Oxtail Stew Slow Cooker

5 from 5 votes

This slow cooker Spanish oxtail stew, also known as rabo de toro, is the real deal! Imagine tender, juicy oxtail in a rich, savory gravy that’s been simmered to perfection. It’s a dish that feels fancy enough for a dinner party yet cozy enough for a quiet night. And don’t worry—it’s simpler to make than you think!

Prep Time30

Cook Time8

Servings: people

Author: Bea & Marco

Ingredients

Oxtail

3.3 lb (1.5 kg) oxtail , room temperature, trim the fat
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour

Stew Base

½ onion , cut into chunks
1 leek , sliced
1 carrot , cut into chunks
6 garlic cloves , cut into chunks
1 Italian green pepper , cut into chunks
½ medium-sized red bell pepper , cut into chunks
2 ripe tomatoes , peeled and cut into chunks
1 beef bouillon
½ cup (115 g) water
1 cup (230 g) red wine
2 bay leaves

Instructions

Oxtail

Season the oxtail with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle flour and coat them well.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Shake the excess flour and sear a few pieces of oxtail for 2-3 minutes until browned, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oxtail.

Stew Base

Using the same pan on medium heat, add more oil and sautee all the veggies until they're soft, for 10-15 minutes—season with salt and black pepper.
Add the veggies into a blender together with water and beef bouillon. Blend into a smooth mixture.

Assembling And Cook

Brush oil on the inside of the pot. Arrange the oxtail pieces from largest to smallest. Then, add the red wine, blended vegetables, and bay leaves.
Cover the pot and cook for 8 hours on low. On hour 4, mix everything well. On hour 6, move the pieces around, placing the bottom ones on top and vice versa. Spoon out the oil, and enjoy your oxtail stew!

Notes

Brown the oxtail. This enhances flavor and texture by creating a savory, caramelized crust through the Maillard reaction. It seals in juices for tender meat and forms a flavorful base for sauces or stews! So, don't skip this step!
Sautee the vegetables. In slow cooker recipes, vegetables are usually added directly, but sautéing them first significantly enhances their flavors!
Blend the vegetables first. We recommend blending the vegetables for the base before cooking them with the oxtail instead of cooking them in large chunks. This helps to minimize the handling of the tender oxtail.
Cooking time. Cooking time for oxtail may vary based on size. We recommend checking for desired tenderness at the 7-hour mark. Typically, we cook them for 8 hours. Adjust the time as needed.
It tastes better the next day. This Spanish oxtail stew, like other stews and curries, tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen over time.

Nutrition