Here’s a rich, tender, and flavorful Braised Oxtail recipe — slow-cooked until the meat falls off the bone and the sauce is silky and deep.
🥩 Braised Oxtail
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 2–3 lbs oxtail, cut into sections
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2–3 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine (optional)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1–2 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme (optional)
- Optional: 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- Optional: 1–2 tbsp flour or cornstarch (for thickening)
Instructions
1️⃣ Prep the Oxtail
- Pat oxtail dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat.
- Brown oxtail on all sides, 5–7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2️⃣ Sauté Aromatics
- In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste and paprika, cooking 1–2 minutes to deepen flavor.
3️⃣ Deglaze & Braise
- Pour in red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return oxtail to the pot.
- Add beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, and optional tomatoes.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low.
- Cover and simmer 3–4 hours, until oxtail is tender and falling off the bone.
(Alternatively, cook in a 325°F / 160°C oven covered for 3–4 hours.)
4️⃣ Finish the Sauce
- Remove oxtail and keep warm.
- Simmer sauce uncovered to thicken if needed.
- Optional: mix 1–2 tbsp flour or cornstarch with water and stir in for extra thickness.
5️⃣ Serve
- Serve oxtail with mashed potatoes, rice, or creamy polenta.
- Spoon sauce over meat for maximum flavor.
Tips
- Slow and low is key — oxtail is very tough at first.
- Browning the meat develops a richer flavor.
- For extra depth, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, as flavors continue to meld.
I can also give you a Jamaican-style oxtail braise with butter beans, allspice, and Scotch bonnet for a more Caribbean flavor if you want.
Do you want the Jamaican version?
