Entrée: Italy – Coda Alla Vaccinara (Roman Oxtail Stew)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 3 hrs 30 min

Additional 10 min

Total 4 hrs 5 min

Ingredients

2 to 3 lbs / 900 to 1350 g beef oxtail
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
3 oz / 85 g pancetta or guanciale (optional)
1 large onion
1 large carrot
1 1 / 2 cups (360 ml) celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
28 oz / 800 g crushed tomatoes
1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine
1 bay leaf
2 to 3 whole cloves
1 / 4 cup (15 g) fresh parsley, chopped
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot; render pancetta (if using). Brown oxtail on all sides; remove.
2. Sauté finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery until soft; add minced garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute.
3. Deglaze with red wine; reduce by half. Return oxtail with crushed tomatoes, bay, and cloves; add water to just cover.
4. Simmer gently, partially covered, 3–4 hours until oxtail is falling-off-the-bone.
5. Skim fat, reduce sauce to a silky consistency, season, and finish with chopped parsley. Serve with polenta or rigatoni.