Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs oxtails, trimmed of excess exterior fat
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice
  • 3 ½ cups water
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. Pat the oxtails completely dry with paper towels to ensure proper browning.
  2. Toss the oxtails in the rub (salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika) until evenly coated.
  3. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  4. Sear oxtails in batches, leaving them undisturbed for 3-5 minutes per side until a dark mahogany crust forms; remove and set aside.
  5. In the same pot, sauté diced onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery in the rendered fat until softened, about 5 minutes.
  6. Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 2 minutes until the paste turns a deep brick red.
  7. Deglaze the pot with red wine, scraping all the brown bits from the bottom.
  8. Return the seared oxtails to the pot and add beef broth, fresh thyme, and a bay leaf; braise on low heat for 3 hours or until meat is tender.
  9. While stew is finishing, combine long-grain white rice, water, unsalted butter, and salt in a rice cooker or pot and steam until fluffy.