 

Image: @phanh.nguyen

Ingredients to prepare

• 800g – 1kg fire-prepared oxtail
• 4 lemongrass stalks
• 1 small ginger
• 2 spicy chili peppers
• 1 garlic bulb
• 100g straw mushrooms (preferably choose the ones with stems)
• 200g boiled bamboo shoots
• Various spices: vinegar, fish sauce, salt, sugar, broth powder, vegetable oil.
• Vegetables: coriander, basil, lime leaves

How to Cook Spicy and Sour Oxtail Hot Pot

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

• Prepare the oxtail as you would for the medicinal herbs oxtail hot pot. Marinate it with 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, sugar, and ½ tablespoon broth powder.
• Cut the stems off the straw mushrooms and wash them with salted water.
• Peel and finely chop the garlic. Remove the stems from the chili peppers and finely chop them.
• Wash and boil the bamboo shoots until they're cooked.
• Peel and crush the ginger, and cut the lemongrass into small pieces and crush the heads.

Step 2: Oxtail Stewing

• Stew the oxtail in a pressure cooker for at least 30 minutes to ensure it's tender. 

Step 3: Prepare the Broth

• Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a hot pan. Then, sauté the lemongrass, minced garlic, and chopped chili.
• Add the boiled straw mushrooms and bamboo shoots to stir-fry with 2 tablespoons of broth powder. Mix well to let the mushrooms absorb the flavors. 
• Transfer the stewed oxtail to a large pot. Add the sautéed mixture of mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Then, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of broth powder, 4 tablespoons of vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. Stir well to dissolve the seasonings. 

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Finished Product

Compared to the two beef hot pots above, the spicy and sour beef hot pot has a completely different flavor. This hot pot is also easier to eat. The broth is slightly sour and spicy. The oxtail is stewed until tender, soft, and not chewy. 

4. How to Make Lemongrass Stewed Oxtail Hot Pot

Oxtail lemongrass hot pot is a distinctive dish in the West. However, with the preparation method below, Mytour Blog will reveal to you the recipe for making delicious lemongrass-stewed oxtail hot pot, not too sweet, mind you. 

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Ingredients

• 1kg oxtail, properly charred
• 15 stalks of lemongrass
• 1 onion
• 1 bunch of fragrant roasted cinnamon leaves
• 400ml white vinegar
• 1 small ginger
• 1 small piece of papaya (to soften the oxtail quickly)
• Various spices: vinegar, fish sauce, salt, sugar, seasoning powder,..

Instructions on How to Make Lemongrass Oxtail Hot Pot

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

• Prepare the oxtail similar to making herbal oxtail hot pot.
• Clean and crush 15 lemongrass bulbs
• Roast the cinnamon leaves over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant
• Grill the ginger and onions for fragrance

Step 2: Prepare the Broth

• Prepare a pot of boiling water. Once boiling, add a mixture of onions, ginger, lemongrass, and cinnamon leaves to the pot.
• Place the oxtail into the pot. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of seasoning powder, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Stir well to dissolve the spices. 
• Simmer the oxtail over low heat for about 1-1.5 hours until the oxtail is tender. Then, it's ready to be enjoyed. 

Finished Product

The broth of lemongrass oxtail hot pot has a rich, distinctive aroma from lemongrass. The oxtail is tender, not tough, and without any unpleasant smell. For this hot pot, you can enjoy it with fresh vegetables and mushrooms to enhance the appeal. 

5. Tips to Cook Oxtail Hot Pot Without Unpleasant Smell, Quick and Tender

To assist you in preparing oxtail hot pot without any unpleasant smell and ensuring it cooks quickly and tenderly, here are some small tips that you shouldn't miss:

Tips for Choosing Oxtail

• When purchasing, look for oxtails that are still intact to ensure the freshness of the meat. 
• Choose oxtails with a slightly yellowish hue. 
• The meat in the oxtail should be fresh and not flabby, with a resilient texture when pressed. 
• The veins on the oxtail should be firm and have a white color.

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Tips for Cooking Oxtail Without Unpleasant Smell

• Before cooking, clean the remaining hair on the tail by lightly scraping it. Avoid scraping too hard as it may cause the outer skin to burn. 
• Wash the oxtail thoroughly with finely chopped ginger and table salt. 
• Soak the oxtail in a mixture of finely chopped ginger, vinegar, and white wine to eliminate any unpleasant odor.

Tips for Quick and Tender Oxtail Stew

• To expedite the cooking process and ensure tenderness, stew the oxtail with a ripe papaya. (Stewing oxtail with papaya also helps shorten the cooking time). 
• You can use a pressure cooker to save stewing time. 

Here are four different recipes for cooking oxtail hotpot that Mytour Blog has shared, allowing you to easily choose the one that suits your family's taste. If you know any other cooking methods, feel free to suggest  them. Don't forget to explore more beef dishes on Mytour Blog to diversify your dining menu.