← Nouns Cooking · Spanish

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg oxtail, cut into rounds
• 3 tbsp plain flour, for dusting
• 5 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 Onion, chopped
• 2 Carrot, sliced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, sliced
• 2 ripe tomatoes, grated, skins discarded
• 1 tsp sweet paprika (pimentón dulce)
• 2 Bay leaves
• 500 ml dry red wine
• 500 ml Beef stock
• Salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Season the oxtail well with salt and pepper and dust it lightly with the flour. Heat the oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat and brown the pieces in batches for 10–12 min, until deep brown on all sides. Lift out onto a plate.
2. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot and pepper to the same pot. Cook for 10 min, scraping up the browned bits, until soft. Stir in the garlic and paprika for 30 seconds, then the tomato, and cook for 5 min more.
3. Pour in the wine, turn up the heat and let it bubble for 5 min so the raw alcohol boils off. Return the oxtail with its juices, add the bay leaves and enough stock to almost cover the meat.
4. Cover and simmer very gently for about 3 hours, turning the pieces now and then and adding a splash of water if it gets dry. It is ready when the meat slides off the bone with a fork.
5. Lift out the oxtail. Remove the bay leaves and blend the sauce smooth (or press it through a sieve), then return the meat and simmer uncovered until the sauce is thick and glossy. Season and serve with chips or mashed potato.

Tips

• It tastes even better the next day: chill overnight, lift off the set fat, then reheat gently.
• In Córdoba some cooks swap half the red wine for Montilla-Moriles or dry fino sherry.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

The Spanish Chef (Omar Allibhoy) Trendencias (Directo al Paladar) Foods & Wines from Spain