Rabo de Toro (Spanish Oxtail)

We recently took a trip to Spain, where we discovered this dish! This dish feels like what pot roast wishes it could be. Super savory, the perfect fatty texture, with a sauce that you can't help but slurp up. Don't know what to serve it with? Do as the Spaniards do and serve with bread, Manchego cheese, and wine!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3 lbs oxtail

• 1 sweet onion

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 4 carrots (peeled)

• 1 red bell pepper (peeled)

• 1 leek (washed, tough green parts removed)

• 4 tomatoes off the vine (peeled)

• 1 bottle of red wine (we used a Tempranillo, which is a Spanish wine)

• 2 large fresh sprigs of thyme

• 3 dried bay leaves

• Olive oil

• Salt

• Pepper

Kitchen Tools

• Large dutch oven (at least 4 quarts)

Instructions

1. In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, add some olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the oxtail, sprinkling with 1/2 tsp of salt. Brown all sides of each oxtail. Once done, remove the oxtail from the dutch oven and set aside.

2. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add them to the dutch oven over medium-high heat with 1/2 of salt. The onion should become a little translucent and start to brown.

3. Meanwhile, finely dice the carrots. Add them into the dutch oven, stirring occasionally.

4. Next, finely dice the red bell pepper and add it into the dutch oven, stirring occasionally.

5. Slice the leek lengthwise in half, and then finely slice (into half moons). Add the leek into the dutch oven, along with the thyme, the bay leaves and 1 tsp of black pepper, stirring occasionally.

6. Dice the tomatoes and crush them with your hands. Add the tomatoes into the dutch oven. Let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Add in the wine (yes, the whole bottle!) into the dutch oven. Bring to a boil and let boil for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper seasoning as needed.

8. Add the oxtail back into the dutch oven. Make sure each piece is nestled under the liquid.

9. Cover the dutch oven with the lid and bring the heat down to simmer. Let simmer for 3 hours.

10. Once done, ladle into bowls to enjoy. Don't forget to sop up the sauce with some bread!