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Southern Style Oxtail Stew with Rice

4.72 from 64 votes

My Southern Style Oxtail Stew is a simple, easy-to-prepare recipe. Oxtails are cooked low and slow with carrots, onions, and spices, then served over hot, fluffy rice.

A serving of oxtail stew over rice on a dinner plate.

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Okay, I know I’ve already lost some of you just based on the recipe title. Oxtail Stew. Yes, that’s right, I’m cooking with oxtails.

Now, I know it’s not every day that you see an oxtail recipe. But trust me. This is slow cooked, browned meat deliciousness. Wipe your plate with a roll deliciousness.

I know that this is one of the less familiar cuts of meat, but it is also one of the most flavorful. So what if it comes from the fly-flicking end of the cow.

I hadn’t cooked old-fashioned Oxtail Stew in a long time until I made this recipe recently. Apparently, oxtail has increased in demand over the past few years. And, considering how little meat is on one tail (about 7-8 pounds per cow), you can see that there’s not that much oxtail available, therefore making it more expensive.

I remember when oxtails used to be dirt cheap. Just about the cheapest thing in the meat counter, but not now. Actually, there’s not really anything in the meat counter that’s dirt cheap these days. But still, oxtails are a pretty good bargain.

They make great soups and stews but keep in mind that they need long, slow cooking to break down the connective tissue and become melt in your mouth pure comfort food deliciousness. I like to serve this stew over rice, but egg noodles are great, too.

❤️ Why We Love This Recipe


  • Hearty comfort food
  • Simple to make
  • Simple ingredients
  • Perfect for cold weather
  • Out of the ordinary stew

🛒 Ingredient and Equipment Notes


You’ll need a large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven or a large stockpot for this recipe. 

All the ingredients needed to make oxtail stew.

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Don’t be intimidated by the lengthy ingredient list in the recipe card. Most of them are simple, everyday pantry items. In fact, I’d be surprised if you didn’t have all of them on hand right now, minus the oxtail.

  • Oxtails (You should be able to find these in any grocery store’s meat counter. If you don’t see them, ask. I’m pretty sure they’ll have them on hand.)
  • Beef Broth (You can use canned, boxed, bouillon cubes, or your own homemade.)
  • Diced Tomatoes (I use canned for convenience. You can certainly use fresh.)
  • Flour (Plain, all-purpose, nothing fancy flour.)
  • Herbs (Note that you can substitute fresh herbs for any of the dried herbs called for in the recipe. The rule of thumb is to always use 1/3 as much dried as fresh.)

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🔪 How to Make Simple Southern Oxtail Stew with Rice


Brown the Oxtails

  1. Season the oxtails liberally with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan. A Dutch oven works very well for this.
  3. Brown the oxtails very well on all sides and set aside. (Good, thorough browning equals luscious flavor.)

👉 Do you have to brown oxtails before cooking?

While it’s not absolutely necessary to brown the oxtails before stewing them, I do highly recommend it. Browning meat results in caramelization (the Maillard reaction) which greatly enhances the flavor of the finished stew. It also produces a beautiful color in the finished recipe. Adding the meat to the stew without browning first produces a kind of sickly grey color in the finished product.

Add Remaining Ingredients

  1. To the pan, add the beef broth, garlic cloves, basil, oregano, bay leaves, and diced tomatoes with their juice.
  2. Return the oxtails, along with any accumulated juices, to the pan.

Simmer Slowly

Stew simmering in a covered pot.
  1. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a slow, steady simmer. Cover and cook for 2 ½ hours.

Add the Vegetables and Finish Cooking

  1. Add the onion, potatoes, and carrots to the pan and continue cooking for an additional 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  2. Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables and oxtails from the pan.

Thicken the Cooking Liquid

Combining butter and flour with a fork in a small bowl.
  1. In a small bowl, combine the butter and flour to create a smooth mixture.
  2. Increase the heat to medium and whisk the butter-flour mixture into the broth a spoonful at a time. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Finish the Stew

Thickened oxtail stew in a Dutch oven.
  1. Return the oxtails to the thickened broth turning them to coat. Serve the vegetables and oxtails with thickened sauce over hot, steamed rice.

🍽️ What to Serve with Oxtail Stew


This stew, with its tender, fall-off-the-bone meat and flavorful gravy, will leave you with a beautifully warm and content feeling; you really don’t need much to make it into a full meal. I’d suggest a steamed or roasted green vegetable and, perhaps, hot rolls or bread with butter.

