Chinese Oxtail Soup in the Instant Pot: Easy Recipe

Chinese oxtail soup is a slow-braised-style soup of tender beef oxtail, ginger, and vegetables in a clear, savory broth. This Instant Pot version uses pressure cooking to soften the meat in much less time, with daikon and dried shiitake adding gentle sweetness and depth; Chinese households and regions have their own variations.

Ingredients

3 lb (1.36 kg) beef oxtail pieces, cut into segments, with excess surface fat trimmed
8 cups (1.9 L) cold water, for blanching the oxtail; this water will be discarded
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral cooking oil, such as canola or avocado oil
1 piece fresh ginger, about 3 inches (75 g), sliced into thick coins
4 scallions (about 60 g), cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths, plus 2 tablespoons (12 g) thinly sliced greens for serving
4 dried shiitake mushrooms (about 12 g), rinsed; no soaking is needed
7 cups (1.65 L) water, for the soup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Shaoxing rice wine; use dry sherry as a practical substitute, which gives a similar rounded aroma, or omit it for a milder broth
1 tablespoon (15 ml) light soy sauce
1 medium daikon, about 1 lb (450 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
1 medium carrot, about 5 oz (140 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
1 teaspoon (5 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground white pepper, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil, optional, for finishing

Instructions

Blanch and rinse the oxtail. Put the oxtail in a saucepan and cover it with the 8 cups (1.9 L) cold blanching water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes; allow about 10 minutes for the water to heat and blanch. Foam and residue will rise to the surface. Drain the pieces in a colander and rinse them under cool running water, rubbing away any clinging gray foam. Rinse and dry the saucepan if you plan to use it again. This step helps keep the finished broth clearer and cleaner-tasting.
Start the aromatics. Select Sauté on a 6-quart (5.7 L) or larger Instant Pot and add the oil. When it is hot, add the ginger and scallion lengths. Stir for about 2 minutes, just until fragrant; avoid browning them heavily, which can give the broth a more roasted flavor than intended.
Load the pressure cooker. Add the blanched oxtail, dried shiitake, 7 cups (1.65 L) water, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce. Check that the liquid and solids remain below the cooker’s maximum-fill line. Lock the lid, set the steam valve to Sealing, and cook at High Pressure for 45 minutes. Allow about 10 minutes for the cooker to come to pressure; actual preheating time varies by model and how warm the ingredients are.
Let the pressure release naturally. When the cooking cycle ends, leave the cooker undisturbed for 20 minutes, then carefully vent any remaining pressure. Keep your hands and face away from the steam. Open the lid only after the float valve has dropped. The meat should be very tender and beginning to pull away from the bones. For food safety, check a thick piece of beef with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS sets 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of beef; the extended braise should take the oxtail well beyond that temperature.
Cook the vegetables in the broth. Transfer the oxtail to a plate with tongs. Skim excess fat from the broth with a spoon, or carefully pour the broth through a fat separator and return it to the pot. Add the daikon and carrot, then select Sauté and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes, or until a knife slips into the vegetables with slight resistance. If you prefer firmer daikon, start checking after 8 minutes.
Season and serve. Return the oxtail to the pot and stir in the salt and white pepper. Taste the broth before adding more salt, since soy sauce and the natural concentration of the soup affect its seasoning. Let everything sit for 3 minutes, then ladle into bowls. Finish with the sliced scallion greens and, if desired, a few drops of sesame oil.

Tips

Blanch for a clearer broth. Do not skip rinsing the oxtail after blanching. The rinse removes coagulated proteins that can otherwise cloud the soup. It is fine if the broth is not perfectly transparent; the aim is a clean, pleasant-tasting soup, not a crystal-clear consommé.
Trim with a light hand. Remove large, firm caps of surface fat, but leave some fat and connective tissue on the pieces. They contribute flavor and body as they cook. If the broth seems rich, chill it after cooking and lift off the solid fat before reheating.
Choose the right cooker size. Use a pressure cooker of at least 6 quarts (5.7 L), and never fill above the marked maximum line. If your oxtail pieces are unusually large or the cooker is smaller, cook in batches or scale down all ingredients together rather than crowding the pot.
Adjust for a different texture. Oxtail pieces vary in size. If the meat is still chewy after pressure cooking, return it to High Pressure for another 8 to 10 minutes, followed by a natural release. Add the daikon and carrot only after the meat is tender so they do not turn mushy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup hot in deep bowls, making sure each person gets a piece or two of oxtail, vegetables, and plenty of broth. Steamed white rice is an easy companion: eat it alongside the soup or spoon broth over it. For a more filling bowl, place cooked rice noodles in each serving bowl and ladle the hot soup over them just before serving. Keep noodles separate from the pot so they do not absorb all the broth or soften during storage.

