Oxtail Stew (Coda alla Vaccinara)
Oxtail Stew (Coda alla Vaccinara) is traditional Italian oxtails stew, refined and elegant. Loaded with vegetables, slowly boiled in red wine to have tender beef, it is the best if served with your favourite pasta, polenta or risotto.
Ingredients
- 2 + 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 stripes pancetta, finely cut into small slices (makes 3 tablespoons)
- 1 cup chopped celery root
- 1 cup chopped parsley root
- 1 cup leek green leaves, finely sliced
- 1 ½ cup carrot, grated
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 pounds oxtail severed at each joint, washed and dried
- 1 ½ cup red wine
- 1 cup tomato passata (pureed strained tomatoes)
- 1 bay leaf
- Beef broth to taste, optional
- Juniper berries to taste
- Roasted pine nuts and chopped parsley leaves to garnish
Instructions
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In medium sized cast iron dish, combine 2 Tbsp of oil, pancetta, celery root, parsley root,leek greens, and carrot and let it cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile pour 2Tbsp of olive oil into medium sized pan, season oxtails with salt and ground black pepper and cook until brown on all sides.
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Remove oxtails into the dish with vegetables, add red wine, passata, bay leaf and junipers.
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Let oxtail stew slowly boil, covered for 30 minutes. Take the cover away and continue to boil slow for at least 1 hour. I boiled our batch for additional 1 hour and 30 minutes.
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Before serving with pasta or risotto, garnish with roasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.
Recipe Notes
It is important to have the oxtail covered with liquid so feel free to add broth if it is not so in your case. Also, you may turn the meat upside down so it is tender all over.
If you find your oxtail stew recipe thick, you may add some beef broth. It is optional thing to do. We did not add any.