The weather in the Sonoran Desert is finally cooling down. Just last weekend, the morning temperatures were just low enough to use the fireplace. I so look forward to that first fire, and spending all morning there staring into the flames… until I realize that the mercury has soared, and it is warmer outdoors than in. We spend such mild days reading in the garden or puttering outdoors.
Then, as quickly as the desert warms in the morning, the evening air takes on a chill when the sun is low in the sky. Once the sun is gone, the sweaters come out and fire pits and fireplaces come alive again with light and warmth.
Along with those indolent desert winter days, come the addictive comfort foods of the season — stews, soups, tagines, braises — to finish the day. That’s when we need — want — a recipe like today’s. No, there is nothing truly notable about it. It isn’t finished with carrot top pesto, it has no “secret” ingredients that make it pop, and it won’t win any accolades on the Great British Braising Show. (Seriously, that should be a thing…)
Nope, this is just a simple, long-cooked, oxtail stew. I may have gone a little wild by combining potatoes and celery root for the purée… but even that has been done before. This recipe is about comfort all the way, including the wine. I paired it with a fantastic 2016 Vacqueyras. Head to the Provence WineZine to read more about it.
~ David
Braised Oxtail with Potato and Celeriac Purée
Click icon below to print the recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds oxtail pieces, cut into 2-inches thick pieces
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil, plus extra
- 2 onions, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 4 small carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup tomato passata (or tomato purée)
- 6 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, marjoram, thyme)
- 2 cups red wine
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound celeriac, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk, or more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Season the oxtail pieces well with salt and pepper; rub seasoning into the meat. Dredge oxtail pieces in the flour until they are coated on all sides.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven and brown oxtail on all sides, in batches if necessary. Remove oxtail from the pan, and set aside on a plate.
- Add the onions, celery, carrots, and parsnips to the pan and sauté for 10 minutes, or until vegetables begin to take on some color..
- Add the herbs, stir in, then add the tomato puree, stirring once again to coat the vegetables well. Add the wine and the beef stock; stir to mix, then bring to a boil.
- Return the browned oxtail pieces to the pan. Season gently with salt and pepper, cover, and place in the oven for 3 hours.
- In the final half-hour of braising, boil the potatoes and celeriac in well-salted water for about 20 minutes, or until very soft. Purée them with the butter, cream, and milk; add additional salt as desired. (I like to put them through the food mill prior to puréing then with a hand-held mixer.)
- Serve the oxtail, with plenty of the sauce, on a potato and celery root purée.
- Serves 4.
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Connie
December 4, 2021 at 6:49 amThat looks luscious! I will be making that wonderful dish soon, and yes, I will use my food mill as well! It’s a wonderful little tool.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 5, 2021 at 8:18 amEveryone wants all the fancy appliances, Connie, but I love my good ol’ food mill!
John / Kitchen Riffs
December 4, 2021 at 8:54 amI love oxtail anything! About every other year or so I make a pasta sauce using it. And maybe every 3 or 4 years a stew. It’s been at least that long since I’ve made a stew — time to again. 🙂 Celeriac purée is magical stuff. I typically use potato in it, as you did, for more body — definitely how I’d make it for this dish. It’s also great made only adding butter to the celeriac — much lighter and more delicate when made that way. Anyway, this looks SO good. Thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 5, 2021 at 8:20 amFunny, John – we are using the leftovers for pasta.
Ronit Penso Tasty Eats
December 4, 2021 at 11:03 amMy kind of comforting stew for the colder weather – so aromatic and full of flavors. Love the celeriac-potato puree.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 5, 2021 at 8:21 amIt is truly comforting, Ronit – and the purée will be making its way to becoming a soul, soon!
John
December 4, 2021 at 2:51 pmYou know, we’re a week into summer and food like this is still being enjoyed. Our entire spring was like an extended autumn and now summer is feeling like spring. Not that I’m complaining! I love the cooler weather.
If you were to look into our freezer you’d see it full of stewing meats like beef cheek, chuck and lamb shanks. All that’s missing is oxtail! I need to change that!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 5, 2021 at 8:23 amI think we have twin freezers! Honestly, John, while this is a winter dish, I would eat it any time of the year!
sippitysup
December 4, 2021 at 3:16 pmYes. Who wouldn’t want to dive into that plate. It’s a soft landing for sure. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
December 5, 2021 at 8:24 amThanks, Greg… I’ve been thinking about filling the look with the purée — now that I have your “permission,” I might just check with management…
Eha
December 4, 2021 at 3:18 pmWell, the weather in the Southern Highlands has yet to warm up . . . as John said, and he lives at a somewhat higher altitude than I do. Have lived here for a quarter century and never had a heater on in December to bring morning and evening comfort ! Absolutely love oxtail. Make it roughly the same way but do like the idea of celeriac as a partner in crime and shall copy. Envious of all the crockery and cutlery you have collected thru’ the years – your red-edged plate surely has that come’hither look !! Thanks for the idea for one dinner come next week . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
December 5, 2021 at 8:26 amI’m surprised your weather isn’t warm yet. Likewise, we don’t turn in the heat here for quite a while,. This dish made me realize I need more colorful plates for serving!
