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Best Spanish Oxtail Stew Recipe

The Stew is one of the most popular Spanish soup recipes to make during the winter, as it provides a large amount of energy and is an ideal dish to warm up the body.

However, a common disadvantage is that in all homes it is customary to eat the typical chicken or beef stew, and there comes a point where you get tired of always eating the same thing.

Fortunately, the Spanish Oxtail Stew is the answer if you are looking to expand your winter cookbook and give the classic stew a twist. 

Continue reading this article where we will give you different tips on how to cook oxtails, how to store and serve the stew, and more about its history.

Are you looking for a Spanish oxtail recipe? You can find here one of the best oxtail recipes that you can prepare for your next dinner. The southern oxtail recipe is a beloved oxtail stew from Andalucia that is mostly prepared during the cold season but it can be prepared throughout the entire year. This Spanish oxtail stew recipe is easy to make but you'll soon discover how savory and tasty oxtail meat can be, especially in the form of a stew. #oxtailstew #spanishstew #oxtailrecipe #stewrecipe
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Background of the Dish

spicy oxtail recipe in a pot with herbs next to it on a wooden table

The Spanish cuisine is practically specialized in everything that has to do with stews and soups, and that is partly due to the cold winters that they experience in the South of Spain.

Oxtail in Spanish food is a prized ingredient, particularly in Andalusia. Oxtails in Spanish is rabos de toro.

The Spanish oxtail stew recipe or rabo de toro recipe was prepared hundreds of years ago, as stewing was the only way to eat the generally tough meat of the oxtail.

Over the years, this recipe has gained popularity and stood out over other oxtail recipes. 

By the 19th century, the Spanish oxtail stew became a staple recipe in Andalusian houses, in part thanks to the rise of the bullfighting world and those who represented it.

Things You’ll Need for Spanish Oxtail Stew

ingredients for oxtail and butter beans with potatoes like fresh oxtail, onion and herbs

To make this simple oxtail recipe, you only need oxtail meat and some vegetables, but there are dozens of replacements that you can make. 

When it comes to the equipment, you will only need a large pot to make this Spanish stew.

Spanish oxtails recipe Ingredients

  • 1.5kg oxtail 
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves 
  • 4 tomatoes
  • 1 leek
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 thyme sprigs  
  • 3 cups (700ml) red wine
  • Salt and black ground pepper (to taste)
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Flour to coat

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How to Make Spanish Oxtail Stew – Step by Step Guide

close up of oxtail on a pot that has been newly stewed with steam coming out

If you want to know how to make oxtail stew, read the instructions below:

  1. This easy oxtail recipe begins when you buy the meat since the best thing to do is to ask for it to be cut into pieces so you save a step. However, you can cut it into large cubes with a sharp knife yourself. Season the pieces of meat with salt, pepper and coat them in flour.
  1. Then heat a large saucepan with 3 or 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the oxtail pieces. Cook them until they get a nice golden colour. Remove and set them aside.
  1. In that same oil you used for browning the meat, fry the vegetables. If the oil has flour lumps, then discard it and use a new oil. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables starting with the onion and the finely chopped garlic.
  1. Cook them for 5 minutes and add the diced pepper and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  1. Add the chopped leek, bay leaves and sprigs of thyme to the pan and fry the vegetables for another 10 minutes. Peel the tomatoes and then add them to the sauce in small pieces. Season with salt and let the vegetables cook for 15 minutes.
  1. Add the red wine and the oxtail, cook over medium-high heat, with the pot uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cover the pot and lower the stove fire. Let the stew cook for 3 hours over low heat.
  1. After that, remove the pieces of meat and prepare the sauce with the cooked vegetables. You can pass it through a blender or the food mill if you want it to be lighter and without chunks of vegetables.
  1. Place the meat back in the pot with the sauce already prepared until serving time. Serve the Spanish oxtail stew, pouring the sauce on top.

Substitution of Ingredients

a bowl of Oxtail Recipe with potatoes and carrots and  Red Wine in the table

The Spanish oxtail stew is without a doubt the best oxtail recipe because you can make as many substitutions with the ingredients as you like, and the result will still be great. 

Something that I like to do is to check different oxtail stew recipes and add all sorts of vegetables

That is why this oxtails recipe has so many, but you can add more if you like. You can add cauliflower, eggplant, cucumber, squash, etc.

You can also check the Spanish oxtail soup, and take some ingredients from there. There are many renditions on making oxtail in Spanish recipe.

For example, you can add 1 or 2 cups of beef broth, just like you would do with soup if you see that your stew is too thick. 

I always recommend using oxtail meat for this recipe, since otherwise, it wouldn’t be an oxtail stew. 

