Glazed Oxtails

This is simply the best oxtail recipe, slow cooked until falling off the bone. The red wine reduction creates a syrupy glaze ideal for drizzling.

A bowl of grits and braised oxtails.
Sally Vargas

"Now this is how oxtails should taste," my father declared after taking a bite of these glazed oxtails.

I couldn't agree more. We have a thing for oxtails in our family. Oxtail stew was a favorite winter dish my mom prepared when we were growing up.

What Are Oxtails?

If you are unfamiliar with oxtails, they are tails of beef cattle (formerly only steers, now both male or female), typically sold cut into segments. Most of what you buy is bone, and the meat is well exercised and fatty, so oxtail preparations lend themselves to slow cooking.

Oxtails are a lot like short-ribs, but in my opinion, even better. Think of the best pulled pork imaginable, but with beef.

In this recipe the oxtails are first browned, then slow cooked with red wine and stock. Then the segments are removed so you can strip the meat off of them and the liquid is reduced to a glaze.

It's actually pretty easy to make, most of the cooking time is hands-off while the oxtails are simmering.

Overhead view of a dutch oven with braised oxtails inside for an oxtail recipe.
Sally Vargas

Glazed Oxtails

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 4 hrs 30 mins
Chilling Time 8 hrs
Total Time 12 hrs 45 mins
Servings 4 to 5 servings

As in any recipe that requires an entire bottle of wine, use a wine that you would enjoy drinking. The flavor of the wine will only be concentrated in this recipe, so if you don't like it to start with, you will not like it in this dish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Barolo, Merlot, or Shiraz will work well in this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds oxtails

  • Kosher salt

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 cups chopped onion

  • 1/2 cup chopped celery

  • 1/2 cup chopped carrot

  • 1 (750-ml) bottle full-bodied red wine

  • 4 cups veal, beef, or chicken stock

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • Freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. Brown the oxtails:

    Pat the oxtails dry with paper towels and sprinkle them on all sides with salt. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart, thick-bottomed Dutch oven on medium-high to high heat. Working in batches, add the oxtails to the pan, fat side down. Add more oil as needed with additional batches of oxtails. Do not crowd the pan.

    Let them get well browned on one side before flipping over with tongs. Brown well on all sides. Remove to a large bowl.

    A baking sheet with chopped oxtails to make an oxtail recipe.
    Sally Vargas
    Searing oxtails in a dutch oven to show how to cook oxtails.
    Sally Vargas
  2. Sauté the vegetables:

    Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot. Sauté until translucent and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pot to a bowl, cover and set aside.

    Chopped carrots, celery, and onion in a dutch oven for an oxtail recipe.
    Sally Vargas
  3. Deglaze the pan:

    Add the bottle of wine to the pot. Increase the heat to as high as it will go, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil the wine, uncovered, until it is reduced to about a cup.

    Adding wine to a dutch oven to make an oxtail recipe.
    Sally Vargas
  4. Simmer the oxtails 2 1/2 hours:

    Return the oxtails to the pot (but not the vegetables). Add the stock and enough water to just cover them. Add the thyme. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, covered.

    Simmer on the stovetop for 2 1/2 hours. (You can also place the simmering oxtails in a 350°F oven for the same amount of time if the oven is more convenient.)

    Oxtails added to the braising liquid in a dutch oven to show how to cook oxtails.
    Sally Vargas
  5. Add the vegetables:

    Add the vegetables back to the pot and simmer 30 minutes longer.

  6. Chill overnight:

    Remove the pot from heat and let cool. Chill in the refrigerator overnight so that the flavors blend and the fat on the surface solidifies, making it easier to remove. You can skip this step, but the oxtails will be better if they are chilled in this state overnight.

  7. Remove the excess fat:

    The next day, remove the pot from the refrigerator and scrape off the layer of rendered fat that has solidified on top of the oxtails. If you are not waiting for the oxtails to chill, the fat still needs to be removed. If working with a room temperature or warm pot, use a fat separator or a large metal spoon to skim away the fat.

    Removing the fat from a pot of glazed oxtails.
    Sally Vargas
  8. Reheat, remove meat from bones:

    Heat the oxtails on medium heat. Cook uncovered for about another half an hour, or until the meat can easily be pulled off the bones. Then use a slotted spoon to remove the oxtails from the pot. Let cool enough to touch. Use your hands to remove the meat from the bones to a bowl. Take care to remove as well the round tough cartilage caps on either end of the vertebrae.

    Shredded oxtails for an braised oxtail recipe.
    Sally Vargas
  9. Strain and reduce the sauce:

    (Optional, if you want a smoother glaze) While the oxtails are cooling in the step above, strain the mixture in the pot, discarding the solids and returning the liquid to the pot. Increase the heat to high to bring the liquid to a boil.

    Straining the liquid for an oxtail recipe.
    Sally Vargas
  10. Simmer the meat until sauce reduces to a glaze:

    When the liquid has reduced by about a half, add the oxtail meat back to the pot. Bring to a boil, continue to boil away the liquid until it has reduced to a light syrupy consistency.

    As the mixture boils down, you may want to reduce the heat to a simmer, and stir the oxtails a little so that the glaze doesn't burn and so that the meat doesn't stick to the pan. When the right consistency, remove from heat and serve.

    Meat added back into the braising liquid to show how to cook oxtails.
    Sally Vargas
    Overhead view of braised oxtails in a dutch oven.
    Sally Vargas
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1178 Calories
63g Fat
18g Carbs
103g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 1178
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 63g 81%
Saturated Fat 22g 110%
Cholesterol 334mg 111%
Sodium 866mg 38%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 103g
Vitamin C 6mg 32%
Calcium 137mg 11%
Iron 8mg 46%
Potassium 2003mg 43%
*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.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.