Braised Oxtail Mashed Potato (Printable version)

Tender oxtail slow-cooked in red wine sauce, served with smooth creamy mashed potatoes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Braised Oxtail

01 - 3.3 lbs oxtail, cut into segments
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 2 cups red wine
09 - 3 cups beef stock
10 - 2 bay leaves
11 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
12 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Mashed Potatoes

14 - 2.2 lbs floury potatoes, peeled and quartered
15 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
16 - ½ cup whole milk, warmed
17 - Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 320°F.
02 - Pat the oxtail pieces dry and season generously with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown oxtail on all sides in batches; set aside.
04 - In the same pot, add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
06 - Deglaze the pot with red wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
07 - Return oxtail to the pot. Add beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a gentle simmer.
08 - Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Braise for 3 hours, turning oxtail once or twice, until meat is very tender.
09 - While oxtail braises, boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
10 - Add butter to potatoes and mash until smooth. Gradually add warm milk, beating until creamy. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
11 - Remove oxtail from oven. Skim excess fat from the sauce surface. Discard bay leaves and herb stems. Adjust seasoning.
12 - Plate braised oxtail with sauce over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The oxtail becomes so tender it practically melts off the bone after slow braising in wine and stock.
  • The rich, velvety sauce tastes like something from a fancy restaurant but comes together with simple ingredients.
  • Creamy mashed potatoes soak up every bit of that deep, savory gravy.
  • It fills your kitchen with the kind of smell that makes everyone wander in asking whats for dinner.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the oxtail, that caramelization is where half the flavor lives.
  • If the sauce tastes flat at the end, a small splash of balsamic vinegar or a pinch of salt will wake it right up.
  • Let the potatoes steam dry for a minute after draining, it keeps them from getting gluey when you mash.
03 -
  • Make this a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight, the fat will solidify on top and you can lift it off easily before reheating.
  • If you want an even silkier sauce, strain it through a fine mesh sieve and reduce it on the stove until it coats the back of a spoon.
  • A potato ricer gives you the fluffiest mash, but a good old fashioned masher works just fine if you take your time.

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