Oxtail in red wine

Oxtail asks for only one thing: time. And you have that on a lazy Sunday with no plans, with rain against the window. The meat falls off the bone and the sauce becomes rich and sticky. All you have to do is wait and set the table. - Lobke

Why this works so well in the crockpot

Oxtail is one of the most undervalued cuts of meat. Lots of bone, lots of connective tissue, lots of gelatin. After an hour of cooking it's still nothing, but after nine hours at a low temperature the meat falls off the bone and the sauce becomes rich and sticky from the gelatin. A crockpot is perfect for that: it handles that long, slow cooking without you having to pay attention. Browning it well beforehand is a must, for color and flavor. For such a long cooking time you want a reliable pot. In "which crockpot is the best choice for you?" we list the options.

Let's get started!

1. Pat the oxtail dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss in flour.
2. Heat oil in a pan and sear the pieces until dark brown on all sides. Take your time with this, this is where the flavor comes from.
3. Cut carrot, onion and celery into cubes and sauté them briefly in the same fat. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Deglaze with a generous splash of wine and scrape up the browned bits.
5. Put everything in the crockpot, with the rest of the wine, the broth, thyme and bay leaf.
6. Cook on low for 9 to 10 hours. Go do something else.
7. Remove the oxtail and pull the meat off the bone.
8. Skim the fat off the sauce, strain it if necessary and reduce it in a pan until it has a beautiful shine.
9. Put the meat back in the sauce and serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

Tip

Make it a day in advance. After a night in the refrigerator the fat solidifies on top and you can simply skim it off. And the flavor becomes even deeper.

Variations and serving suggestions

• Italian: serve the pulled meat with the sauce over pappardelle with Parmesan cheese.
• Extra deep: add a few pieces of dark chocolate to the sauce when reducing.

Storage and leftovers

Covered for 3 days in the refrigerator, or freeze in portions. Oxtail leftovers make a great filling for a pie or a ragout for pasta.