Here’s a rich, restaurant-style braised oxtail recipe that turns tough oxtail into tender, fall-off-the-bone meat in a deeply flavorful sauce.
🥘 Braised Oxtail Recipe
🧾 Ingredients
- 1.5–2 kg oxtail, cut into segments
- 2–3 tbsp oil (vegetable or olive)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (optional but recommended)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
- 2–3 cups beef stock (as needed)
- 1 cup red wine (optional, can replace with extra stock)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1–2 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1–1.5 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp paprika (optional for depth)
🔥 Instructions
1. Brown the oxtail
- Pat oxtail dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot (Dutch oven preferred).
- Brown oxtail on all sides until deeply golden.
- Remove and set aside.
2. Build the base
- In the same pot, sauté onion, carrot, and celery for 5–7 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly.
3. Deglaze
- Pour in red wine (if using), scraping up browned bits.
- Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
4. Braise
- Return oxtail to the pot.
- Add chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and beef stock (liquid should mostly cover meat).
- Bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Slow cook
- Cover and cook on low heat:
- Stovetop: 3–4 hours
- Oven: 160°C (320°F) for 3.5–4.5 hours
- Stir occasionally and check liquid levels (add stock if needed).
6. Finish
- When meat is tender and nearly falling off the bone, remove lid.
- Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes to thicken sauce.
- Adjust salt and pepper.
🍽️ Serving ideas
- Mashed potatoes
- Rice
- Buttered noodles
- Crusty bread
💡 Tips
- The longer it cooks, the better it gets.
- Let it rest for 20–30 minutes before serving for deeper flavor.
- Even better the next day (classic stew rule).
If you want, I can also give you a Jamaican-style oxtail, Chinese braised version, or a pressure cooker shortcut version.
