Most people think that Spanish recipes featuring oxtail as the main ingredient can only be soups or stews, but fortunately, the variety is much broader than that.
The fried oxtail recipe is one of the best Andalusian recipes you’ll find, loaded with the finest flavors of the region, all combined to create a decadent and delicious appetizer.
Read this article to learn how to cook beef oxtails and discover more about the history of one of the easiest oxtail recipes, along with tips and tricks to nail every aspect of it.
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Background of the Dish
Oxtail recipes have been popular in Andalusia since the early 20th century, as it is a type of meat that is easy to find in the region and is also very affordable, making it useful during times of economic crises.
Towards the end of the previous century, people began to innovate more with this type of meat, moving away from the typical stews or soups and giving rise to new and adventurous recipes that enhance the flavors of oxtail and Andalusian ingredients.
Thanks to this, the fried oxtail recipe was born, becoming one of the most chosen tapas by the inhabitants of southern Spain.
Nowadays, you can find it in almost every bar in Andalusia, or even better, prepare it yourself and enjoy it at home.
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Things You’ll Need for Fried Oxtail Recipe
To prepare this fried oxtail recipe you need oxtails, oil for frying, broth, and a mix of vegetables and spices.
Thanks to the pressure cooker this is a fast oxtail recipe, but you can switch the cooking method to braising or regular boiling.
Ingredients
- 2kg oxtail
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup (120gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 4 garlic cloves
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
For Pressure Cooking:
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 4 cups (1l) beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
How to Make Fried Oxtail Recipe – Step by Step Guide
- For the first step on this simple oxtail recipe you have to peel and chop the onion, carrots, and celery stalks into small pieces. Also, peel and mince the garlic cloves. Set aside.
- After that, pat the oxtails dry with kitchen paper and cut them into chunks or bite-sized cubes. Season them with salt and pepper.
- Now grab a pressure cooker and combine oxtail pieces, chopped onion, carrots, celery, beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook according to your pressure cooker’s instructions until the oxtail is tender, for 45 to 60 minutes.
- For the next step in this oxtail Spanish recipe, grab a large bowl and mix the flour with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili flakes. At this point, you can add more spices if you like.
- Then, dredge each pressure-cooked oxtail piece in the seasoned flour mixture, ensuring an even coating. Shake off any excess flour.
- To continue with this authentic oxtail recipe, grab a deep fryer or a large pot and heat enough vegetable oil to completely submerge the oxtail pieces. Heat it until it reaches 350°F (175°C).
- Now carefully place the coated oxtail pieces in the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry until they are golden brown and crispy, it should take from 3 to 5 minutes flipping halfway through.
- Then, with the help of a slotted spoon, remove the fried oxtail pieces from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Let them rest for a couple of minutes.
- After that grab a separate pan and sauté the minced garlic with a bit of olive oil until golden. Drizzle the garlic over the fried oxtail pieces for an extra layer of flavor.
- For the final step on this easy oxtail recipe, serve the oxtail warm by itself or with a dipping sauce such as aioli, tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, etc.
Substitution of Ingredients
Something that we love about the fried oxtail recipe is that it only calls for a few main ingredients -like the oxtails, broth, and oil – and it allows you to make a lot of replacements for the other ones.
For example, you can prepare this southern style oxtails recipe with your favorite herbs and spices, and you can play with the types of vegetables that you use and their amounts.
If you want to make it more similar to the French oxtail recipe, then add 1 cup of your favorite French red wine to the broth and mix it with other herbs from French cuisine such as thyme and summer savory.
Besides that, you can prepare this Spanish oxtails recipe with vegetable broth instead of the beef one, or use bouillon with water as an alternative.
Are you looking for a healthier recipe than this one? then you can check other of our Spanish oxtail recipes such as the braised oxtail and the oxtail noodle soup, where you don’t have to deep fry the meat.
