Here’s a rich, slow-braised oxtail recipe—deep flavor, fall-off-the-bone tender 🤌
Classic, comforting, and worth every minute.
Braised Oxtail Recipe
Ingredients
- 3–4 lb (1.5–2 kg) oxtail, cut into pieces
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2–3 tbsp oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or a few sprigs fresh)
- 1½ cups (360 ml) beef broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) red wine (optional but highly recommended)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Optional: chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Season & sear
Pat oxtail dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven.
Sear oxtail in batches until deeply browned on all sides. Remove and set aside. - Build the base
In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery until soft and lightly caramelized.
Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. - Deglaze
Pour in red wine, scraping up all the browned bits.
Simmer 3–5 minutes to reduce slightly. - Braise
Return oxtail to the pot.
Add broth, paprika, bay leaf, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.
Liquid should nearly cover the meat. - Slow cook
Cover and simmer on low for 3–3½ hours, turning pieces occasionally,
until the meat is tender and pulling away from the bone.(Oven option: 160°C / 325°F for the same time.) - Finish
Skim excess fat from the surface.
Simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes if you want a thicker sauce.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve With
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Buttered noodles
- Rice or polenta
- Crusty bread to catch every drop 🥖
Pro Tips
- Oxtail tastes even better the next day
- Don’t rush—low and slow is the secret
- That gelatin-rich sauce is pure gold ✨
If you want, I can also give you a pressure-cooker version, Hungarian-style paprika oxtail, or a Moroccan spiced twist 👌
