Delicious Spanish Braised Oxtail Recipe

To face the cold weather, we need to eat dishes that are filling, hearty, and packed with nutrients: The good news is that within Spanish recipes, dozens meet these requirements.

If you want a dish that will warm you up but are also looking for an alternative to Spanish soup recipes, then the braised oxtail is perfect for you. 

Keep reading this article and you will learn what is braised oxtail, how to prepare it step-by-step, and some super helpful tips for serving and storing this dish.

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Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish oxtail recipes? Have a look at my other posts: 

• Spanish Oxtail Stew

• Spanish oxtail soup

• Oven baked oxtail

Background of the Dish

The origins of the braised oxtail can be traced back to the 18th century when it first appeared on different cooking registries from traditional European cuisine.

The Spanish red wine braised oxtail has the particularity that is made with Tempranillo wine, which is prepared with a local grape from Spain, plus it has other ingredients from the region such as garlic, onion, and smoked paprika.

The braised oxtail has withstood the test of time thanks to its delicious flavour, simplicity, and affordability of oxtail as a regional cut of meat, turning into a beloved hearty recipe for winter in Andalusia.

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Things You’ll Need for Spanish Braised Oxtail

To prepare this oxtail Spanish recipe you need oxtails, red wine (Tempranillo or Cabernet) onions, shallots, carrots, garlic, and beef broth as the main ingredients.

You will need a Dutch oven or an oven-safe pot to cook the braised oxtail, or you can make it in a slow cooker or pressure cooker and adjust the cooking time.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle (750ml) of red wine (Tempranillo or Cabernet)
• 1 cup (240ml) beef broth
• 2.5kg beef oxtails
• 1/4 cup (55gr) butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions
• 2 shallots
• 4 carrots
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dry rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

How to Make Spanish Braised Oxtail – Step by Step Guide

1. For the first step in this braised oxtails recipe, you have to preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Also, season the oxtails generously with salt and pepper.

2. After that, peel and chop the shallots, onions, and carrots into small pieces. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. We recommend chopping the veggies into small squares for this oven braised oxtail, but feel free to do it how you like it most.

3. Now grab a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven and heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtails on all sides, working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the browned oxtails and set aside.

4. Using the same pot, add chopped onion, minced shallots, and sliced carrots. Sauté until the vegetables get a soft consistency.

5. For the next step in this wine braised oxtail recipe, add minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and golden.

6. Then, pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any flavorful bits. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol.

7. After that, return the browned oxtails to the pot. Also, add beef broth, butter, dry rosemary, spices, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

8. For the cooking step on this Spanish oxtail stew recipe, cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise for about 3 hours or until the oxtail is tender and easily falls off the bone.

9. After that time went by, remove the pot with the braised oxtails in red wine from the oven. Skim off any excess fat from the surface and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the bay leaves.

10. To finish this Spanish style oxtail recipe, pour some of the red wine sauce over the braised oxtail and serve warm.

Substitution of Ingredients

We love this oxtail braised recipe because all of the ingredients are super easy to find no matter where in the world you find yourself.

Still, there are a few substitutions that you can make to customize this braised oxtail, like replacing the meat with other kinds such as pork, lamb, or roast beef.

Instead of using wine, you can follow other braised oxtail recipes and switch it for white wine, or sherry wine, or for an alcohol-free alternative you can replace the wine with the same amount of beef or chicken broth.

When it comes to the vegetables for this Spanish oxtails recipe you can use the amount that you want, or add others such as potatoes, bell peppers, red onion, sweet potatoes, etc.

If you don’t want to cook this braised oxtail in the oven then you can turn it into a slow cooker oxtail, just keep in mind that the cooking time might change a little bit.

Try other beef recipes from Spain like the Spanish beef stew with potatoes, the tender beef osso buco recipe, or the Spanish beef empanadas recipe.

And if that is not enough to choose from, try the fried oxtail recipe or the Red wine oxtail stew, and if you follow a diet, get a hold of our keto oxtail recipe.

Tips on Serving Spanish Braised Oxtail

The braised oxtail is the perfect main dish to enjoy for lunch or dinner during a cold day, and in some parts of Andalusia is even served during the holiday season to enjoy with our loved ones.

To elevate the braised oxtails with red wine you can chop some fresh parsley and sprinkle it on top of the meat to garnish, or arrange the vegetables in a decorative way (especially if you are serving it for Christmas or New Year’s).

This dish has a similar consistency to the braised oxtail stew, which means that you should serve it with a slice of your favorite bread to soak it in the sauce.

To make it an even more filling dish you can take inspiration from other Spanish oxtail stew recipes and serve it with additional sides such as the oxtail noodle soup, the oxtail with rice dish or the tender oxtail recipe.

How to Store Spanish Braised Oxtail

If you were wondering if you can freeze the slow braised oxtail then we have great news for you: Luckily you can and there are more ways of storing this dish.

Before storing it, you have to let the braised oxtail cool to room temperature, and then place it (with the sauce, juices, and vegetables) in an airtight container (better if it has a lid) that is safe for the fridge or freezer.

After that, you can store the braised oxtail in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 45 days: make sure to add a label with the date to the container so that you can keep track of it.

We recommend that you reheat the oxtail in the oven so that it regains its original texture, and remember that if the taste or consistency is off then it is better to avoid consuming it.

Recipe Card: Spanish Braised Oxtail

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