This oxtail ragù recipe requires time and patience and rewards both generously. Three hours of slow simmering in a tiny IKEA kitchen in Córdoba province, the smell getting progressively better with each passing hour, and a ragù that made the wait entirely worthwhile.
This is essentially a spiced-up Rabo de Toro — the classic Andalucían oxtail braise — but with more garlic, a red chilli, and a mix of dried herbs that give it a depth the traditional version doesn't always have. When the meat is falling from the bone, you flake it off into the sauce to create the ragù. Save the bones for stock.
Oxtail ragù in Córdoba province.
It serves two, with very little left over. Serve it over whatever pasta you have — rigatoni works particularly well, the tubes catching the sauce as you stir everything through.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 1kg oxtails, rinsed and patted dry
- A glug of olive oil
- 250ml robust red wine
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
- 3–4 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, seeds and membrane removed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- ½ tsp dried basil or thyme
- 400ml tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- A little stock if needed
- Salt and black pepper
- Pasta of your choice
- Freshly grated Parmesan, flat-leaf parsley and black pepper to finish
Oxtail Ragù Recipe – The Method
Brown the oxtails in olive oil in a deep, heavy pan until well coloured on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Add the carrot, onion and leek to the same pan and sauté until beginning to soften. Add the garlic, chilli and bay leaves and stir for a minute. Add the tomato purée and stir through.
Pour in the wine and turn up the heat, letting it bubble for a couple of minutes. Reduce the heat, add the tinned tomatoes and herbs and give everything a good shake. Return the oxtails to the pan, cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for 3 hours or more — until the meat is completely tender and falling from the bone. Check occasionally and add a little stock if things start to dry out. Taste for seasoning.
Remove the oxtails and flake the meat from the bones. Return the meat to the sauce and discard the bones — or keep them for stock.
Cook pasta of your choice to al dente, drain it and reserve a little of the cooking water. Add the pasta and a splash of the reserved water to the ragù and stir through gently.
Serve scattered with freshly grated Parmesan, chopped flat-leaf parsley and plenty of black pepper.
This oxtail ragù recipe is part of my Beef & Veal Recipes collection.
This recipe is also part of the Slow Cooker & Slow Cooking Recipes collection — braised meat, one-pot casseroles, confit, and slow roasts from Casa Adora and the road, gathered in one place. Browse all recipes here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef
