Braised Oxtail Ragu with Chile Gremolata
Succulent spiced red wine braised beef ragù is paired with bitter mustard greens and a zesty chile gremolata served over pasta.
Servings 6
Calories 1233kcal
Ingredients
Braised oxtails:
- 3 pounds oxtails, (about 5 to 6 large oxtails)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups red wine
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 sprigs thyme
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups (packed) roughly chopped mustard greens, stems removed
Chile gremolata:
- 1 Fresno pepper, seeded and finely diced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- ½ cup chopped parsley leaves
- 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt, as needed
For serving:
- 1 pound medium shell pasta
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
For the braised oxtail:
- Heat oven to 325°F (170ºC).
- In a small bowl stir together the salt, cumin, black pepper, paprika and cinnamon. Season the oxtails all over with the spices. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and heat through.
- Working in batches if needed, arrange the oxtails in a single layer in the pot. Sear the oxtails golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer meat to a plate, repeating until all oxtails are browned.
- Return the pot to medium heat, add the carrots, celery and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the wine to the Dutch oven and simmer until it’s almost completely evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in the beef stock followed by the thyme and red pepper. Arrange the oxtails in the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven.
- Cook, turning oxtails half-way through cooking, until the meat is tender, about 3 hours. Remove the oxtails from the pot and let cool. Once cool, pull the oxtail meat from bones and shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- Add the meat back to the pot with the mustard greens and stir to combine, cooking over medium-low heat until the greens wilt, about an additional 10 minutes.
For the chile gremolata:
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together Fresno peppers, cilantro, parsley, lime zest, lime juice, vinegar and olive oil until combined. Season with salt and set aside.
For assembly:
- Place a large pot with salted water over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and return to the pot.
- Ladle the oxtail stew over the pasta with the parmesan and ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, stirring to combine. Add the gremolata and stir once more. Divide among warmed pasta bowls. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 1233kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 82g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 41794mg | Potassium: 1145mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 4253IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 10mg
