Are oxtails good in a slow cooker?
Yes. Oxtail is a bony, collagen-rich cut with relatively little meat per piece, and it needs long, moist cooking to become tender. That is exactly what a slow cooker provides. As the connective tissue breaks down, it enriches the cooking liquid and gives it a silky body, so the sauce is a big part of the appeal.
Oxtails are often priced higher per pound than many other braising cuts, and a good share of the weight is bone. Plan on roughly three-quarters of a pound to a pound or more per person if oxtail is the main dish.
Ingredients (serves about 4)
- 3 to 4 pounds oxtails, cut into segments
- Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 to 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves and a few sprigs of thyme
- Optional: carrots, butter beans or lima beans, and a cornstarch slurry for thickening
Do you need to soak oxtails first?
Soaking is not required. Some home cooks rinse oxtails, or soak them briefly in water with a splash of vinegar or lime juice, as a way to clean the meat before seasoning. Others simply pat them dry. This is a matter of tradition and preference, and either way, dry the pieces well before browning so they sear properly.
Directions
- Trim and season. Trim off large pieces of excess fat if you like. Season oxtails generously on all sides, ideally an hour ahead or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Sear. Brown the pieces in batches in hot oil, a few minutes per side, until deeply colored. Searing is optional but improves flavor.
- Build the base. In the slow cooker, layer the onion, garlic and tomato paste. Add oxtails, then broth, Worcestershire, bay leaves and thyme. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat.
- Cook. Cover and cook on low for roughly 8 to 10 hours, or on high for roughly 5 to 6 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulling away from the bone. Cookers differ, so check for tenderness rather than relying only on the clock.
- Skim and thicken. Spoon off excess fat from the surface. If you want a thicker gravy, stir in a cornstarch slurry and cook on high for 15 to 20 minutes. If you are using beans, add canned butter beans for the last 30 minutes.
- Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or polenta.
How many hours do oxtails take?
Most slow cooker recipes land somewhere in the range of 8 to 10 hours on low. Smaller or thinner segments may be ready earlier. The test is simple: the meat should be soft and easy to separate from the bone. If it is still firm, give it more time.
Two flavor directions
Jamaican-inspired. Marinate the oxtails with soy sauce, browning sauce, allspice (pimento), thyme, scallion, garlic and a little hot pepper or pepper sauce. After searing, cook with broth and finish with butter beans. Recipes in this style vary widely by family and region, so adjust to taste.
Classic braise. Use red wine in place of some of the broth, add carrots and celery, and finish with parsley. Serve over mashed potatoes or creamy polenta.
Tips
- Skim the fat. Oxtail releases a lot of fat. Chilling the leftover liquid makes the fat easy to lift off.
- Do not skip the rest of the pot. The broth is worth saving for soup or to spoon over rice.
- Use a big enough cooker. Oxtail segments are bulky, so a 6-quart model is more comfortable.
Storing leftovers
Refrigerate in sealed containers with plenty of the sauce, and reheat gently. Oxtail freezes well in its liquid, which makes it a good make-ahead dinner.
If oxtail is out of your budget, similar techniques work with beef short ribs or a chuck-based beef stew.