oxtail ragu

elevate your ragu into a rich, hearty and succulent dish with oxtails

Tips

What are Oxtails

It’s simple, the tail of a cow. This meat is surrounded by fat, with a bone marrow center. If you’ve never had it before, don’t be afraid, it just tastes like a succulent piece of beef. In the south, you’re more likely to find them smothered in gravy and piled high over bed of white rice. Maybe that recipe will be here next..

time savers

oxtails are stew meat which make them perfect, for any pressure cooker or instapot you may have.

INSTAPOT
1. on “saute more” function, heat instapot until it says “hot”
2. Sear oxtails as instructed.
3. Deglaze the pan with wine, be sure to scrape the bottom. Add 1/2 cup of beef broth. add oxtails back to the pot. oxtails should be partially submerged.
4. Layer garlic, onions, and bay leaves on top.
5. Be sure the venting knob is in the venting position, close the lid, and turn the knob to seal.
6. Pressure Cooking Methods: High Pressure 40 minutes + Natural Release 20 minutes
7. After 20 minutes of venting, when it is safe, remove oxtails. Continue with the sauce as mentioned below.

Oxtail ragu

Preparation Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 4 hours | Serving size: 6-8 people

Gather

oxtails

• ⅓ cup flour 
• Salt and pepper 
• 4-5 pounds oxtails
• Neutral oil
• 2 large onions, peeled and quartered
• 1 bulb of garlic (about 12 cloves), peeled (half left whole, half roughly chopped)
• 1 bottle of red wine (I used cabernet sauvignon) 
• 4 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 3 bay leaves 

red sauce

• 2 fresh basil leaves 
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or ½ tablespoon dried thyme (see steps)
• 2 large carrots, cubed 
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced 
• 2 28-ounce cans of crushed or roasted tomatoes
• 1 14-ounce can of peeled tomatoes 
• 2 tablespoons Italian herbs 
• 1 tablespoon onion powder 
• 3 teaspoons garlic powder 
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Old Parmesan rind (optional) 
• Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving (optional, see tip)

Follow

cook oxtails

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, add flour and season heavily with salt and pepper. Toss oxtail in flour. Shake excess flour off and set aside. 
2. In a large heavy-bottomed pot that had a lid and is oven-safe, heat oil over medium heat
3. Sear oxtails, until golden brown on each side, about 6 minutes per side. Work in batches, and set seared oxtails aside. Remove a few tablespoons of oil from the pan; there should be an even layer of oil remaining in the pan. 
4. Add quartered onions and 6 whole garlic cloves. Cook for 5-8 minutes. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of wine; scrape pan bottom for brown bits. Add oxtails back to pot, and add broth and bay leaves. Cap and place in the oven for 2 hours. (You can also bring liquid to a boil, and continue cooking on the stove.) When oxtails are ready, meat will pull away from the bone. 
5. Remove from oven and let cool enough where they are safe to handle. Start red sauce an hour into oxtails braising.  (see steps below)
6. Remove meat from the bone, and try to remove large fat chunks. Set meat aside 

make red sauce

1. In a saucepot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in pan over medium heat. Add basil and fresh thyme sprigs (not dried); cook until aromatic (about when basil begins to fry). Remove basil leaves and thyme sprigs.  
2. Add carrots, diced onions, celery, dried thyme (if applicable) and diced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and saute: Garlic should be brown but not onions, 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat if you have to. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of red wine 
3. Add all canned tomatoes, Italian herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes (if applicable) and Parmesan rind (if applicable); season heavily with salt and pepper. 
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 1 hour. 
5. When oxtails are finished, add meat to red sauce. 
6. Stirring occasionally cook for an additional 30 minutes uncovered over medium-low heat. Sauce should stew for at least 90 minutes total, with at least 30 minutes of cooking with the meat. You can let the sauce go longer but may need to add additional liquid if it gets too thick.