Rabo de Toro

Ingredients

• oxtail, cut into 4-5 cm sections1.5 kg
• all-purpose flour for dredging3 tbsp
• olive oil4 tbsp
• yellow onions2, diced
• carrots2, diced
• leek, white and pale green1, sliced
• garlic6 cloves, smashed
• ripe tomatoes, grated3
• sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)1 tbsp
• bay leaves2
• dry oloroso or fino sherry300 ml
• beef stock500 ml
• salt and black pepperto taste

Steps

1. 1

   Season and dredge the oxtail.

   Season oxtail generously and dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.

2. 2

   Sear the oxtail in batches.

   Heat olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear the oxtail in batches until each side is deeply mahogany, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.

3. 3

   Cook vegetables until caramelized.

   Lower the heat to medium. Add onions, carrots, and leek to the rendered fat and cook until softened and lightly caramelized.

4. 4

   Make the sofrito base.

   Stir in the garlic and grated tomato. Cook until the tomato darkens and the oil separates — this is the sofrito base.

5. 5

   Bloom pimentón and deglaze with sherry.

   Off heat, stir in the pimentón so it blooms without burning. Pour in the sherry and scrape the bottom of the pot clean.

6. 6

   Add oxtail and stock, simmer.

   Return the oxtail and any juices to the pot. Add bay leaves and enough stock to come three-quarters up the meat. Bring to a bare simmer.

7. 7

   Braise the oxtail slowly.

   Cover and braise at the lowest possible simmer, turning the pieces every 45 minutes, until the meat is yielding to a fork and pulls easily from the bone, about 3 hours.

8. 8

   Reduce sauce and warm the meat.

   Lift the oxtail out. Skim the surface fat, then reduce the sauce over medium until it coats a spoon. Taste for salt, return the meat, and warm through.