However, you can make a Spanish lamb stew, chicken stew, or pork stew if you don’t like the oxtail.

Or for a more high-protein and hearty stew, we recommend our Spanish lentils recipe, the delicious fabada asturiana stew, and the Spanish beef stew with potatoes.

Tips on Serving Spanish Oxtail Stew

recipe for oxtails and gravy served with potatoes on a wooden board

Now that you know how to make oxtails recipe, it’s time to serve it!

This oxtail Spanish recipe is truly magical because you can serve it with a wide variety of side dishes, or just by itself, and it’ll still be a wonderful main dish. 

For example, you can go for a more classic serving way and serve the Spanish oxtail stew with potatoes

Whenever I want to impress my guests with the Andalusian Cuisine, I start with Spanish Migas Recipe, tortilla de patatas, or chicken croquettes for the entree plate.

One of my favorite salads is Spanish potato salad and I make sure I serve it whenever I have guests.

But feel free to try the grilled octopus salad as well, since it’s easy to make a super flavorful.

And for the perfect dinner party, you can also prepare some Spanish desserts such as the famous Churros with hot chocolate, or the delicious Leche Frita.

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How to Store Spanish Oxtail Stew

An open fridge with various vegetables and fruits in plastic containers.

If you are making this southern oxtail recipe there are different ways to store it without damaging the flavor of the classic oxtail stew. 

You can let it cool to room temperature and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

As well as another recipe for oxtails, you can freeze it for up to 15 days, but make sure to let it thaw overnight before consuming it. 

Recipe Card: Spanish Oxtail Stew

Yield: 4

Spanish Oxtail Stew Recipe

roasted oxtail recipe served with gravy

The Stew is one of the most popular recipes to make during the winter, as it provides a large amount of energy and is an ideal dish to warm up the body.

However, a common disadvantage is that in all homes it is customary to eat the typical chicken or beef stew, and there comes a point where you get tired of always eating the same thing.

Fortunately, the Spanish Oxtail Stew is the answer if you are looking to expand your winter cookbook and give the classic stew a twist.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg oxtail
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 4 tomatoes
  • 1 leek
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 3 cups (700ml) red wine
  • Salt and black ground pepper (to taste)
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Flour to coat

Instructions

  1. When you buy the meat, ask for it to be cut into pieces so you save a step, otherwise cut it into large cubes with a sharp knife. Season the pieces of meat with salt, pepper and coat them in flour.
  2. Heat a large saucepan with 3 or 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Once it is hot, add the oxtail pieces. Cook them until they get a golden color all over. Remove and set them aside.
  3. In the same oil, you used to brown the meat, fry the vegetables. If the oil has traces of flour, then discard it and use a new oil. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables starting with the onion and the finely chopped garlic.
  4. Cook them for 5 minutes and add the diced pepper and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add the chopped leek, bay leaves, and sprigs of thyme to the pan and fry the vegetables for another 10 minutes. Peel the tomatoes and then add them to the sauce in small pieces. Season with salt and let the vegetables cook for 15 minutes.
  6. Add the red wine and the meat, cook over medium-high heat, with the pot uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cover the pot and lower the stove fire. Let the stew cook for 3 hours over low heat.
  7. After that, remove the pieces of meat and prepare the sauce with the cooked vegetables. You can pass it through the blender or the food mill if you want it to be lighter and without chunks of vegetables.
  8. Place the meat back in the pot with the sauce already prepared until serving time. Serve the meat pouring the sauce on top.

Notes

Unlike other southern style oxtails, the recipes for oxtails stew always call for a slow cooking process at a low temperature, since this is the best way to ensure that the oxtail will be tender.

However, you can speed up this process by cooking it in a pressure cooker. 

You just have to cook it there following the same steps but adding 4 cups of beef broth, and it will take about 60 minutes. 

This is a great option if you have less time and still want to enjoy a Spanish oxtail stew.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 1025Total Fat 55.8gSaturated Fat 18.4gSodium 354mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 4.3gSugar 10.9gProtein 77.8g

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FAQs on Spanish Style Oxtail Recipe

How long to bake oxtails in oven at 350?

Bake Spanish oxtails in the oven at 350°F for 2.5 to 3 hours until they are tender.

How to cook oxtails on the stove?

To cook Spanish style oxtail on the stove, brown them in a large pot, then add onions, garlic, and your preferred seasonings, cover with broth or water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat is tender.

How to say oxtail stew in Spanish?

Oxtail in Spanish is rabo de toro, so, Oxtail stew in Spanish is estofado de rabo de toro. While, slow cooker oxtail in Spanish is rabo de toro en olla de cocción lenta.



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