Offer sliced scallions, extra white pepper, and a small dish of soy sauce at the table so everyone can season their own portion. A simple plate of blanched leafy greens, such as choy sum or bok choy, provides a fresh contrast. If serving several dishes, the soup works well as a warm first course or as the centerpiece of a casual meal with rice and vegetables.

Variations

Tomato-style soup: Add 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges, when you add the daikon and carrot. They will soften into the broth and bring mild acidity and sweetness. Some Chinese-style oxtail soups use tomato, while other versions keep the broth focused on ginger and beef; both approaches are reasonable variations.

More herbal aroma: Add 1 small piece of dried tangerine peel or 1 star anise with the shiitake. These ingredients are easy to find at Chinese grocery stores, but they are optional. Tangerine peel lends a citrusy fragrance, while star anise makes the soup distinctly warmer and more licorice-like. Remove either before serving if you want a gentler flavor.

Use potatoes instead of daikon: Replace the daikon with 1 lb (450 g) peeled waxy potatoes, cut into large chunks. Potatoes make the soup heartier and thicken the broth slightly as their edges soften. Add them with the carrot and check for tenderness after 10 to 12 minutes.

Make it less salty or more savory: For a lighter-tasting broth, begin with 2 teaspoons (10 ml) soy sauce and add more at the end. To make it more savory without adding extra soy, simmer the finished broth uncovered for a few minutes before adding the vegetables, then taste and adjust carefully. Avoid reducing it too far, because the salt becomes more concentrated.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate the soup within 2 hours of cooking. For faster cooling, divide it among shallow containers rather than leaving the full pot on the counter. Store the oxtail, vegetables, and broth together or in separate containers, covered, for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The broth may turn gelatinous when cold because of the connective tissue; it will loosen again as it heats.

For longer storage, freeze the soup in meal-size portions for up to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little space at the top of each freezer-safe container, as liquid expands when frozen. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or reheat from frozen over low heat with a splash of water to help the broth loosen.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave, stirring as needed. Bring the soup throughout to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer, and avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the whole batch. Add freshly cooked noodles or rice after reheating rather than storing them in the soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip blanching the oxtail?
Yes, but the broth is more likely to be cloudy and may have a stronger beefy or metallic edge from the surface residue. Blanching is a short, useful cleanup step, not a requirement for the pressure cooker to cook the meat. If you skip it, skim foam from the broth after pressure cooking before adding the vegetables.

Why is my oxtail still tough after 45 minutes?
Pieces differ in thickness, and some oxtail needs more time to soften. Check that the cooker reached High Pressure and that the pieces are not unusually large. If the meat does not yield easily, pressure-cook it for another 8 to 10 minutes and allow another natural release before proceeding with the vegetables.

Can I make the soup without daikon?
Yes. Daikon gives the broth a mild sweetness and a tender, juicy bite, but it is not essential. Use large chunks of carrot, waxy potato, or peeled white radish instead. The flavor and texture will change slightly: potatoes make a heartier soup, while extra carrot makes it sweeter.

Do I need to soak the dried shiitake mushrooms?
No soaking is necessary for this pressure-cooker recipe. Rinse them to remove any surface grit, then add them directly to the pot. They soften during pressure cooking and flavor the broth. If you prefer to use fresh shiitake, add about 4 oz (115 g) with the daikon and carrot so the mushrooms do not become overly soft.

Can I use frozen oxtail?
For the most predictable result, thaw oxtail in the refrigerator before cooking, then blanch it as directed. Frozen pieces can cool the cooker and extend the time it takes to reach pressure; they may also be difficult to rinse clean after blanching. If cooking from frozen, follow your pressure cooker’s instructions for frozen meat and check tenderness before moving on to the vegetables.

Can I make the soup ahead?
Yes. The broth often tastes even more rounded the next day, and chilling makes it easy to remove excess fat. Cool and refrigerate it promptly, then reheat to 165°F (74°C) before serving. Cook noodles separately and add them to individual bowls so they keep their texture.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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