Here’s a rich, comforting Oxtail recipe—slow-cooked until fall-off-the-bone tender, with deep, savory flavor. 🥩🍲
🍲 Braised Oxtail (Classic Style)
🧾 Ingredients (4–6 servings)
- 1.5–2 kg (3–4 lb) oxtail pieces
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1–2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Optional: 1 cup red wine (replace 1 cup broth)
👩🍳 Instructions
- Season & Brown
- Pat oxtail dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Brown oxtail on all sides (work in batches). Remove and set aside.
- Build Flavor
- In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened.
- Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 1–2 minutes.
- Braise
- Return oxtail to the pot.
- Add beef broth (and wine if using), bay leaves, and thyme.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat 2½–3½ hours, until meat is very tender.
- Finish
- Skim excess fat from the surface.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve
- Serve hot over rice, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta.
⭐ Tips
- Oxtail is rich—skim fat during cooking for a cleaner sauce.
- Low and slow cooking is essential for tenderness.
- Tastes even better the next day after flavors develop.
- Can be made in a slow cooker (8–10 hours on low).
🔁 Variations
- Caribbean style: add allspice, thyme, and a splash of soy sauce.
- Italian style: add crushed tomatoes and finish with parsley.
- Pressure cooker: 45–55 minutes on high pressure, natural release.
If you’d like, I can also share a Jamaican-style oxtail, a slow-cooker method, or an instant pot version—just tell me!
