Roman Style Oxtail Ragu
This recipe crafts a classic Roman-style oxtail ragu, slow-braising tender oxtail in a rich tomato and red wine sauce with aromatic vegetables. It's a comforting and robust dish, perfect for serving with pasta or polenta, offering deep, savory flavors after a long, gentle simmer.
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottomed Pot Essential for searing and slow braising
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula
- 1 Tongs For handling oxtail during searing
Ingredients
Main
- 1500 grams Oxtail pieces
- olive oil
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 celery stick peeled and diced
- 1 small carrot peeled and diced
- 1 onion peeled and diced
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely sliced
- 250 milliliters red wine
- 125 milliliters beef stock
- 1 bottle roughly 700g passata
- 400 grams tinned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Pat oxtail pieces dry and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the oxtail in batches until deeply browned on all sides; remove and set aside.
- Add a little more olive oil to the pot if needed, then sauté the diced celery, carrot, and onion until softened and lightly golden, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the finely sliced garlic and dried oregano, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot vigorously with a wooden spoon to deglaze and incorporate all the browned bits (fond). Reduce the wine by about half.
- Stir in the beef stock, passata, and tinned crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Return the browned oxtail pieces to the pot, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the sauce.
- Cover the Dutch oven and braise in a preheated oven (around 325°F/160°C) or on the stovetop over very low heat for 3-4 hours, or until the oxtail is fork-tender and easily falls from the bone.
- Carefully remove the oxtail from the pot, shred the meat from the bones using two forks, discarding the bones and any large pieces of excess fat.
- Return the shredded meat to the ragu, stir well, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Notes
Achieving a rich, deeply flavored oxtail ragu hinges on thorough browning of the oxtail pieces; do not overcrowd the pot, searing in batches if necessary, to develop that crucial Maillard reaction. Deglaze aggressively with the red wine to capture all the flavorful fond from the bottom of the pot. A low, slow braise is paramount for tenderizing the oxtail; allow ample time for the collagen to break down. For an extra layer of umami, consider adding a parmesan rind to the sauce during the braising process, removing it before serving. Always taste and adjust seasoning throughout the cooking and before final plating. Serve this robust ragu traditionally with rigatoni, paccheri, or creamy polenta, garnished with fresh parsley.