If you were to ask me what my favorite dish is, the answer would be oxtail. Short ribs may be a close second. There’s just something about fall-off-the-bone stewed meat that gets my taste buds watering!
Whenever my mom would ask me what I want for dinner, I would request oxtail. However, because it was pretty expensive and required such a long cooking time, I very rarely got what I wanted.
But now that I’m older and can make my own dinners, I actively try to make some at least once a month. It has definitely become a regular dish for our fall and winter rotation.
What is the low and slow cooking method?
Braising is a cooking method where you brown meat and then simmer in a small amount of liquid over low heat in a covered pot for an extended period of time.
This method is often used for more tough, fibrous cuts of meat. Some examples are the shanks and shoulders.
When the meat is braised, muscle fibers initially contract and expel moisture. Then, as it heats up, the tough connective tissue of the meat starts to break down.
This leaves you with tender meat and soft, rich gelatin. In other words, mouth watering, finger licking goodness!
What are oxtails?
Oxtail is the tail of a cow that has been skinned and cross cut into small sections. Each piece of oxtail has a bone and marrow in the center.
I mentioned that oxtails are expensive nowadays, but this was not always the case. In fact, this cut of meat was considered the poor man’s food.
Some would even refer to it as offal because it was one of the less desirable parts of the cow.
Now, there are versions of traditional oxtail stew in a variety of countries, such as China, Jamaica, Korea, Spain, Cuba, Indonesia, and the Dominican Republic.
Jamaican oxtail stew incorporates butter beans and scotch bonnets. Chinese oxtail soup uses ingredients like green onions, star anise, and soy sauce.
However your culture makes the dish, you can be sure it is unique and delicious!
Health benefits of oxtails
Oxtails are high in collagen, which is a protein abundant in our connective tissue. Oxtail also contains calcium, selenium and iron.
I mentioned some of the health benefits of eating nose to tail in my beef shank recipe that you can find here!
How do you make oxtail stew?
First, I season my oxtail pieces with some salt and pepper and set them aside to let them come to room temperature.
Then, I clear a workspace and prep all my ingredients. Having everything chopped and ready to go beforehand makes the cooking process much quicker.
The next steps after this depend on if you are cooking your oxtail on the stovetop or if you’re making it in a pressure cooker.
Stovetop method
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil has been preheated, add your oxtail and make sure that all sides are browned, about two minutes each side.
Add your onions, tomatoes, leeks, seasonings and water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer until the meat is fork tender. Depending on the size of your oxtail this can take about 3-4 hours.
Add your potatoes, carrots, and green peppers during the last thirty minutes.
Pressure Cooker oxtail stew / Instant Pot oxtail stew
Turn the pressure cooker to the “high saute” setting. If you are using an Instant Pot, select the “saute” function and press the plus button until it reaches the “more” setting.
Once the pressure cooker is hot, add oil. Add your oxtails and brown for about two minutes on each side. To the pot add onions, leeks, tomatoes, seasonings and water.
After about five minutes or the vegetables have softened, press “cancel” on your pressure cooker. Cover with a lid and set the pressure cooker on high. Cook for 45 minutes.
What else can you add to this oxtail recipe?
You can add sweet potatoes, corn, and mushrooms to this recipe. These vegetables will really complement the flavor of the oxtail!
You can also add tomato paste and bay leaves for some added flavor.
And if you really want to elevate the flavors of your stew, you can add in 1-2 cups of beef broth.
Braised Oxtail Stew Recipe
Equipment
- large pot
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lbs oxtail
- 4 Roma tomates, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 leek, diced
- 4 gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp Adobo
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1-2 cups water
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Season oxtail with salt and pepper. If you have fatty oxtail, you can decide to trim some of the fat off. Leave them out in room temperate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat a large pot, large dutch oven, on medium heat. Add avocado or olive oil.
- When oil begins to shimmer, add oxtail. Brown one side for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn your oxtail and add the thyme. Cook on the other side for 2 additional minutes.
- Add onions and cook for another minute.
- Add tomatoes, leeks, ginger, garlic, and Adobo. Cook for one minute.
- Pour in the water and let it come to a boil. 8. Reduce to a simmer and cook until oxtail has softened (SEE NOTES). Add additional water (or beef stock) as needed.
- Add carrots, bell peppers and potatoes. Cook until your desired texture is reached.
- Transfer tender oxtail to a serving dish. Serve with rice and enjoy!
Notes
- For smaller pieces, the cooking process is about 1-2 hours. For larger pieces, it is about 3-4 hours.
- You can speed the process up by putting it inside a pressure cooker, which will have everything cooked in an hour or so.
Conclusion
I hope you give this oxtail recipe a try! It may sound like a long time, but the rich, bold flavors are so worth the wait! And the best part is that they taste even better the next day.
NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Are there other cuts of meat that you would like to see recipes for in my nose to tail series?
Let me know by leaving me a comment down below!
