Tender slow cooker oxtail with carrots, peas, and potatoes smothered in rich gravy is hands down one of the easiest ways to prepare the best oxtail stew!
Why this recipe works
Slow cooker oxtail transforms this tough cut into ultra tender hunks of melt-in-your-mouth beef. Every last morsel of surrounding flavor is soaked into the oxtail as it cooks low and slow. It’s a relatively hands-off recipe aside from the step of browning the oxtail before adding it to the crock, the hardest part is waiting for it to be done.
There are a few different methods of cooking a mean oxtail stew for dinner. You can braise it with red wine, pop it in the instant pot, or prepare it in the slow cooker. The slow cooker method is great when you aren’t in a rush as it gives the oxtail ample time to tenderize and mingle with the other ingredients in the crock.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
OXTAIL – Choose beef oxtails that are well-marbled without any discoloration. You will need 2 pounds of oxtail for this recipe.
VEGGIES – Potatoes, carrots, onion, and peas are our go-to for oxtail stew. Feel free to add celery to the mix. Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes will both work nicely here.
How to Make Slow Cooker Oxtail
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Place oxtails in a large mixing bowl. Add half of the olive oil and use gloved hands to toss to coat.
- Season with garlic salt and pepper and toss to coat.
- Heat remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add oxtails and sear well on all sides.
- Turn slow cooker on high and add minced garlic, onion, and tomato paste. Saute for one minute.
- Add beef base, soy sauce, red wine, and water. Stir to combine well.
- Nestle oxtails into the liquid mixture.
- Add carrots, potatoes, and half of the peas.
CHEF’S TIP – Adding peas this early is optional – we do so because we enjoy the flavor the peas add.
- Add rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover slow cooker and turn heat down to low. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
- Scoop out the herbs and bay leaves.
CHEF’S TIP – You can scoop out the cooked peas along with the floating herbs at the end of the cooking process if you like. We simply leave the peas in. Totally up to you! - Add remaining peas and stir. Place lid on slow cooker for another 5 minutes to soften the peas.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and vegetables then put the remaining liquid through a fat separator.
- You can thicken the liquid with a little cornstarch or flour or leave as is and serve with the meat and vegetables.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop until warmed through.
Yes, you can freeze the fully cooked and cooled oxtail along with the veggies and gravy in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag. Allow enough space at the top of your bag or container for expansion and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or beef broth to help loosen the gravy if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your slow cooker oxtail spooned over a bed of white rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles to complete the meal. Though it’s perfectly good served as-is stew-style with crusty bread on the side to soak up the gravy!
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Slow Cooker Oxtail
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 2 pounds beef oxtail
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 ½ Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon Better than Bouillon beef base
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup coarsley chopped carrots
- 1 cup peeled, cubed potatoes
- ½ cup frozen peas divided
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- We highly recommend a fat separator! However, if you don’t have one, you can simply skim the excess fat off the top with a large spoon.
- For a lower carb thickener, we use xanthan gum instead of flour or cornstarch.
- Good dry red wine options include cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec, or zinfandel. Expensive wines are not necessary. I would suggest using what you have on hand or what you enjoy sipping on as you’ll only be using 1/2 cups worth.
- Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes will both work nicely here.
Instructions
- Place oxtails in a large mixing bowl. Add half of the olive oil and use gloved hands to toss to coat.
- Season with garlic salt and pepper and toss to coat.
- Heat remaining olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add oxtails and sear well on all sides.
- Turn slow cooker on high and add minced garlic, onion, and tomato paste. Saute for one minute.
- Add beef base, soy sauce, red wine, and water. Stir to combine well.
- Nestle oxtails into the liquid mixture.
- Add carrots, potatoes, and half of the peas. Adding peas this early is optional – we do so because we enjoy the flavor the peas add.
- Add rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover slow cooker and turn heat down to low. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
- Scoop out the herbs and bay leaves. You can scoop out the cooked peas along with the floating herbs at the end of the cooking process if desired. We leave the peas in. Totally up to you!
- Add remaining peas and stir. Place lid on slow cooker for another 5 minutes to soften the peas.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and vegetables then put the remaining liquid through a fat separator.
- You can thicken the liquid with a little cornstarch or flour or leave as is and serve with the meat and vegetables.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop until warmed through.
- Freezing – you can freeze the fully cooked and cooled oxtail along with the veggies and gravy in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag. Allow enough space at the top of your bag or container for expansion and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or beef broth to help loosen the gravy if needed.
Nutrition
Chef Antoine Davis
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