How to Cook Oxtail: A Fall-Off-the-Bone Braised Oxtail Recipe
Oxtail is one of the most flavorful cuts on the animal: rich, beefy and full of collagen that turns into a silky sauce. It just needs time. Here's how to buy it and braise it until the meat slides off the bone.
What oxtail is
Oxtail is beef tail, cut crosswise into round pieces with a bone in the center. Each piece has meat and fat wrapped around the bone, plus lots of connective tissue. That's why it's tough when cooked fast and incredible when braised low and slow.
It's loved across cultures: rabada in Brazil, rabo de res and rabo encendido in Latin America and the Caribbean, Jamaican oxtail stew, and rabo de toro in Spain.
How to buy oxtail
- How much: oxtail is mostly bone, so plan on about ¾ pound per person, or 3 pounds for 4 people.
- Pick meaty pieces: the thick pieces from the top of the tail have the most meat. A mix of sizes is normal; the small ones flavor the sauce.
- Trim: leave most of the fat on for braising. You'll skim it off at the end.
- Availability: oxtail can sell out fast. Call the counter at (863) 422-2313 to check, or ask about a special order.
Braised oxtail (rabada)
Ingredients
- 3 lb oxtail, cut into pieces
- 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tomatoes, chopped (or 1 cup crushed tomatoes)
- 1 cup red wine or beef broth
- 3 to 4 cups water or beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Chopped parsley and green onion, to finish
Instructions
- Pat the oxtail dry and season with the salt and pepper. For more flavor, refrigerate overnight with a little crushed garlic and lime juice.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail in batches until deep brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Move to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onion and bell pepper in the drippings for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, tomato paste and paprika and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes and wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the oxtail and its juices, add the bay leaves and enough water or broth to almost cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer.
- Cover and cook for 3 to 3½ hours, stirring now and then and adding water if needed, until the meat falls off the bone.
- Skim the fat from the surface, taste for salt, and simmer uncovered for a few minutes if the sauce is thin.
- Sprinkle with parsley and green onion and serve with rice, polenta or mashed potatoes.
Tips for the best oxtail
- Brown it well. A deep brown crust on every side is where most of the flavor comes from. Work in batches so the pot stays hot.
- Keep it at a bare simmer. A hard boil makes the meat stringy. You want small, lazy bubbles.
- Make it a day ahead. Chill the pot overnight and the fat hardens on top so you can lift it off. The flavor gets even better.
- Short on time? In a pressure cooker, brown the oxtail and aromatics, add the liquid, and cook at high pressure for 45–50 minutes, then release naturally.
Three ways to change it up
- Brazilian rabada com agrião: stir a big handful of watercress into the pot right before serving, and serve over soft polenta.
- Caribbean style: add fresh thyme, allspice, scallions and a whole Scotch bonnet pepper (don't let it burst), and finish with butter beans.
- Rabo encendido / rabo de toro: use red wine for most of the liquid and add a chopped carrot and a little hot pepper.
What to serve with oxtail
White rice, soft polenta, mashed potatoes or boiled cassava all soak up the sauce. A fresh salad or vinagrete cuts the richness. Like slow-cooked beef? Try our short ribs and costela recipes or a classic pot roast.
Quick answers
How long does oxtail take to cook?
About 3 to 3½ hours at a gentle simmer on the stove, or 45 to 50 minutes at high pressure in a pressure cooker, until the meat falls off the bone.
How much oxtail do I need per person?
Plan on about three-quarters of a pound of oxtail per person, since much of the weight is bone.
Where can I buy oxtail near Davenport or Haines City?
Call Costa's Meat Market at (863) 422-2313 to check today's availability or ask about a special order. We're at 2169 Davenport Blvd in Davenport, FL.
Shop the counter at Costa's
2169 Davenport Blvd, Davenport, FL, in Webb's Town Center. Open Mon–Sat 8 am–8 pm and Sun 8 am–5 pm. Order online for pickup, call for custom cuts, or join the WhatsApp group for weekly specials.