Keep the dessert light as well with something like my light and fluffy Angel Cake with strawberries or a fancy “you outdid yourself” style dessert like my Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Fresh Berries.

A serving of oxtail stew over rice on a dinner plate.

🍚 Storing and Reheating Leftovers


If you have any leftover oxtails and rice, you can store them both in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do recommend keeping the stew and the rice in separate containers to prevent overcooking the rice during the reheating process by mixing them all together.

You may not want to freeze this recipe. Not only do potatoes tend to freeze poorly, but the thickening agent (flour and butter) may also separate while freezing. I would skip the freezer for this recipe.

To reheat the oxtail stew, place it in a saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat until it comes up to temperature. For the rice, place it in a pot, add a few tablespoons of water, break up any clumps you see and seal with a tight lid. Heat on medium-low, checking frequently to make sure the rice isn’t sticking to the pan.

❓ Questions About Oxtail Stew


Why is a cow’s tail called an oxtail?

An ox is a fully grown steer (castrated male cattle), and, in the past, “oxtail” only came from oxen. These days oxtails come from either male or female cattle.

Why is stewing recommended for cooking oxtails?

Oxtail is a fairly tough cut of meat. It has a lot of connective tissue and collagen, which requires long, slow cooking. Stewing the meat over low temperature breaks down the tissues and renders the meat tender and delicious.

What type of rice do you serve with this?

You can serve any kind of rice you have on hand with oxtail stew. Steamed white rice or brown rice both work fine. My preference is basmati.

Lana Stuart.

More Questions? I’m happy to help!

If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

📖 Recipe

A serving of oxtail stew over rice on a dinner plate.

Oxtail Stew

My Southern Style Oxtail Stew with Rice is cooked low and slow with carrots, onions, and spices for melt in your mouth pure comfort food.
4.72 from 64 votes
Print It Rate It Save Text It
Course: Soups and Stews
Cuisine: Southern, Vintage
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1273kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef oxtails
  • Kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 large yellow onion peeled and quartered
  • 8 small potatoes halved
  • 4 medium carrots cut into chunks
  • 1 tablespoon butter room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • Steamed rice for serving

Instructions

  • Season the oxtails liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan. Brown the oxtails and set aside.
  • To the pan, add the beef broth, garlic cloves, basil, oregano, bay leaves, and diced tomatoes with their juice. Return the oxtails along with any accumulated juices to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cover and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
  • Add the onion, potatoes, and carrots to the pan and continue cooking for an additional 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables and oxtails from the pan. In a small bowl, combine the butter and flour to create a smooth mixture. Increase the heat to medium and whisk the butter-flour mixture into the broth a spoonful at a time. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.
  • Return the oxtails to the thickened broth turning them to coat.
  • Serve the vegetables and oxtails with sauce over hot, steamed rice.

Notes

  • While it’s not absolutely necessary to brown the oxtails before stewing them, it is highly recommended. Browning meat results in caramelization which greatly enhances the flavor of the finished stew. It also produces a beautiful color in the finished recipe.
  • Store the stew and rice in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • To reheat the stew, place it in a saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat until it comes up to temperature. For the rice, place it in a pot, add a few tablespoons of water, break up any clumps you see and seal with a tight lid. Heat on medium-low, and make sure you check often to avoid the rice sticking to the pan.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 | Calories 1273kcal | Carbohydrates 90g | Protein 118g | Fat 49g | Saturated Fat 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat 2g | Monounsaturated Fat 22g | Trans Fat 1g | Cholesterol 382mg | Sodium 1571mg | Potassium 2347mg | Fiber 13g | Sugar 10g | Vitamin A 10421IU | Vitamin C 100mg | Calcium 209mg | Iron 19mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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— This post was originally published on December 11, 2014. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.

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Recipe Rating




36 Comments

  1. Mike Grant says:

    4 stars
    This was easy to make and very good! I doubled the recipe to be able to share and it’s all gone!
    We had it over basmati rice which was a great pairing. Will surely make this again.

  2. 5 stars
    Turned out great. Flavorful and well seasoned.

  3. Tina Johnson says:

    5 stars
    So delicious!! I will make this recipe again and again!!

