Oxtail Bourguignonne Recipe

I just made an Oxtail Beef Stew that wrecks expectations, feeds the soul, and makes every other weeknight meal feel like an embarrassment.

I am obsessed with Oxtail Bourguignon. It hits the spot in a way nothing else does.

The meat falls off the bone, deep and sticky, all that long braise payoff. I love the way pearl onions and cremini mushrooms soak up every bit of sauce and keep things interesting.

This is not dainty dinner table nonsense. This is heavy, slow, layered flavor that makes you sit down and shut up.

I keep coming back to it when I want real, honest food. Call it Rustic Meals if you want, I just call it the meal I crave every single time.

Ingredients

• Oxtail: rich, gelatinous protein that makes the sauce silky and comforting.
• Salt and pepper: basic seasoning, it’s what brings everything together.
• Flour: light dusting for a little crust and thicker, clingy sauce.
• Bacon or pancetta: salty, smoky fat that adds mouthwatering depth.
• Olive oil: keeps things from sticking, adds subtle fruity body.
• Butter: richness and glossy finish, basically comfort in a spoon.
• Carrots: sweet, earthy bites that’ll cut the meaty richness.
• Yellow onions: savory backbone, they melt into cozy sweetness.
• Pearl onions: little pops of sweetness and texture, cute and tasty.
• Garlic: punchy aromatics, it’s small but totally necessary.
• Tomato paste: concentrated tomato tang that rounds and deepens the sauce.
• Brandy or cognac: adds warmth and a boozy lift, optional but nice.
• Red wine: full-bodied acid and tannin that gives backbone.
• Beef stock: meaty liquid that keeps the braise hearty and un-soupish.
• Thyme sprigs: herby, subtle lift that smells like home.
• Bay leaves: quiet herbal note, they’re background but memorable.
• Mushrooms: earthy chew that soaks up sauce beautifully.
• Sugar: tames acidity, basically a tiny balancing trick.
• Parsley: fresh finish, brightens the heavy dish.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 pounds oxtail, cut into pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour, for dusting
• 6 ounces smoked bacon or pancetta, cut into lardons
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
• 12 to 16 pearl onions, peeled (or 1 small sweet onion quartered)
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup brandy or cognac (optional but recommended)
• 2 1/2 cups full bodied red wine, like Burgundy or pinot noir
• 3 cups beef stock, hot
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and halved
• 1 teaspoon sugar (to balance acidity, optional)
• Fresh parsley, chopped, about 1/4 cup for garnish

How to Make this

1. Pat the oxtail pieces dry, season generously with salt and pepper, dust lightly with the flour and shake off the excess; this helps form a nice brown crust when searing.

2. In a wide heavy pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon or pancetta over medium heat until fat is rendered and bits are crisp; remove bacon, leave the fat.

3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the bacon fat, heat until shimmering, then brown the oxtail in batches so they get a deep color all over; set browned pieces aside with the bacon.

4. Remove excess fat, add the remaining olive oil and butter, then sauté the carrots and chopped onions until they start to color, about 6 to 8 minutes; add the smashed garlic and tomato paste and cook a minute more to take the raw edge off.

5. If using, pour in the brandy or cognac and flame carefully or simmer a minute to reduce; scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

6. Return oxtail and bacon to the pot, pour in the red wine and hot beef stock, stir to combine; toss in thyme sprigs and bay leaves, bring to a simmer.

7. Cover the pot partly and simmer very gently on the stove or in a 325 F oven for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until oxtail is falling off the bone and sauce is rich; skim fat occasionally.

8. While the stew is finishing, in a skillet sauté the pearl onions (or quartered sweet onion) in a little butter with the mushrooms until they brown; add 1 teaspoon sugar if your wine is very tart to balance acidity, and season with salt and pepper.

9. When the oxtail is done, remove the meat and strain or skim the cooking liquid if needed, then return meat to the pot with the sautéed mushrooms and onions; simmer together 10 minutes so flavors marry and sauce thickens.

10. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, remove thyme stems and bay leaves, sprinkle chopped parsley before serving; serve over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered noodles or crusty bread for a soul and tastebud satisfying meal.

Equipment Needed

1. Dutch oven or wide heavy pot (for braising)
2. Large skillet or sauté pan (for mushrooms and pearl onions)
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board
4. Tongs (for turning and removing oxtail)
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula (for deglazing and stirring)
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Fine mesh strainer or fat skimmer
8. Peeler (for carrots) and small paring knife (for pearl onions)
9. Ladle (for transferring hot liquid) and oven mitts
10. Baking sheet or plate (to hold browned oxtail and bacon)

FAQ

Oxtail Bourguignonne Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Oxtail: if you can’t find oxtail, use beef short ribs, bone-in chuck roast, or a mix of oxtail and shank for similar gelatinous, rich mouthfeel. Short ribs give great flavor and fall-apart texture; chuck is cheaper but still tasty.
• Smoked bacon or pancetta: substitute slab bacon, guanciale, or smoked ham hock for the smoky fat. If you want less smoke, use plain unsmoked bacon or prosciutto added near the end.
• Full bodied red wine: swap with merlot, zinfandel, or a sturdy cabernet sauvignon, or use a good quality fortified wine like port thinned with a bit of water for sweetness. If you prefer no alcohol, use extra beef stock plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar per cup of wine to add depth.
• Beef stock: replace with bone broth, veal stock, or a strong mushroom broth for an umami boost. For a quick fix use 3 cups water plus 2 beef bouillon cubes, but reduce added salt until you taste it.

