Recipes

Basque Oxtail Stew

  • Serves

    serves 4-6

JAMES ROPER

Beurre manié, a mixture of softened butter and flour, thickens this rustic wine-infused stew from Wool Growers, a Basque restaurant in Bakersfield, California. This recipe first appeared in our Jan/Feb 2014 SAVEUR 100 issue with the article Wool Growers Restaurant.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp. canola oil
  • 4 lb. oxtail, trimmed
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 6 medium carrots, sliced crosswise 1/2" thick
  • 14 cup flour
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Season oxtail with salt and pepper; working in batches, cook, turning as needed, until browned, 8–10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer oxtail to a plate; set aside. Add garlic and onion to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6–8 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring and scraping browned bits from bottom of pan, until reduced by a third, 3–4 minutes. Return oxtail to pan and add stock, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until oxtail is tender, 2 1⁄2–3 hours. Uncover and return to a simmer. Add carrots; cook until tender, 15–20 minutes. Mix flour and butter in a bowl until smooth; stir into stew and cook until slightly thick, 8–10 minutes.

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