  4. Pamela Hodges says:

    5 stars
    This was absolutely delicious! I had to skim off the fat and added a small can of tomato paste but hands down this is the best recipe ever!! I had never tried oxtails but I will definitely cook this many more times!!

  5. I made this recipe, and it was something dewicious, thats how my granddaughter say delicious. But we ate it for 2 days, couldnt get enough of it. Thank you. God bless

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      I’m so glad you liked the recipe, Stephany! I agree – it is “dewicious”!!

  6. I will make this following your recipe today. I’m quite amazed at the number of people who haven’t eaten oxtail. It’s delicious!

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Yes, it is! Hope you enjoy the stew, Renee.

  7. saletia wilford says:

    I made this and it was good.

  8. I tried the oxtail stew recipe today and it was amazing!!! I followed it step by step and it came out perfect. Today was my first time cooking oxtails and I’m so glad I came across your recipe.

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      So glad it turned out good for you!

  9. Billzacook says:

    I LOVE oxtail stew. My favorite recipe has parsnips and port wine in it, but ANY oxtail stew is a good stew. Like you, I haven’t made it in a very long time. I’ll have to make some before winter is over.

    I, too, recall when oxtails were cheap. That was around the same time that flank steak was a cheap cut of meat, and you made stock with chicken wings because they were so inexpensive.

    If you want to carry on with “weird things people don’t usually eat,” how about a recipe for tongue? That’s another thing I have not had in eons…it makes great sandwiches.

  10. Lana, do you remember the ox tail story that Gama used to tell? Your grandfather had a butcher shop in the grocery store and ox-tails were never in demand. In order to put them to use, they sent them to school with your daddy to be put in the stone soup that the teachers would make during the morning for the children’s lunch. Remember this was before central heating, in rural America, a wood heater had to suffice. All the children would bring something to be added to a soup pot on the wood heater. Sounds like I am talking about another world, and actually it was. This had to be around 1938 or 1939.

    1. Shaleem BenYahco says:

      Awesome story” thanks so much for sharing” where I’m from”” the South Carolina GULLAH country” this stew is an all time favorite & staple of the low country. This article brings back so many warm memories” Thanks so much” I’ll cook a large pot this weekend” with pan fried cornbread””

      1. Can I add red wine and if so how much

        1. Sylvia, I haven’t tried this recipe with red wine added but I would think you could do so. If I was going to add it, I’d start with about 1/3 cup, taste, and adjust from there.

  11. I love oxtails, so you had my attention! This looks amazing and I can’t imagine how good your house smelled. Plus you are right, even the cheap cuts aren’t cheap anymore!

  12. Nutmeg Nanny says:

    Oxtail is delicious! They are so under used so I totally dig this recipe.

  13. Heather // girlichef says:

    I absolutely adore oxtails – so rich and tender and total comfort food. Your stew sounds delicious!

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Total comfort food for sure!

  14. Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says:

    I’ve never had oxtail. I would love to try this stew!

  15. Martha@A Family Feast says:

    I’ve never cooked oxtail but I’ve heard it’s quite delicious! I think I need to add it to my culinary bucket list!

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Yes, they are really delicious, Martha. Definitely give them a try sometime.

  16. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says:

    Oh I am the pickiest eater but I would totally try this!!

  17. These oxtails look amazing! I’ve never made them before, but now I have to!

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Oh yes, Angie, you surely need to give them a try!

  18. foodwanderings says:

    You know how many times I picked up oxtail only to put it back. I never mustered the courage to cook it though I really would like to. Your oxtail stew has so much depth to it, Lana, that I wish I could dig in right through the screen!

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Don’t be afraid of the oxtails, Shulie! Give them a try and I’m sure you’ll enjoy them :-)

  19. William Lane says:

    I absolutely LOVE Oxtail. A place in Quincy Florida fixes it sometimes at lunch. I will be making this. Thanks for this recipe. And to the haters, don’t knock it till you try it

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      It’s good stuff, isn’t it, Bill? I haven’t seen it on a restaurant menu in ages!

  20. Sharyl D. Connor says:

    Wow I remember many, many years ago my mother would cook oxtail stew. My sibling and I would not eat them. Back then I did not know what I was missing out on. Thank You so much for the recipes.

    (Any recipes on beef tips?)

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years.

  21. Amy @Very Culinary says:

    I’ve never had Oxtail, but I’ll try anything! Sounds delicious!

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      I do hope you’ll give it a try, Amy. If you like beef, you’ll really like oxtails.