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Braised Oxtail Ragu Recipe from Rome
5 from 87 votes

Braised Oxtail Ragu Recipe from Rome

This Braised Oxtail Ragu combines richly flavored oxtail pieces slow-cooked with tomato passata, guanciale or pancetta, aromatic vegetables, and a touch of cocoa powder. The long braising breaks down the meat, resulting in tender, fork-tender oxtail in a thick, savory sauce enhanced by subtle sweetness from raisins and earthiness from pine nuts. The sauce is traditionally served with short pasta like rigatoni or gemelli, which holds the ragu well.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 995 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Oxtail nice meaty pieces, 1.2 kgs
  • 1.8 lbs tomato passata or peeled, 800g
  • 1.8 oz Guanciale cut into cubes or lardons, or pancetta, 50g
  • 1-2 carrot washed and finely chopped
  • 6 celery 3 finely chopped 3 cut into larger pieces, stalks
  • 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
  • ½ glass white wine
  • 2-4 cloves
  • 1-2 tablespoon cocoa powder or grated dark chocolate, unsweetened
  • 1 handful raisins soaked in water
  • 1 handful pine nuts toasted by dry frying
  • 1 handful parsley chopped, fresh
  • 11 oz pasta or rigatoni, gemelli, 320g
  • salt for pasta and to taste
  • black pepper to taste, freshly ground
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients.
    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut the oxtail into medium sized pieces if you have a whole one. Then rinse them under running water and pat dry. Peel the onion and wash the carrots and celery. Then finely chop the onion, carrots and some of the celery. Finally, cut the guanciale or pancetta into small cubes or lardons.
  2. The rest of the celery should be cut into larger pieces and boiled in water until a little soft. You also need to soak the raisins and toast the pine nuts by dry frying them for a minute in a small frying pan. Be careful not to burn them..
Make the braised oxtail ragu
  1. Sauté the guanciale or pancetta with a little olive oil in a heavy pan that’s large enough to hold the oxtail in one layer. I used my Dutch oven. Then add the oxtail pieces and brown them on each side.
  2. Next add the finely chopped onion, celery and carrots. Stir in and cook for a minute or two. When the veg have softened slightly pour in the wine. Allow the alcohol to evaporate.
  3. Add the peeled or crushed tomatoes and cloves, mix everything together, season and simmer covered on a low heat for about 2 hours. Check the sauce occasionally and give it a stir to prevent it sticking or burning. Add a little water if the sauce seems dry.
  4. Once the oxtail is cooked add the boiled celery, soaked raisins, cocoa and toasted pine nuts. Stir and continue cooking for anothe 15-20 minutes. Add fresh parsley. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your oxtail pieces. When you can remove the meat from the bones easily, it’s ready!
  5. Remove the meat from the bones, shred it and add it back to the sauce. You can keep aside some whole oxtail pieces and sauce to serve as a main course or for another meal.
Finish and serve
  1. Put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to a boil again. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. Once ready, drain the pasta and add it to the oxtail ragu. Mix together well and serve sprinkled with some more chopped parsley.

Notes

  • Gemelli is used here, but rigatoni, penne, or fusilli are suitable alternatives to serve with this ragu.
  • The ragu can be served with polenta or with whole pieces of meat and crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
  • Leftover ragu can be refrigerated and reheated; flavors develop further after resting.

Nutrition Information

Calories 995kcal (50%) Carbohydrates 88g (29%) Protein 75g (150%) Fat 39g (60%) Saturated Fat 14g (70%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 15g (75%) Cholesterol 223mg (74%) Sodium 547mg (23%) Potassium 1263mg (27%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 14g (28%) Vitamin A 3701IU (74%) Vitamin C 26mg (29%) Calcium 111mg (11%) Iron 13mg (72%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 995

% Daily Value*

Calories 995kcal 50%
Carbohydrates 88g 29%
Protein 75g 150%
Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 223mg 74%
Sodium 547mg 23%
Potassium 1263mg 27%
Fiber 8g 32%
Sugar 14g 28%
Vitamin A 3701IU 74%
Vitamin C 26mg 29%
Calcium 111mg 11%
Iron 13mg 72%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.