Sunday Supper: Red Wine and Tomato Braised Oxtails Recipe

Updated August 30, 2018

The smell of meat braising on a Sunday afternoon gives the entire house a warm comforting feeling. And oxtails are a cut of meat that are especially well suited for long low braises. Oxtails have a lot of collagen, which after hours in a flavorful braising liquid, breaks down and becomes tender and succulent. Red wine adds rich flavor to the meat, and whole tomatoes break down in the sauce adding texture to the final product.

This simple braise really benefits from good quality ingredients, so use a red wine that you're going to be happy sipping while the braise sits in the oven for hours. Nice fluffy mashed potatoes are ideal, but for a quick leftover meal the following day, egg noodles with butter and parsley make a quick delicious side as well.

Recipe Details

Sunday Supper: Red Wine and Tomato Braised Oxtails Recipe

Active 25 mins

Total 3 hrs 25 mins

Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

3 pounds oxtails
Olive oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 cup red wine
1 (28-ounce) can whole stewed tomatoes
1 large sprig fresh oregano
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 °. Heat large braising dish over medium high heat, drizzle with olive oil, and season oxtails with salt and pepper. When oil is shimmering add oxtails to braising dish. Sear oxtails on all sides until deep golden brown.
Once oxtails are brown remove from pan and reserve. Add sliced shallots stirring to scarp up brown bits from bottom of pan until shallots begin to take on some color, about 8 minutes. Add oxtails back to pan, pour over red wine and can of whole stewed tomatoes and bring to a simmer on stove top. Cover with lid and place in the oven until oxtails are fork tender, about 3 hours.
Once oxtails are tender remove tails and sprig of oregano from braising liquid and reduce liquid over medium high heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Warm oxtails in reduced sauce before serving. Serve with fluffy mashed potatoes and more red wine.

Special equipment

Large braising dish with lid

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
614	Calories
29g	Fat
29g	Carbs
53g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	614
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g	38%
Saturated Fat 11g	53%
Cholesterol 166mg	55%
Sodium 1181mg	51%
Total Carbohydrate 29g	11%
Dietary Fiber 5g	18%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 53g
Vitamin C 24mg	119%
Calcium 143mg	11%
Iron 7mg	40%
Potassium 1380mg	29%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.