There is no doubt that Andalusia is the home of the best Spanish recipes with oxtail, but did you know that some of them include mesmerizing fusions between cuisines from all around the world?
The Basque oxtail stew is an amazing example of that, as it mixes Basque and Southern Spain culinary traditions to perfection, resulting in a fantastic dish.
Read this article and you will learn how to make oxtails stew, with a helpful guide on how to store, serve, and customize this recipe to your personal preferences.
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Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish oxtail recipes? Have a look at my other posts:
Background of the Dish
Ever since people in Andalusia learned how to make oxtail stew, different Spanish oxtail recipes were developed as a result, and they evolved so much that they started blending with recipes from different regions.
One of the most extreme examples is oxtail dumplings, but Basque oxtail stew is perfect for people who want to try new things while enjoying the classics.
If you’re wondering what is oxtail stew and what makes it Basque, the answer is simple: it’s a tender oxtail stew made with staple ingredients from this region, such as piperade and Piment d’Espelette.
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Things You’ll Need for Basque Oxtail Stew
To make basque oxtail stew you will need oxtail, broth, canned piperade (or homemade), Piment d’Espelette, carrots, onions, and garlic cloves as the main ingredients.
You will need a Dutch oven or heavy pot, but if you don’t have one then you can check other of our recipes with different cooking processes, such as the fried oxtail recipe.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg oxtails
- 1 cup (240 ml) red wine
- 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Piment d’Espelette (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon canned piperade
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
How to Make Basque Oxtail Stew – Step by Step Guide
- For the first step in this basque oxtail stew recipe, you have to preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- In the meantime, peel and chop the onions and carrots into small squares. Wash and dice the bell peppers and celery stalks. Lastly, peel and mince the garlic cloves.
- Now, with the help of a paper towel pat the oxtail dry and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- After that, grab a large, oven-safe pot and heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the oxtail pieces on all sides. Remove the browned oxtail and set aside.
- Using the same pot, add chopped onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, diced celery, and diced bell peppers. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened (they’ll finish cooking later in this Spanish oxtails recipe so there is no need to cook for longer).
- Then, stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to enhance the flavor. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- To continue with this Spanish oxtail recipe, return the browned oxtail to the pot. Also, add beef broth, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and Piment d’Espelette. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- After that, cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours or until the oxtail is tender.
- Next, stir in the tablespoon of canned piperade during the last 30 minutes of cooking. This ingredient is key to nail the Basque traditional oxtail recipe flavor, but you can use it homemade or add sun-dried tomatoes instead.
- Now, do a taste test on the oxtails stew and adjust the seasoning if needed. For example, add more salt, pepper, or Piment d’Espelette. Remove the bay leaf and herb sprigs.
- Your Spanish-style oxtail recipe is now ready. Plate the Basque oxtail stew and serve it hot, optionally garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
Substitution of Ingredients
As long as you have oxtail and some sort of broth, you can prepare Basque oxtail stew.
However, it’s a good idea to take inspiration from other easy oxtail stew recipes if you are planning on making some changes.
For example, you can copy the oxtail soup with mixed vegetables and make this recipe for oxtail with your favourite veggies, such as potatoes, cabbage, zucchini, peppers, etc.
Other oxtail recipes that could come in handy to inspire your creativity are oxtail noodle soup and oxtail and rice, as you can add cooked pasta or rice to this Basque oxtail recipe.
Similar to Portuguese oxtail stew, what makes this recipe Basque are two staple ingredients from the region: piperade and Piment d’Espelette.
Still, you can replace them with chili flakes, tomato paste, and sun-dried tomatoes.
Tips on Serving Basque Oxtail Stew
The Basque oxtail stew is commonly served as a main dish for lunch or dinner, and thanks to its warmth you will enjoy it more during winter and fall.
To take this Spanish-style oxtail to the next level you can top it with grated parmesan or manchego cheese, and your favorite chopped fresh herbs.
To stay in the Basque cuisine realm, you can top this recipe for oxtail stew with a drizzle of piperade sauce made with heavy cream, or an Idiazabal cheese sauce.
In a similar way to other simple oxtail recipes, you could serve it as a tapa or appetizer if you serve smaller portions with slices or toasts of your favorite bread.
Give a go to our oxtail casserole and oxtail and butter beans, 2 delicious Spanish oxtail recipes.
You could also use the meat from this stew as the main component of other recipes for oxtail soup, such as the Mexican oxtail soup, the Spanish oxtail soup or the old-fashioned oxtail soup recipe.
How to Store Basque Oxtail Stew
Luckily you can store the basque oxtail stew for a long time and it will preserve its amazing flavor and texture.
To store it, let the Basque stew cool down to room temperature and then place it in a covered container, where it can last up to 3 days in the fridge and 45 days in the freezer.
To thaw, place the old-fashioned oxtail stew in the fridge overnight or for 12 hours, and then you can reheat it in the oven or heavy pot, adding broth or water if it loses liquid content.
If you want to improve your diet and you want to delve into the world of meal prep, we have other healthy oxtail recipes that you can make and store such as the tender oxtail recipe or the oxtail stew with potatoes.
Recipe Card: Basque Oxtail Stew
Basque Oxtail Stew Recipe
There is no doubt that Andalusia is the home of the best oxtail recipes, but did you know that some of them include mesmerizing fusions between cuisines from all around the world?
The Basque oxtail stew is an amazing example of that, as it mixes Basque and Southern Spain culinary traditions to perfection, resulting in a fantastic dish.
Read this article and you will learn how to make oxtails stew, with a helpful guide on how to store, serve, and customize this recipe to your personal preferences.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg oxtails
- 1 cup (240 ml) red wine
- 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Piment d'Espelette (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon canned piperade
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- To start making this easy oxtail stew recipe, preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Peel and chop the onions and carrots into small squares. Wash and dice the bell peppers and celery stalks. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.
- Using a paper towel pat the Spanish oxtail dry and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Sear the oxtail pieces on all sides. Remove the browned oxtail and set aside.
- In the same pot, add chopped onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, diced celery, and diced bell peppers. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes to enhance the flavor. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Return the browned oxtail to the pot. Add beef broth, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and Piment d'Espelette. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours or until the oxtail is tender.
- Stir in the tablespoon of canned piperade during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Taste the beef oxtail stew and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, or Piment d'Espelette according to your preference. Remove the bay leaf and herb sprigs.
- Serve the Basque oxtail stew hot, optionally garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
Just like any oxtail stew with vegetables, you can prepare this basque oxtail stew with your favorite veggie mix, adding others like potatoes, cabbage, etc.
For a keto oxtail recipe consider replacing the carrots with mushrooms or zucchini (lower carb content) and use a dry wine or skip it.
The Piment d'Espelette and piperade are key in this Basque traditional oxtail stew recipe, but you could replace them with chili flakes and tomato paste or sun-dried tomatoes.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 796Total Fat 56.6gSaturated Fat 10.4gCholesterol 28mgSodium 373mgCarbohydrates 71gFiber 26.5gSugar 8.7gProtein 19.1g
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