Rabo de Toro

Rabo de Toro is a Spanish oxtail stew that takes long cooking at a low temperature. The red wine, sherry and vegetables create a decadent gravy.

📝 Ingredients

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
• 2 kg (4lbs) oxtail, segmented and excess fat trimmed
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery sticks, washed and chopped
• 1 kg (2lbs) tomatoes, washed and chopped
• 750 ml (3 cups) red wine
• 250 ml (1 cup) dry sherry
• 2 bay leaves
• 60 g (2oz) parsley, washed and chopped

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 180°C / fan 160°C / 356°F / gas mark 4.
2. 2Heat the oil over a high heat in a large oven proof pot.
3. 3Brown the oxtail all over. It’s best to do it in batches. Set the oxtail aside.
4. 4Continuing using the same pot, lower the heat and add the onions, stirring vigorously to soak up all the fats. Fry for about 3 minutes, or until softened and translucent.
5. 5Add the garlic, carrots and celery to the onions. Stir fry for about another 5 minutes, sweating the vegetables.
6. 6Add the tomatoes, and cook for another 5 minutes until a very chunky sauce forms.
7. 7Tip the oxtail in with the vegetables and stir.
8. 8Turn the heat up to high then pour in the red wine. Let it bubble for 3 minutes.
9. 9Add the sherry and bay leaves, cook for another 2 minutes.
10. 10At this point you have to check the level of liquid in the pot because you don’t want it to dry out while cooking. Add enough water that all ingredients are barely covered. Continue cooking until a bubbling point is reached.
11. 11Place the lid on the pot and transfer to the oven.
12. 12Cook for 1½ hours.
13. 13Check the liquid level every hour or so and add a splash of water if required.
14. 14Lower the temperature to 160°C / fan 140°C / 320°F / gas mark 3, add the parsley and stir, then cook for another 1½ hours.
15. 15Fish out the oxtail and pieces of meat that fell off because it’s so tender. Set aside.
16. 16Get a large bowl or pot and sieve the remaining contents. The goal is to separate the vegetables and bay leaves from the sauce.
17. 17Give the vegetables a squeeze to get as much of the juices out as possible, then discard them. What you’ll be left with is a rich, dark and glossy gravy.
18. 18Tip the oxtail back into the sauce, stir and gently reheat before serving.
19. 19Serve immediately, with chunky potato wedges - tapas-style. Enjoy!