Tips on Serving Fried Oxtail Recipe
Once you finish preparing the fried oxtail recipe you just have to wait for them to cool a little (until warm) and then you can serve them as the best appetizers for lunch or dinner.
This Spanish style oxtail recipe is also served as tapas, so you can enjoy them as an afternoon snack with a glass of cold beer or your favorite beverage.
The deep fried oxtails go well with some dipping sauces, such as Spanish garlic sauce, spicy Spanish romesco sauce, and a red wine or soy sauce glaze.
Try the spicy oxtail recipe if you’re after something a bit more special or the recipe for oxtails and gravy.
If you want to prepare other Spanish appetizers, then you should check the oxtail dumplings, and for main dishes with oxtail, the Spanish oxtail soup or the Spanish oxtail stew will be the right fit for you.
How to Store Fried Oxtail Recipe
We know that the fried oxtail recipe will become one of your favorites not only due to its flavor but also thanks to the fact that you can store it after preparing it.
You have to let the fried oxtail cool to room temperature, and then place them in a covered container (with a lid or plastic wrap) that’s freezer or fridge-safe.
After that, you can store the oxtails for up to 3 days in the fridge or freezer for up to 30 days, and reheat them in the oven to ensure that they keep their crispy outside.
Other Spanish recipes that you can prepare and store both in the fridge or freezer are the oxtail stew with potatoes and the oven baked oxtail recipe.
Recipe Card: Fried Oxtail Recipe
Delicious Fried Oxtail Recipe
Most people think that Spanish recipes featuring oxtail as the main ingredient can only be soups or stews, but fortunately, the variety is much broader than that.
The fried oxtail recipe is one of the best Andalusian recipes you'll find, loaded with the finest flavors of the region, all combined to create a decadent and delicious appetizer.
Read this article to learn how to cook beef oxtails and discover more about the history of one of the easiest oxtail recipes, along with tips and tricks to nail every aspect of it.
Ingredients
- 2kg oxtail
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup (120gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 4 garlic cloves
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
For Pressure Cooking:
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 4 cups (1l) beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
Instructions
- To start with this fried oxtail recipe, peel and chop the onion, carrots, and celery stalks into small pieces. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Set aside.
- Pat the oxtails dry with kitchen paper and cut them into chunks or bite-sized cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a pressure cooker, combine oxtail pieces, chopped onion, carrots, celery, beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook according to your pressure cooker's instructions until the oxtail is tender, for 45 to 60 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili flakes.
- Coat each pressure-cooked oxtail piece in the seasoned flour mixture, ensuring an even coating. Shake off any excess flour.
- To continue with this oxtail recipe, grab a deep fryer or a large pot, and heat enough vegetable oil to completely submerge the oxtail pieces. Heat it until it reaches 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully place the coated oxtail pieces in the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry until they are golden brown and crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried oxtail pieces from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Let them rest for a couple of minutes.
- In a separate pan, sauté minced garlic until golden. Drizzle the garlic over the fried oxtail pieces for an extra burst of flavor.
- To finish this Spanish oxtail recipe, serve the oxtail warm by itself or with a dipping sauce such as aioli, tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, etc.
Notes
If you don't have a pressure cooker then you can choose other cooking methods for the meat, such as making the easy braised oxtail recipe and then frying the chunks.
If you want to make it healthier then you can turn it into a grilled oxtail recipe to give it the crispy outside instead of deep frying it.
This is the best oxtail recipe, but you can take it to the next level by adding more herbs or spices such as cumin, coriander, rosemary, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, etc.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 1515Total Fat 69.1gSaturated Fat 22.9gCholesterol 367mgSodium 987mgCarbohydrates 120.2gFiber 34.4gSugar 16.3gProtein 125g
Hola, I’m Paulina! Together with my team, we are passionate about Southern Spain. Here we share all you need to know for great times in Southern Spain with the best places to visit, stay and, of course, the best food to eat.
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