Braised Oxtail

Name: Braised Oxtail (Rabo de Toro)
Total time: 4 h 20 min
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 2 to 3 pounds oxtails, whole; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large onion, diced; 1 carrot, diced; 1 large tomato, halved, stemmed, grated, and skin discarded; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; ⅓ cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups dry red wine; 3 cups beef stock; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, coarsely chopped; Crusty bread, for serving

Rabo de Toro

Preparation info

Serves:
3 to 5
as a tapa

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
4 hr 30

Appears in

Hemingway's Spanish Table

By Howie Southworth

Published 2026

About

Estofado de rabo de toro, or oxtail stew, grew out of Roman culinary influences on the Iberian Peninsula, like much of today’s Spanish cuisine. The dish is now common across Spain and is closely associated with bullfighting, as, historically, a common “prize” to a matador for a good kill was the tail of the fallen.

Ingredients

2 to 3 pounds oxtails, whole
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2

Europe
Spain
Iberian Peninsula
Madrid
Main course

Method

Preheat the oven to 275°F.

Season the oxtails using the black pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt.

Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven or other oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the oxtails, in batches, if necessary. Sear the oxtails u