Your Favorite Pasta with An Authentic Italian Braised Oxtail Ragu Sauce

Alright, let’s break it down in a more fun and laid-back way. So, how authentically Italian is our slow braised oxtail ragù recipe? Let’s just say that if Italy had a passport for pasta, ours would be stamped with a smile and a molto delizioso! Now, let’s chat about the cocoa twist in our oxtail ragu. If Romans see this recipe, they’d weep in excitement! Yep, that’s the undercover Roman secret for making a perfect oxtail ragu sauce.

In short, whether it’s legit authentic Italian or not, our braised oxtail ragu is the pasta superhero. Just don’t forget the main ingredients: a big dollop of love and enough patience to outlast a Netflix binge. Oh, and don’t forget our wine pairing recommendations. Because any good food is made better with good wine.

The low-maintenance magic of slow braised oxtail ragu

Important to note, the cook time may sound like you’d be tethered to the kitchen for hours to make this dish. Nothing could be further from the truth! Once you’ve put your Dutch oven with all the ingredients into the oven, you can kick back, take a leisurely stroll, and go about whatever catches your fancy without sparing a second thought for the oxtail ragu. It’s kitchen alchemy at its most laid-back!

Wine Pairing Recommendations

Now, let’s talk wine! Not-so-shockingly, your soon-to-be favorite pasta with oxtail ragu sauce has some go-to wine partners in crime. When it comes to food and wine pairing, you’ve got your usual suspects that we will talk about later. But, first, we’ve got a dark horse that’s ready to steal the show.

Yes, we know, it might raise an eyebrow or two, but trust us, take that leap of faith. Zinfandel brings a burst of flavor that pairs like a dream with this pasta. A perfect food and wine pairing? You be the judge!

Now, for the tried-and-true trio that’s always there when you’re pairing meaty tomato-based pasta with wine. The usual suspects are Chianti, Barbera, and Montepulciano. Any of these three makes for a great wine pairing recommendation that we are happy to put our names behind.

So, there you have it. Whether you’re a wine aficionado or just looking for a good time, our braised oxtail ragu and one of our wine pairing recommendations are a match made in foodie heaven. Pour, sip, slurp, and repeat—because that’s the secret recipe for a pasta night you won’t forget!

Barbera, Chianti, Montepulciano, Zinfandel

Recipe at a glance

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ pounds (1.13 kg) oxtails, trimmed of excess fat
• 1/3 cup (50 g.) double smoked bacon, diced
• 3 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 cup celery stalks, diced
• 1 ½ cup (240 ml) red wine (such as Chianti)
• 1 cans (28 oz/800 g each) diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 3 cloves
• 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup (240 ml) water (you may only need to use ½ of this quantity)
• 3 cups pappardelle or any of your favorite pasta (homemade or store bought)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• olive oil for frying
• fresh Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish
• grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Substitutions:

• Oxtails are the star of this dish. There’s no suitable substitute for these.
• When picking pasta for this recipe, choose from fusilli, farfalle, orecchiette, tagliatelle, or pappardelle.
• Lastly, when it comes to wine, it is best to use Italian medium-bodied red wine. In the absence of such, any red medium-bodied wine should work fine.

Instructions

Frying Ingredients:

• Season the oxtails generously with salt and black pepper. In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtails on all sides until golden brown. Remove the oxtails and set them aside.
• If you pan is not large enough you may have to do it batches as the key is not to overcrowd the pan when browning the oxtails. Drain almost all of the rendered fat but leave about 1 ½ tbsp. in the pot; this will be used to cook vegetables.
• In the same pot, add bacon and fry to render bacon fat, about 2-3 minutes. Then, add chopped onion, carrots and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. 5-8 minutes.
• Add cocoa powder and mix to combine. Saute briefly, 1 minute, the most.
• Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. Allow the wine to reduce by half, about 5-8 minutes
• Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, cloves and thyme. Stir to combine. Then, bring everything to a boil.

Braising Oxtails:

• Return the browned oxtails to the pot. Pour in the water, just enough so that the oxtails are mostly submerged. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise the oxtails in the oven for about 3 to 4 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones.
• Remove the pot from the oven and let the ragu cool down till it is safe to touch. It is best to let the ragu sit overnight and use it in your pasta preparation next day

Making oxtail ragu sauce:

• Remove any excess fat from your ragu. Additionally, remove all aromatics ( bay leaf, cloves, thyme).
• Use tongs to transfer the oxtails to a cutting board. Shred the meat using a fork and discard the bones. Reserve the shredded meat.
• Place the rest of the ragu ingredients into a food processor or use an immersion blender to puree the sauce.
• Next, combine the pureed sauce and shredded oxtail meat in a suitable size pot or a fry pan and bring it to a low simmer. This step should take you about 5 minutes the most.

Cooking the pasta and finishing the dish:

• Meanwhile, cook Pappardelle or your favorite pasta according to the package instructions.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the pot with the oxtail ragu. Once done, toss pasta to coat in the sauce.

Plate the Dish:

• Spoon the pasta with an oxtail ragu onto the individual plates.
• Grate fresh Parmigiano Reggiano and top with chopped fresh parsley.

What is braising cooking method used to make this oxtail ragu?

Braising is a cooking method that involves slow-cooking food in a covered pot or Dutch oven with a small amount of liquid. The cooking, as a rule, is done in the oven.

