Braised Oxtail with Red Wine

This delicious slow cooked Oxtail dish showcases the amazing flavor of this once-neglected, now sought after ingredient. Oxtail possesses an amazing, intense Beefy flavor that lends itself so well to slow cooking. The best way to prepare Oxtail is by braising it, which is a method of slowly cooking it in a flavored liquid for several hours until it is beautiful and tender. In our opinion, the ultimate way to prepare this wonderful ingredient is this Braised Oxtail with Red Wine. The rich flavors of the Beef pair so perfectly with this delicious Red Wine Braise and make for a hearty and warming meal

Oxtail adds a delicious Beefy flavor to the dish that is unmatched

Our biggest surprise when enjoying this amazing Braised Oxtail with Red Wine dish is just how meaty the sauce tastes. Sure, when you cook with Beef ingredients like Short Rib and use Beef Broth you’ll always get some element of Beef flavor. However, Oxtail is just different

They must be the most beef-concentrated flavor of all the cuts of Beef. Which is a good thing! The marrow that resides inside the Oxtail bones combined with the rich meat flavor from the flesh infuses so much wonderful meaty flavor to the braise while you’re cooking it. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the primary role of the Oxtail is not to be a star ingredient for eating, but instead it is best served to flavor the sauce

Of course, the Oxtail tastes delicious once it’s slow cooked to perfection so that’s an added bonus. However, you will be amazed at how much delicious Beef flavor Oxtail is able to deliver to this dish

The primary ingredients in the Braising liquid are Wine, Beef Stock, and Veggies

Our Braised Oxtail with Red Wine recipe keeps to a very traditional list of ingredients for the braising liquid. It is a combination of Carrots, Celery, and Onions (otherwise known as mirepoix in French cookery terms) which are cooked down until their flavors release

Added to the dish are Mushrooms, which add a wonderful earthy element to the dish. Mushrooms always pair great with Beef, and Oxtail is no exception. Once the Veggies have cooked in the pan it’s time to add the liquids. First in goes the Red Wine, which is cooked down until the Alcohol has burnt off and it’s reduced by half. What is left is a rich, almost syrup-like Liquid which tastes unbelievable

Then into the Pot goes Tomatoes in the form of Paste and Puree. You can use any kind of Canned Tomatoes depending on what kind of consistency you want. We added crushed Tomatoes which keeps a slightly chunkier texture which works well in the dish

Finally, Beef Stock is added and the whole dish is brought to a simmer before we return the browned Oxtail back into the pan. For Beef Stock, we highly recommend making your own from scratch using leftover Beef Bones. We’ve got a simple recipe here which works perfectly in our Braised Oxtail with Red Wine recipe

What kind of Wine should you use when making a braising liquid?

Some may say that it doesn’t matter what wine you use as it’s being cooked, so choose the cheapest wine you can. We don’t subscribe to this theory, however. Adding Wine to a dish is just the same as adding any other ingredient. Quality matters

You don’t need to go overboard with super-expensive wine; however, I do recommend you choose a wine that you enjoy drinking. If you like the taste of the Wine in the glass, you’re going to like its taste in the dish. This is a rich, comforting meal, so I would suggest a bolder style of wine such as a Cabernet, Shiraz, Syrah, Grenache etc.. Steer clear of the lighter varietals like Pinot Noir so you can achieve a richer flavor

The dish required a generous amount of wine, 2 cups in fact. The good news is that’s nowhere near a whole bottle, so there’ll be plenty of Wine left to enjoy the meal. However, given the dish takes over 4 hours to make, the chances of that Wine sticking around until it’s dinnertime might be slim! Better buy another bottle just in case!

The longer you cook the Oxtail the more tender it will become

Oxtail is similar to other braising meats in that it requires a long, slow cook to tenderize. This process breaks down all the muscle fibers in the meat that give it it’s typically tough texture. This is definitely a dish that requires a good few hours of cooking. We recommend at least 3 hours, but preferably 4 hours cooking at a low temperature to get that Oxtail super tender

The good news is that while the dish will take some time to cook, it is very easy. Slow braising is a fun way to cook on the weekend. You can set the braise early and simply check on it every 30 minutes or so. Give it a little bit of a stir to get things moving in the pot and then leave it again

How to get the best result when slow braising Oxtail

The trick to nailing the consistency of the sauce in this dish lies in how much time you spend with the lid fully on the pot. By completely covering the pot the steam will not escape, therefore will allow the meat to braise better. However, in doing so the sauce won’t thicken. Removing the lid will allow the steam to escape, which will begin to thicken the sauce

So, it’s a bit of a balancing act here. I like to cover the pot completely for the first 2 hours to allow the Oxtail to break down. Then for the last 2 hours, try partially covering the lid. This will begin to slowly thicken the sauce while continuing to slow cook and tenderize the Oxtail

You can always have a little taste at around the 3 hour mark. Just cut off a bit of Oxtail and check for tenderness. If it’s super-tough, put the lid back on. But if it’s starting to fall apart, keep the lid off and keep thickening the sauce

Braised Oxtail with Red Wine Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. Oxtail pieces
• ½ cup AP Flour
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
• 4 tbsp. Vegetable or Canola Oil
  
  

Braising Ingredients

• 2 Brown Onions, finely diced
• 4 Celery Stalks, diced
• 3 Carrots, diced
• 150g Button / Cremini Mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 2 cups of Red Wine
• 2 tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 800g / 27 oz. Canned Tomatoes
• 2 cups of Beef Stock (recipe here)
• Bunch of Thyme (about 8 stalks)
• Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Add Vegetable Oil to a large Pot over medium heat until hot
2. Combine Flour, Salt, and Pepper in a bowl and mix well. Coat the Oxtails and dust off any excess Flour. Batch fry in the Oil to brown (2 minutes on each side) then set aside
3. In the same pot add the Onions, Celery, Carrots and Mushrooms. Season generously with Salt and Pepper and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until tender
4. Add the Red Wine and cook until reduced by half, then add Tomato Paste, Canned Tomatoes, Beef Stock, and Thyme. Bring to a simmer then return the Oxtail to the pot and submerge them in the liquid
5. Drop the heat to low. Cover with a lid and braise for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. After 2 hours, partially remove the lid (Cover about ¾ of the pot with the lid) and braise for 2 more hours, stirring occasionally
6. After a total of 4 hours braising time check the Oxtail for doneness. Season the sauce if needed and remove the Thyme Stalks. Serve with Crusty Bread or Mashed Potatoes
   
   

Recipe Notes

• You can replace the homemade Beef Stock with Stock Cubes
• We recommend choosing a fuller bodied Red Wine that you would enjoy drinking a glass of
  
  

This wonderful Braised Oxtail with Red Wine dish is a great way to showcase the amazing flavor of Oxtail. If you can get your hands on some good quality Oxtail this dish is a must try!

If you enjoy this recipe and are looking for more delicious slow cooked meals then you are in luck! Slow cooking is a favorite method of cooking for us here at Dinnertime Somewhere, and we have loads of great recipes for you to try. Check out these favorite slow cooked meals of ours the next time you’ve got an afternoon free for some great home cooking:

• Slow Cooked Carnitas
• 10 Hour Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder
• Crispy Porchetta with Fennel and Herbs
• Hearty Beef Stew
  
  

Happy Cooking!