To be considered one of the best, a stew must meet certain requirements: it has to be delicious, easy to make, and hearty enough to warm you up even in the coldest winter. Fortunately, Spanish stew recipes fulfill these criteria.
Among these Spanish recipes, the oxtail stew with potatoes meets each of the requirements. Additionally, it is cheaper than other conventional stews and has been a fan favorite in southern Spain for years.
After reading this article, you will have all of the information that you need on how to make Spanish oxtail stew, with some tips for storing, serving, and ingredient replacements that you can make in this recipe.
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Background of the Dish
Nothing says “winter is here” in Andalusia like people getting ready to enjoy their homemade oxtail stew with potatoes, but what is the reason behind that?
Well, during the late 1900s, in the middle of World Wars and a Civil War, the economic situation of Spain was in shambles, so people started trying recipes with cuts of meats that were used to feed the home animals.
To make it more appealing, they added a mix of vegetables like potatoes, garlic, onions, and carrots, with some wine and broth to make the meat more tender, and that is how the beloved oxtail stew with potatoes was born.
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Things You’ll Need for Oxtail Stew With Potatoes
To make the best oxtail stew recipe you will need oxtail, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic cloves, beef broth, red wine, and canned tomatoes as the main ingredients.
For the equipment you just need a Dutch oven or a similar tray or pot for the cooking steps of this recipe, and now you just have to keep scrolling and learn how to make oxtail stew.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg oxtail
- 1 cup (240ml) red wine
- 1 can (425gr) crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups (1l) beef broth
- 750gr potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to Make Oxtail Stew With Potatoes – Step by Step Guide
- To start with this Spanish oxtail stew recipe you just have to preheat your oven to 374°F (190°C).
- Then start preparing the vegetables: wash, peel, and chop the onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces. Also, wash, peel, and chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Finally, peel and mince the garlic cloves.
- After that, using kitchen paper pat the oxtail dry, cut it into large chunks, and season with salt and pepper (you will add the rest of the spices later in the recipe).
- Now grab a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and brown the oxtail on all sides. Remove the golden oxtail and set it aside.
- Using the same pot, add the chopped onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables get a soft texture.
- Now add the bay leaves, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and dried thyme to the pot and stir well. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom (this will make the sauce extra flavorful).
- Then take the browned oxtail back to the pot. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Now, add the diced potatoes to the pot, ensuring they are submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for about 1.5 to 2 hours or until the oxtail is tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
- Do a taste test of the oxtail with potatoes and if it is necessary add more seasoning. If you want your oxtail stew with potatoes and carrots to be more creamy you could add 1/2 cup (120ml) of heavy cream and mix it in at this point.
- To finish with this recipe for oxtail stew, remove the pot from the oven and discard the bay leaves. Finally, serve the oxtail stew with potatoes hot.
Substitution of Ingredients
To prepare this oxtail stew with potatoes you only need a few main ingredients, yet you have some room to play with the changes and adapt it to your preferences.
The key to reaching the classic flavor in this old-fashioned oxtail stew recipe is to add red wine: it adds depth and complex flavor to the stew with some fruity notes, but still, you can substitute it with white or sherry wine.
To take this red wine oxtail stew to the next level you can add the zest of an orange or lemon to the stew just before serving, as it will add a new flavor profile that contrasts with the one from the oxtail.
If you want it to have a similar consistency to the oxtail soup with potatoes then you would have to double the amount of broth and cook it on the stove over medium heat (instead of baking it).
Give a go to other stews from Spain like the hearty Spanish chorizo stew, the nutritious Spanish beef stew with potatoes, and the easy Spanish chicken stew.
Tips on Serving Oxtail Stew With Potatoes
This is truly the best oxtail stew recipe ever because you can serve it in 6 large portions and use it as a main dish for any meal of the day, or serve it in small bowls and have the most amazing appetizers.
This oxtail stew with potatoes goes well with some grated Manchego or Pecorino cheese on top, as it will melt with the heat on the stew and it will add a mesmerizing cheesy flavor to the dish.
It is key that you have your favorite bread on hand while serving this oxtail stew with vegetables, as you will want to dip as much as you can in its sauce: nothing goes to waste here.
To add more freshness and color to this Spanish oxtail recipe, you can top the dish with freshly chopped herbs like parsley, cilantro, or chives.
Lastly, you can use this stew as the topping for the oxtail pasta recipe, just keep in mind that you would have a pretty even ration between the meat and the pasta.
How to Store Oxtail Stew With Potatoes
Once you finish preparing this easy recipe for oxtails you can either serve the stew right away or let it cool to room temperature and store it for later.
After the oxtail stew with potatoes cooled down, place it in a covered airtight container (freezer-safe), storing it in portions or the full stew all in one container.
Then, take the stew to the fridge and store it for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for 45 days (add a label so that you don’t go over that time).
Other Spanish oxtail recipes that you can prepare and store are the braised oxtail and the oxtail noodle soup.
Recipe Card: Oxtail Stew With Potatoes
Oxtail Stew With Potatoes Recipe
To be considered one of the best, a stew must meet certain requirements: it has to be delicious, easy to make, and hearty enough to warm you up even in the coldest winter. Fortunately, Spanish stew recipes fulfill these criteria.
Among these Spanish recipes, the oxtail stew with potatoes meets each of the requirements. Additionally, it is cheaper than other conventional stews and has been a fan favorite in southern Spain for years.
After reading this article, you will have all of the information that you need on how to make Spanish oxtail stew, with some tips for storing, serving, and ingredient replacements that you can make in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg oxtail
- 1 cup (240ml) red wine
- 1 can (425gr) crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups (1l) beef broth
- 750gr potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the first step on this old fashioned oxtail recipe, preheat your oven to 374°F (190°C).
- Wash, peel, and chop the onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces. Wash, peel, and chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.
- Pat the oxtail dry, cut it into large chunks, and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides. Remove the golden oxtail and set it aside.
- In the same pot, add the chopped onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables get a soft texture.
- Add the bay leaves, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and dried thyme to the pot. Stir well. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom (this will make the sauce extra flavorful).
- Return the browned oxtail to the pot. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the diced potatoes to the pot, ensuring they are submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for about 1.5 to 2 hours or until the oxtail is tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
- Do a taste test of the Spanish oxtail stew and if it is necessary add more seasoning.
- Once done, remove the pot from the oven. Discard the bay leaves. Finally, serve the oxtail stew with potatoes hot.
Notes
The Spanish oxtail stew recipes take a while to cook due to the characteristics of this type of meat, however, you can cook it faster in a pressure cooker (it should take 45-60 minutes).
The red wine works best with this oxtail stew with potatoes, but you could use sherry or white wine, or replace it with the same amount of beef broth.
Want to give this traditional oxtail stew recipe an extra kick? Then add 1/4 cup (60ml) of hot sauce or other ingredients such as chili flakes or chopped jalapeño pepper.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 896Total Fat 45.8gSaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 28mgSodium 419mgCarbohydrates 118gFiber 33.2gSugar 8.3gProtein 27.9g
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