Braising is frequently referring to as low and slow approach because it is characterized by slow cooking at low temperatures. This technique is commonly used for tougher cuts of meat. Braising allows the collagen in tougher cuts of meat to break down into gelatin, resulting in a tender and succulent texture.

What is a suitable temperature range for braising?

Braising is typically done at low temperatures to ensure slow and gentle cooking, allowing tough cuts of meat to become tender. The ideal temperature range for braising is generally between 200°F to 280°F (93°C to 138°C) depending on the type of the protein you are planning to braise. In our case, the oven was set to 280°F. While, you can set your oven to a lower temperature, the process for a meat to get to the fork-tender, fall-off-the-bone stage will take a much longer time.

Why let your oxtail ragu sit overnight?

Letting a ragu sit overnight is a technique often recommended in cooking. This technique applies to various slow-cooked sauces, stews, and braises, including oxtail ragu. There are several reasons why allowing the ragu to rest overnight is beneficial:

Flavor Development: Allowing the ragu to sit allows the flavors to meld and develop more fully. The various ingredients have time to interact and create a more harmonious and complex taste. This results in a richer, deeper flavor profile.

Fat Separation: When the ragu is refrigerated overnight, any excess fat will solidify on the surface. This makes it easier to remove and discard, leading to a lighter and less greasy final dish.

Improved Consistency: Letting the ragu rest allows it to cool, and as it does, the liquid thickens. This can result in a more cohesive and rich consistency, making the sauce adhere better to the pasta or other accompaniments.

Tips and tricks to make any pasta dish a success

Ideally, you want to have your pasta ready when your sauce is. However, if your pasta is ready but the sauce is still cooking, we recommend adding a dash of oil to the cooked pasta to prevent sticking. 

If your sauce is ready before your pasta, we recommend setting it aside and warming it up just a little bit before adding pasta to the sauce.

Additionally, we recommend adding cooked pasta to the sauce and then simmering the two together. This way, the sauce blends with pasta much better.

Lastly, if you don’t have enough sauce, or if the sauce is too concentrated, loosen it up with a bit of water from the cooked pasta.

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Recipe Card

Ox Tail Ragu Pasta

Enhancedby double-smoked bacon and a splash of red wine, our pasta with oxtail ragu recipe boasts a symphony of aromatics, diced vegetables, and a hint of cocoa. The braising cooking technique imparts anamazing depth of flavor into this oxtail rague sauce. All in all, a great pasta dish for those long cold evenings when all you want to do is stay inside. It is made even better when expertly paired with wine.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Idle Time 4 hours hrs

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds oxtails trimmed of excess fat (1.13 kg)
• 1/3 cup double smoked bacon diced (50 g.)
• 3 cups yellow onion finely chopped
• 2 cups carrots peeled and diced
• 1 cup celery stalks diced
• 1 ½ cup red wine such as Chianti 240 ml
• 1 cans diced tomatoes 28 oz/800 g each
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 3 cloves
• 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup water – you may only need to use ½ of this quantity 240 ml
• 3 cups pappardelle or any of your favorite pasta homemade or store bought
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• olive oil for frying
• fresh Italian parsley chopped, for garnish
• grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Instructions

Frying Ingredients:

• Season the oxtails generously with salt and black pepper. In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtails on all sides until golden brown. Remove the oxtails and set them aside.
• If you pan is not large enough you may have to do it batches as the key is not to overcrowd the pan when browning the oxtails. Drain almost all of the rendered fat but leave about 1 ½ tbsp. in the pot; this will be used to cook vegetables.
• In the same pot, add bacon and fry to render bacon fat, about 2-3 minutes. Then, add chopped onion, carrots and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. 5-8 minutes.
• Add cocoa powder and mix to combine. Saute briefly, 1 minute, the most.
• Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. Allow the wine to reduce by half, about 5-8 minutes
• Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, cloves and thyme. Stir to combine. Then, bring everything to a boil.

Braising Oxtails:

• Return the browned oxtails to the pot. Pour in the water, just enough so that the oxtails are mostly submerged. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise the oxtails in the oven for about 3 to 4 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones.
• Remove the pot from the oven and let the ragu cool down till it is safe to touch. It is best to let the ragu sit overnight and use it in your pasta preparation next day

Making oxtail ragu sauce:

• Remove any excess fat from your ragu. Additionally, remove all aromatics ( bay leaf, cloves, thyme).
• Use tongs to transfer the oxtails to a cutting board. Shred the meat using a fork and discard the bones. Reserve the shredded meat.
• Place the rest of the ragu ingredients into a food processor or use an immersion blender to puree the sauce.
• Next, combine the pureed sauce and shredded oxtail meat in a suitable size pot or a fry pan and bring it to a low simmer. This step should take you about 5 minutes the most.

Cooking the pasta and finishing the dish:

• Meanwhile, cook Pappardelle or your favorite pasta according to the package instructions.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the pot with the oxtail ragu. Once done, toss pasta to coat in the sauce.

Plate the Dish:

• Spoon the pasta with an oxtail ragu onto the individual plates.
• Grate fresh Parmigiano Reggiano and top with chopped fresh parsley.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword ox tail ragu, oxtail ragu, oxtail ragù pasta sauce, pasta with ragù