Chilean sopa de cola de vacuno y trigo majado is a rich, collagen-heavy soup made by browning oxtail pieces with a sofrito of onion, garlic, and carrot, seasoning with cumin and oregano, simmering them in water with pounded hulled wheat (trigo majado) until very tender, and finishing with whole potatoes. It takes 45 minutes of preparation plus 2 hours of cooking and serves 6 people.
It is an old heritage soup of Chilean criollo cooking, restorative and ideal in winter, though rare on modern city tables.
How to Make Chilean Oxtail Soup?
Ideally ask your butcher for clean, pre-cut oxtail. The meat is browned with the sofrito, simmered slowly with the wheat until it falls off the bone, and finished with potatoes.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of oxtail and trigo majado soup contains approximately 380 kcal, 30 g of carbohydrates, 20 g of fat, 25 g of protein, 4 g of fiber, 3 g of sugars, 60 mg of cholesterol, and 400 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Chilean Sopa de Cola de Vacuno Recipe
Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 2 hours
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) of oxtail, cut into pieces
- 50 g (1/4 cup) of trigo majado (pounded hulled wheat)
- 4 potatoes, peeled
- 2 1/2 liters (10 1/2 cups) of water
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- Fine salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot, add the chopped onion, crushed garlic, and finely grated carrot, and cook, stirring, until soft.
- Add the oxtail pieces and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until browned on all sides. Season with cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the water to a boil and pour it into the pot, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the trigo majado and keep cooking for about 60 minutes, or until the oxtail is very tender and the broth rich.
- Add the whole peeled potatoes and cook over low heat until tender. Serve the soup right away, very hot, in wide deep bowls.
Additional Tips
Sear the oxtail well
Brown the oxtail separately over high heat before simmering to develop deeper flavor in the broth.
Let it rest
Rest the soup covered off the heat for 15 to 20 minutes so the wheat absorbs more broth and the texture turns creamier.
Skim the fat
Oxtail releases a lot of fat; skim the surface during cooking or chill the soup and lift off the fat.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trigo majado | Wheat mote or pearl barley | 1:1 | Slightly different flavor |
| Oxtail | Beef shank (osobuco) | 1:1 | Less gelatinous |
| Water | Beef stock | 1:1 | Richer broth |
| Whole potatoes | Diced potatoes | 1:1 | Cooks faster |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where can I find trigo majado?
In local markets, health food stores, or the grain aisle of large supermarkets. You can substitute wheat mote or pearl barley.
2. What texture should the wheat have?
Cooked but not falling apart, soft to the bite with slight resistance.
3. How long does it keep?
Up to 3 days refrigerated in a closed container. Reheat over medium heat, stirring so it does not stick.
4. Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool it completely, freeze it in airtight containers, and add a little water when reheating if it thickens.
What Is Sopa de Cola de Vacuno?
Sopa de cola de vacuno y trigo majado is a traditional Chilean oxtail soup thickened with pounded wheat, rich in collagen and ideal for winter.
History of Trigo Majado
Before industrial mills, Chilean country families pounded wheat in large stone or wooden mortars to remove the husk without grinding the grain, producing trigo majado.
Did You Know?
Oxtail has been used for stews and broths since Roman times, and its popularity later spread throughout Latin America.
