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
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. |