Tasty Red Wine Oxtail Stew Recipe

If you’re looking to elevate your dining experiences this winter, Spanish recipes for stews or soups will become your best ally. 

With the red wine oxtail stew, you’ll achieve a top-restaurant-worthy dish that combines the tenderness of the oxtail with a rich wine-infused broth, accompanied by a blend of vegetables adding new layers of flavor and texture. 

Reading this article, you’ll learn how to make this hearty and satisfying Spanish stew that will impress your guests (and yourself), and we’ll also provide some tips for customizing the recipe to your liking.

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

• Southern oxtail recipe

• Braised oxtail 

• Oxtail noodle soup

Background of the Dish

Records show that the existence of the wine beef oxtail recipe in southern Spain can be traced back to the 1800s, with the oldest being the stew. 

In the red wine oxtail stew, the flavor of the red wine takes the spotlight but it’s not an overwhelming alcohol taste (as the alcohol evaporates), but rather a rich and velvety flavor that comes through. 

This recipe incorporates other popular ingredients in the region, such as onions and garlic – practically indispensable in a good Andalusian savory recipe – along with olive oil and paprika.

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Things You’ll Need for Red Wine Oxtail Stew

To prepare this  Spanish stew recipe you will need oxtails, red wine, onion, carrots, garlic, olive oil, paprika, and beef broth as the main ingredients.

You can cook the red wine oxtail stew in a large pot or Dutch oven, or speed that process by cooking it in a pressure cooker (we’ll tell you more about that later in the article).

Ingredients

• 2.5kg oxtail
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion
• 3 carrots
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine
• 2 cups (480ml) beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and black pepper (to taste)

How to Make Red Wine Oxtail Stew – Step by Step Guide

1. For the first step in this red wine oxtail stew recipe, peel and chop the onion into small squares. Also, peel and chop the carrots and chop them into medium-sized slices. Then, peel and mince the garlic cloves.

2. After that, pat the oxtail beef dry with the help of kitchen towels, then cut them into cubes. Season the oxtail with salt and pepper on both sides.

3. Now, heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail on all sides in the hot oil. Remove the golden brown oxtail and set aside.

4. Using the same pot, add chopped onions and carrots. Sauté until the vegetables get a soft texture. Also, add minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes until fragrant.

5. To continue making this Spanish oxtail stew, pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze it. Also, add tomato paste, beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir well.

6. Then, return the browned oxtail to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for 1 and a half to 2 hours or until the oxtail is tender. As an alternative, cook it in a pressure cooker for 45 minutes

7. Do a taste test on the red wine oxtail and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

8. To finish this recipe you just have to serve the oxtail and red wine stew warm and enjoy.

Substitution of Ingredients

The recipe for red wine oxtail stew only calls for a few main ingredients that can be found in any household, yet there are some substitutions that you can make to adapt it to your preferences.

For example, you can prepare this stewed oxtail in red wine with your favorite vegetables, such as celery, bell peppers, leeks, etc.

You can do the oxtail stew with potatoes and add that or sweet potatoes, for a bolder move you could add peas, beans, or even mushrooms to the mix.

This is an oxtail recipe with red wine so we encourage you to use your favorite type (such as Cabernet, Malbec, Merlot, etc.), but you could replace it with the same amount of white or Sherry wine.

It is important to remember that the alcohol evaporates while cooking the oxtail stew in red wine so you won’t feel that flavor, and kids can enjoy this meal too, but if you prefer you can replace the wine with the same amount of beef broth.

Tips on Serving Red Wine Oxtail Stew

Once you finish preparing this recipe for oxtail stew in red wine you will have a fantastic main dish ready to be served for lunch or dinner.

You can take the oxtail stew recipe with red wine to the next level by topping it with fresh chopped herbs such as cilantro, parsley, rosemary, and dill.

This Spanish oxtail dish also goes well topped with grated parmesan or manchego cheese, as they’ll melt with the heat of the stew and add that cheesy and decadent flavor.

Like any oxtail stew with vegetables, the beverages that are more suitable for this dish are wine (red to stay on the theme or white to go in a different route), water, and fruit-infused water.

To make this dish more filling you can mix it with the oxtail pasta recipe by adding your favorite noodles and top them with olive oil and some pieces of the red wine oxtail stew.

How to Store Red Wine Oxtail Stew

For those of you who are wondering if you can store the red wine oxtail stew for later we have great news: You totally can, both in the fridge or freezer.

Before storing the oxtail stew with red wine you have to let it cool to room temperature, and then take it to an airtight freezer-safe container.

After that, place your red wine oxtail stew in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 45 days (we recommend adding a label with the date so you don’t go over that time).

You can reheat this Spanish oxtails stew in the oven or stove over medium heat, or in the microwave for a couple of minutes (in all cases you will probably have to add 1/2 cup of water or broth to add more moisture).

If you are a meal-prep fan, then we have other Spanish recipes that you can prepare and store, such as the oven baked oxtail recipe and the tender oxtail recipe.

Recipe Card: Red Wine Oxtail Stew

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