Spanish Bull Tail Stew (Rabo de Toro)
Spanish bull tail stew (also known as rabo de toro estofado or oxtail stew) is one of Spain’s most typical dishes. Dating back to Roman times, rabo de toro is a delicious slow cooked meal worth trying!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds rabo de toro (oxtail or bull tail)
- 3 carrots, in ¼-inch slices
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 leek, diced
- 2-3 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef stock
- 3 cups red table wine such as Spanish rioja or tempranillo
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- all-purpose flour to coat the meat
- olive oil for browning and sautéing
Instructions
- Season the bull tail generously with salt and pepper, then lightly dust the meat with flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat, about 2 minutes. Sear each bull tail in the hot oil until nicely browned, about 30 seconds per side, then remove the pieces and let them rest on a plate.
- Sauté the leek, onion, garlic, red pepper, and tomato using the leftover oil until the vegetables are softened and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
- Add the carrots, bay leaves, ginger, and cloves and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the bull tail back to the pan and cover completely with the wine and stock, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 3-4 hours. It’s done when the meat is falling away from the bone. It may need the full 4 hours or longer if the meat is very tough.
- Once the meat is tender, remove it and purée the sauce with an immersion blender. (This is optional, but does make the gravy extra thick.)
- Spoon the puréed sauce over the rabo de toro. Serve it hot with homemade french fries or mashed potatoes for an authentic Spanish meal.
Notes
- Time is your friend, it might need more than three hours. It should be tender and falling off the bone when finished. Keep going if in doubt!
- You can use a pressure cooker if you prefer, just adjust the time.
- Some people don’t purée the sauce, but I would really recommend it. It will give you a gorgeous thick gravy that is perfect with this dish.
- Like any great stew, it will taste better the day after you make it. If you have time, wait until the next day to have it, or at least make enough to enjoy leftovers.
