Oxtail with barbecue sauce

Oxtail is one of the delicacies of Spanish gastronomy and dates back to Roman times. Nowadays, it is one of the star dishes in restaurants and is considered a delicacy. Although oxtail may be challenging to prepare, you should know that it is easy to make, so take note of how to prepare it!

Tips for preparing oxtail

The first thing is to buy fresh, quality meat. Try to buy the meat from a butcher's shop, and don't use frozen meat; it can make a big difference. Like all cuts of beef, oxtail needs time to come to room temperature so that it is not cold inside or undercooked after cooking.

This particular stew needs a lot of patience to cook - it will take two days if you want the meat to have a soft and tender texture! It is best to marinate the oxtail with the vegetables and barbecue sauce one day and, the next day, finish it off with the mushrooms.

Another of the great secrets of this stew is the barbecue sauce. Although you can buy it ready-made, the best thing to do is to prepare it yourself at home. Homemade barbecue sauce is perfect not only for this recipe, but you can also use it in other dishes such as roasts and even if you make pizza at home.

How to make homemade barbecue sauce?

Make your own homemade sauce to ensure that your barbecued oxtail stew is a hit with the most demanding diners. For this, you will need the following:

Two spring onions or one medium onion.
Two tablespoons of brown sugar.
Two tablespoons of Perrins or Worcestershire sauce.
One tablespoon of sweet or hot paprika.
One tablespoon of old-fashioned mustard.
Two tablespoons of honey.
Two tablespoons of ketchup.
200 grams of crushed natural tomato or tomato sauce.
One tablespoon soy sauce.
Four tablespoons of vinegar.
One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Freshly ground black pepper and coarse salt.

Ideally, make the barbecue sauce a day or two before preparing the oxtail; this will allow the sauce to have a more concentrated consistency after storing it in the refrigerator.

To make the sauce, chop the spring onions and remove the stalk.
Pour the olive oil into a frying pan and add the spring onions and a pinch of salt. Let the spring onions cook until soft; use medium heat.
Add the brown sugar once the spring onions are soft and translucent. Stir to allow the spring onions to finish caramelizing.
Add the tomato sauce and stir. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pan or saucepan.
Lower the heat and let the mixture cook for five minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
Adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Oxtail with barbecue sauce recipe

Ingredients

Two large leeks.
One green pepper.
One red pepper.
12 carrots.
Two spoonfuls of sweet paprika.
300 grams of barbecue sauce.
750 milliliters of quality red wine.
Two kilos of oxtail.
Two liters of meat or stew stock.
500 grams of whole mushrooms.

Preparation

Remember to take the meat out of the fridge a couple of hours before cooking so that it reaches room temperature.
Cut the peppers and leeks into julienne strips and the carrots into slices.
Sauté the vegetables in a saucepan with enough oil.
Add the paprika and sauté for a few minutes.
Add the barbecue sauce and stir when the vegetables are a little soft.
Add the red wine after a few minutes and simmer until the alcohol has evaporated. Stir occasionally to prevent the ingredients from sticking together.
While the vegetables are on heat, dredge the oxtail in flour and sear the meat in a separate pan with a bit of olive oil.
Once the oxtail is seared, add it to the stir-fry mixture and the meat or stew stock.
Cover and cook for two and a half hours.
Remove from the heat and set aside until the next day.
Bring the saucepan to medium-low heat to warm the oxtail, and add the mushrooms.
Cook again for an hour and a half.
Season with salt and pepper.

Oxtail with barbecue sauce is a very versatile dish for garnishes. The classics serve it with chips, but it also goes very well with mashed potatoes, so dare to change the traditional side dish!

It is also possible to serve it with salads, and of course, remember to offer your guests some bread - it's a recipe to clean the plate! The homemade barbecue sauce and the juices from cooking the oxtail give it a spectacular flavor.

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