Pro Tips

1. Brown in batches and don’t crowd the pan. If the oxtail is piled up it will steam not sear, and you lose that deep crust and flavor. Be patient — more color = more flavor.

2. Save and skim the fat. After browning, spoon off most fat but keep a tablespoon or two for richness. Chill the finished sauce briefly if needed and remove the hardened fat on top to avoid a greasy stew.

3. Deglaze right after you add the brandy or wine. Scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon — that’s where most of the savory flavor hides. If you skip this step the final sauce will taste flatter.

4. Finish with timing for the veggies. Cook the mushrooms and pearl onions separately and add them near the end so they stay textural and fresh. If you braise them the whole time they’ll turn mushy and you’ll lose that nice bite.

Oxtail Bourguignonne Recipe

Recipe by Tina Simpson

0.0 from 0 votes

I just made an Oxtail Beef Stew that wrecks expectations, feeds the soul, and makes every other weeknight meal feel like an embarrassment.

Pin

Servings

6

servings

Calories

1069

kcal

Equipment: 1. Dutch oven or wide heavy pot (for braising)
2. Large skillet or sauté pan (for mushrooms and pearl onions)
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board
4. Tongs (for turning and removing oxtail)
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula (for deglazing and stirring)
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Fine mesh strainer or fat skimmer
8. Peeler (for carrots) and small paring knife (for pearl onions)
9. Ladle (for transferring hot liquid) and oven mitts
10. Baking sheet or plate (to hold browned oxtail and bacon)

Ingredients

• 3 pounds oxtail, cut into pieces

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour, for dusting

• 6 ounces smoked bacon or pancetta, cut into lardons

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

• 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped

• 12 to 16 pearl onions, peeled (or 1 small sweet onion quartered)

• 4 garlic cloves, smashed

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1/4 cup brandy or cognac (optional but recommended)

• 2 1/2 cups full bodied red wine, like Burgundy or pinot noir

• 3 cups beef stock, hot

• 3 fresh thyme sprigs

• 2 bay leaves

• 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and halved

• 1 teaspoon sugar (to balance acidity, optional)

• Fresh parsley, chopped, about 1/4 cup for garnish

Directions

• Pat the oxtail pieces dry, season generously with salt and pepper, dust lightly with the flour and shake off the excess; this helps form a nice brown crust when searing.
• In a wide heavy pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon or pancetta over medium heat until fat is rendered and bits are crisp; remove bacon, leave the fat.
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the bacon fat, heat until shimmering, then brown the oxtail in batches so they get a deep color all over; set browned pieces aside with the bacon.
• Remove excess fat, add the remaining olive oil and butter, then sauté the carrots and chopped onions until they start to color, about 6 to 8 minutes; add the smashed garlic and tomato paste and cook a minute more to take the raw edge off.
• If using, pour in the brandy or cognac and flame carefully or simmer a minute to reduce; scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Return oxtail and bacon to the pot, pour in the red wine and hot beef stock, stir to combine; toss in thyme sprigs and bay leaves, bring to a simmer.
• Cover the pot partly and simmer very gently on the stove or in a 325 F oven for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until oxtail is falling off the bone and sauce is rich; skim fat occasionally.
• While the stew is finishing, in a skillet sauté the pearl onions (or quartered sweet onion) in a little butter with the mushrooms until they brown; add 1 teaspoon sugar if your wine is very tart to balance acidity, and season with salt and pepper.
• When the oxtail is done, remove the meat and strain or skim the cooking liquid if needed, then return meat to the pot with the sautéed mushrooms and onions; simmer together 10 minutes so flavors marry and sauce thickens.
• Taste and adjust salt and pepper, remove thyme stems and bay leaves, sprinkle chopped parsley before serving; serve over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered noodles or crusty bread for a soul and tastebud satisfying meal.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 650g
• Total number of serves: 6
• Calories: 1069kcal
• Fat: 84g
• Saturated Fat: 32g
• Trans Fat: 0.5g
• Polyunsaturated: 5g
• Monounsaturated: 42g
• Cholesterol: 338mg
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Potassium: 1160mg
• Carbohydrates: 17g
• Fiber: 2.5g
• Sugar: 3.3g
• Protein: 60g
• Vitamin A: 2100IU
• Vitamin C: 20mg
• Calcium: 100mg
• Iron: 5mg