Gloria Roa Baker
December 4, 2021 at 7:52 pmDear David, this plate looks wonderful, I love yours pictures, always awesome!!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 5, 2021 at 8:27 amThanks so much Gloria!
sherry
December 5, 2021 at 3:07 amthis sounds and looks delightfully tempting david but perhaps not at the moment. we are having a wet and humid summer with La Nina jumping around the place. but i’m still drooling over your dish.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 5, 2021 at 8:27 amEnjoy your summer, Sherry – you can hood into this until winter hits!
Ron
December 5, 2021 at 4:35 amDavid, such a lovely warming winter dish as well as one of my favorites. We love potato and celeriac mash, but I’ve not put the braised oxtail together with the mash. I like the thought of it. We usually make potato gnocchi to go with the braise, but for our next make, we’ll be going with the mash.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 5, 2021 at 8:30 amIt’s a great combination, Ron – I hope you and Eva try and enjoy it!
CC
December 6, 2021 at 8:30 pmOh my! I do love oxtail, David, so this looks incredibly lush to me!! Wish I had it front of me for dinner tonight as it’s chilly here in LA, too! Thanks for the lovely recipe, as always!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:23 amWe’re in for some cold weather here in Tucson over the next couple of weeks, so maybe I should buy some more oxtails! Glad you like the recipe, Christina.
Raymund
December 7, 2021 at 6:38 pmThis is my favourite cut of meat, any recipes cooked with oxtail will definitely yeild a good result. Meaty, fatty, great texture and tons of collagen. Love this recipe
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:23 amWe rarely see oxtail in the United States, Raymund — I think people have forgotten about the more flavorful parts just aren’t a regular old steak!
Chef Mimi
December 9, 2021 at 3:33 pmMmmmm. Fall perfection. Or really, any time of year!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:24 amIndeed, Mimi, I would definitely turn on the air conditioning in July to have this!
Kelly | Foodtasia
December 9, 2021 at 9:24 pmThis really is a cozy meal, David. It looks wonderful!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:24 amThanks, Kelly!
2pots2cook
December 11, 2021 at 9:03 amLove cozy evenings, so peaceful and quiet and there’s nothing better than such a treat ! Beautiful !
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:25 amI’m sure ox tails are regular in your neck of the woods, Davorka. Wishing you both and happy new year!.
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
December 13, 2021 at 5:53 amWe’re once again on the same wavelength, David. I just made coda alla vaccinara the other day for Sunday dinner. My nephew, who had never had oxtail, loved it. This stew looks lovely, with lots of winter vegetables to take and add flavor to the meat. By the way, have you noticed how expensive oxtail is these days? Funny thing for a humble cut like the tail…
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:26 amLucky for me, Frank, oxtail is still pretty inexpensive here. I think it may be because of the Mexican community… You and I are often on the same wave length, and that never surprises me!
Valentina
December 18, 2021 at 9:08 pmI love Arizona in the winter! Just as blue and bright, but chilly and crispy. And yes, a perfect time for a meal like this. While the oxtail sounds incredibly, it’s that potato-celeriac purée that makes me want to dive in. I think I want that beneath every stew I make. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:26 amWe have been enjoying the potato-celeriac dish quite often this winter, Valentina. It goes well with many different stews and sauces.
Jeff the Chef
December 20, 2021 at 7:35 amActually, I don’t know what you’re talking about, because to me, this dish looks absolutely exquisite. I think I get you, though: it may not be fancy. But I’d take a dish like this over a fancy one any day of the week. I’ve often considered making oxtail – I have a Lidia Bastianich recipe that I’ve always wanted to try – but I’ve never gotten round to it. Now you’ve inspired me!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:27 amYou definitely need to get some oxtails and give either Lidia’s or my recipe a try. You won’t regret it! Yes, I prefer this kind of meal over the fancy any day, but for photography? Fancies much easier!
Marcelle
December 20, 2021 at 8:38 amYum, David. This certainly does look like a plate of comfort all the way 🤗😍 We finally had it cool down enough to use our fireplace for the first time this past weekend. We watched movies all snuggled up and it was so cozy, we definitely enjoyed the evening. This is a wonderful winter recipe!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:28 amSnuggling by the fire and watching movies has to be one of the best things ever! Next time, you can make the stew instead of popcorn!
Inger
December 20, 2021 at 1:12 pmAh, those puns, David! You know I saw oxtails in my sister’s beef quarter when I picked it up. If mine doesn’t have any, maybe I can get some off of her!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2021 at 10:29 amDefinitely see if your sister is willing to let you have some!
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