This Oxtail Stew is a tender, loving reminder to cherish the lesser-used cuts of meat because they are even more delicious. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender inside a rich, savory sauce that gets soaked up by buttered, cheesy noodles.
Make Oxtail Stew on a chilly day that requires a little extra comfort. Put the stew on to cook all day while you stay in your pajamas and catch up on that new record you’ve been meaning to listen to. The whole house will be filled with the warm aroma of herbs, meat, and mushrooms.
Be especially sure you do not skip the buttered noodles step. There is nothing like a warm, savory stew served with al dente egg noodles. The two are a culinary match that was meant to be.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds oxtails
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 2 ribs celery, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1 bottle dry red wine, good quality
- 2 cups beef broth, homemade preferred
- 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 package baby Bella mushrooms, stems removed
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 12-ounce package wide egg noodles
- 4 tablespoons quality imported butter
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper
Steps to Make It
- Begin by patting your oxtails dry with paper towels and then seasoning them liberally with salt and pepper. Rub the oxtails to allow the seasonings to adhere well to the meat. Dust the oxtails in flour as evenly as possible.
- Heat the oil in a stockpot over high heat. Once the oil comes to temperature, Sear the oxtails in batches, about 6 at a time, as to not overcrowd the pot. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes or until deeply browned. Remove seared oxtails to a separate plate.
- Once the meat is seared, lower the heat to low. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until the veggies start to brown. Once browned, add the garlic and cook 1 additional minute, until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Allow the tomato paste to warm and start caramelizing in the pan, stirring often, about 4-5 minutes.
- Turn the heat to the lowest setting. Add the entire bottle of red wine to deglaze the pan. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Then add the beef broth, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cover for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once the oxtails are falling off the bone, boil your egg noodles. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid just in case. Drain the pasta.
- Toss the noodles with butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of pasta water at a time as needed to make a creamy sauce.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and serve the stew on top of the egg noodles.
