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Loading...This rich and deeply savory braise is a hallmark of Cordoban home cooking, built on slow-simmered oxtail, dry red wine, ripe tomatoes, and sweet aromatics until the meat slips clean from the bone. The glossy, spoon-coating sauce is traditionally mopped up with crusty bread or spooned over creamy mashed potatoes.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time180 mins
Total Time205 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 620 kcalCalories
- 38 gFat
- 14 gSaturated Fat
- 14 gCarbs
- 2 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 48 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 780 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 6 mgIron
- 9 mgVitamin C
- 180 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the oxtail
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) oxtail pieces, about 2 inches thick
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For the braise
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups dry Spanish red wine, such as Rioja
- 3 cups (720 ml) beef stock
- 1 tbsp sweet Spanish paprika (pimentón dulce)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
To finish
- 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
- Flaky sea salt, to taste
Directions
- Pat the oxtail pieces very dry, then season all over with the kosher salt and black pepper. Dredge each piece in the flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy Dutch oven over medium-high until shimmering. Brown the oxtail in batches, turning occasionally, until deeply caramelized on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate as you go.
- Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat, then lower the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant and brick-red, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the red wine and scrape up every browned bit on the pot bottom. Simmer until the wine reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, then add the beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Nestle the oxtail and any accumulated juices back into the pot; the liquid should come about three-quarters of the way up the meat.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven. Braise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the oxtail once halfway through, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling cleanly from the bone.
- Carefully lift the oxtail pieces out and set them on a warm platter, loosely tented with foil. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract flavor, then skim off any surface fat. Simmer the sauce until it thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Stir the sherry vinegar and most of the parsley into the sauce and taste for salt and acidity, adjusting as needed. Return the oxtail to the sauce to warm through, then spoon into shallow bowls and garnish with the remaining parsley.
Cook’s Notes
- Ask your butcher to cut the oxtail into thick pieces; ask for the bone-in tail pieces, not boneless stew meat, for the signature gelatinous richness.
- For a more traditional Cordoban profile, substitute an amontillado or oloroso sherry for up to half of the red wine.
- Chill the braise overnight so the fat solidifies on top for easy removal and the flavors deepen.
- If the sauce loosens too much when the oxtail is removed, simmer it a few extra minutes; if it over-reduces, loosen with a splash of warm stock.
- Serve with crusty rustic bread, creamy mashed potatoes, or simply a mound of white rice to catch the silky sauce.
