Easy From Scratch Oxtail Soup with Soaked Einkorn Wheat Berries

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Rich and savory, this from scratch oxtail soup is packed with collagen and a hint of nuttiness on the tongue from the einkorn wheat berries. This easy soup is sure to be a family favorite!

This hearty soup is bursting with flavor and, bonus, it is extremely simple to put together! It makes for the perfect Sunday supper or quick meal on a busy weekday.

The thick, collagen rich base comes from roasting and soaking the oxtail in a crockpot to draw out the multitude of nutrients and liquify the fat.

Soaking the einkorn berries in a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar for 12-24 hours before baking the soup allows for the phytic acid to be broken down. This allows for easier digestion of the einkorn!

I love having simple recipes where I can spend minimal hands-on time, but still get a delicious end product! This oxtail soup has quickly become a staple in my house, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it does in yours as well. 😉

Why Oxtail Anyway?

Oxtail consists of the bone, meat and fat that constitute the actual tail of a beef animal. While it has remained quite a popular cut in other countries like Europe and Asia, it had lost some of its appeal here in the states until recently.

With the rediscovery and push towards utilizing all parts of the animal, oxtail has begun to regain some notoriety in the U.S., especially among homesteaders.

Oxtail is a rich source of collagen, which is the body’s most abundant protein. Collagen is utilized in the construction of connective tissue, which makes it a major player in the repair and growth of bodily tissues such as skin, muscle, bone, etc.

In addition, oxtail also has a high fat content and is a wonderful source of calcium and other vitamins and minerals that the body needs to function!

Utilizing oxtail broth as a base for soups adds an extra punch of flavor and nutrition to your family meal!

Tools for the Job

Crockpot – In order to make the broth, you will need either a crockpot or large stock pot. I prefer a crockpot, as it is easier to just throw in and let do its thing without much supervision.

Stock pot – You will want a stock pot for making the soup itself over a stove.

Ladle – This comes in handy not only for serving up the finished soup, but also for pulling the broth from the crockpot.

Strainer – A strainer is critical when making broth to keep the little bits and bobs from falling through into your broth once it is finished.

Large Metal Bowl – Having a large metal bowl to soak the einkorn wheat berries in overnight or for 24 hours is super handy!

Stirring Spoon – As with most recipes, a good, sturdy stirring spoon is essential to have on hand.

Ingredients You Will Need

Broth –

2-3 oxtails

1/4 cup red wine (I prefer a cabernet or other dry red)

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. salt

1/2 Tbsp. peppercorns

1/2 Tbsp. dried rosemary

Soup –

1 & 1/2 cup of einkorn wheat berries

9 cups broth

Meat from 1 oxtail (or as much as you prefer)

Salt to taste

1/2 cup red wine

How to Make Easy From Scratch Oxtail Soup

Roasting the Bones & First Batch of Broth –

To begin, you will need to make the broth base which consists primarily of the oxtail and water.

The day before you want to make your soup, take your three oxtails and spread them out on a roasting sheet.

Place them in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour.

I’m all about efficiency, so I tested this with frozen bones and had good results.

That said, if you do utilize frozen bones, make sure to put them in before the oven is preheated, this way they can warm up with the oven and not just immediately burn!

Once they are done roasting, put the warm oxtail in your crockpot with half an onion (sliced), 1 Tbsp. salt, 1/4 cup wine, 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1/2 Tbsp. peppercorns, 1/2 Tbsp. rosemary, and 8-12 cups water.

Let cook on low overnight or for about 8-10 hours.

This first batch of broth is glorious as a medicinal broth or for gravies because it is so rich in collagen. Strain out the broth and put in containers in the fridge (or freezer) to utilize for other recipes.

You can use this broth for the soup, but I prefer the thinner batch of broth that comes from filling the crockpot back up with water and letting the bones cook for another 8-10 hours for our soup!

Second Batch of Broth & Soaking the Einkorn Wheat Berries –

Once the first batch of broth has been strained out, fill the crockpot with water again, add 1/2 Tbsp. more salt and 2 Tbsp. applecider vinegar. Then, turn back on low for another 8-10 hours.

Once this is done, strain this batch of broth and set it in your stock pot on the stove.

Now, the evening before, when you started your first batch of broth, you will want to begin soaking your einkorn wheat berries.

Take the wheat berries and put them in a large metal bowl. Pour a generous 1-2 Tbsp. applecider vinegar in with the einkorn berries and fill a couple of inches over the berries with water.

Then, cover the bowl with a towel. Let sit for 12-24 hours.

I like to check them at the 12 hour mark. This lets me make sure they don’t need to be stirred and that there is enough water, as they will swell.

Once you strain your second batch of broth, pull out the bones and lay on a roasting sheet. This made it easier to pick the meat off the bones.

You will have more than enough meat from the three oxtails to make your soup!

You can take what you don’t use and either freeze it for later or utilize it throughout the week in other recipes like tacos or pizza (both of which sound strange but are delicious)!

Making the Oxtail Soup Itself –

First, you will want to drain the water from the soaked einkorn berries and rinse them off.

Then, put them in your stock pot with the broth.

Add the meat, wine and salt into the stock pot, and stir.

Set on Medium low to Medium heat and let simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, until the wheat berries are cooked through.

Serve up with a delicious slice of sourdough bread slathered in butter for a complete, filling meal!

Other Homestead Kitchen Recipes You Might Enjoy

Easy and Hearty Sweet Potato and Beef Chili

The Best Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

How to Make Easy Einkorn Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread

How to Make Homemade Spiced Apple Cider

Easy From Scratch Oxtail Soup with Soaked Einkorn Wheat Berries

Yield: 6-8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 16 hours

Total Time: 17 hours

Rich and savory, this from scratch oxtail soup is packed with collagen and a hint of nuttiness on the tongue from the einkorn wheat berries. This easy soup is sure to be a family favorite!

Print

Ingredients

• Broth -
• 2-3 oxtails
• 1/4 cup red wine (I prefer a cabernet or other dry red)
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1/2 Tbsp. peppercorns
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried rosemary
• Soup -
• 1 & 1/2 cup of einkorn wheat berries
• 9 cups broth
• Meat from 1 oxtail (or as much as you prefer)
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup red wine

Instructions

1. The day before you want to make your soup, take your three oxtails and spread them out on a roasting sheet. Place them in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour.

2. Once they are done roasting, put the warm oxtail in your crockpot with half an onion (sliced), 1 Tbsp. salt, 1/4 cup wine, 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1/2 Tbsp. peppercorns, 1/2 Tbsp. rosemary, and 8-12 cups water. Let cook on low overnight or for about 8-10 hours.

3. Take the wheat berries and put them in a large metal bowl. Pour a generous 1-2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar in with the einkorn berries and fill a couple of inches over the berries with water. Then, cover the bowl with a towel. Let sit for 12-24 hours.

4. Strain out the broth and put in containers in the fridge (or freezer) to utilize for other recipes.

5. Once the first batch of broth has been strained out, fill the crockpot with water again, add 1/2 Tbsp. more salt and 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar. Then, turn back on low for another 8-10 hours.

6. Strain this batch of broth also, and set it in your stock pot on the stove.

7. Pick meat off the oxtail and set aside.

8. Drain the water from the soaked einkorn berries and rinse them off. Then, put them in your stock pot with the broth.

9. Add the meat, wine and salt into the stock pot, and stir. Set on Medium low to Medium heat and let simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, until the wheat berries are cooked through.

Notes

Serve up with a delicious slice of sourdough bread slathered in butter for a complete, filling meal!