Braised Oxtails, Cuban Style
- 30m Prep Time
- 3h Cook Time
- 3h Ready In
A rich and flavorful Cuban-style braised oxtail stew, slow-cooked with aromatic spices and served over creamy pumpkin fufu. This hearty dish is perfect for a comforting dinner.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs oxtails disjointed to 2- or 3-inch pieces
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 2 medium yellow onions peeled and diced
- 2 cup green bell peppers diced
- 2 cup red bell peppers diced
- 5 clove garlic minced
- 2 medium celery root peeled and diced to 1-inch cubes
- 1 Scotch bonnet chile pepper seeded and minced
- 1 tsp natural achiote paste (recado rojo)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 dried avocado leaf or bay leaf
- 1 lb plum tomatoes diced
- 1 quart beef broth or bone broth
- additional sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 small pie pumpkin peeled, seeded, and diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1/4 lbs natural nitrate-free uncured bacon diced
- 1 medium yellow onion peeled and diced
- 4 clove garlic minced
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 14 of 26 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 607 mg
- Iron: 6.37 mg
- Magnesium: 108 mg
- Phosphorus: 587 mg
- Potassium: 1697 mg
- Zinc: 4.04 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp natural achiote paste (recado rojo)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 dried avocado leaf or bay leaf
- 1 quart beef broth or bone broth
- additional sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Prepare
- 5 lbs oxtails, disjointed to 2- or 3-inch pieces
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and diced
- Dice 2 cup green bell peppers
- Dice 2 cup red bell peppers
- Mince 5 clove garlic
- 2 medium celery root, peeled and diced to 1-inch cubes
- 1 Scotch bonnet chile pepper, seeded and minced
- Dice 1 lb plum tomatoes
- 1 small pie pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and diced into 1-inch cubes
- Dice 1/4 lbs natural nitrate-free uncured bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
- Mince 4 clove garlic
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
In a shallow dish, toss the oxtails with the white wine, coconut oil, salt, cumin, and black pepper. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
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Step 2.
Remove the oxtails from the marinade and discard the juices. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add just enough avocado oil to glisten the pan. Brown the oxtails in batches, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, then set aside.
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Step 3.
In the same pot, add the diced onions and sauté over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the diced green and red bell peppers and minced garlic, and sauté for a few more minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
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Step 4.
Add the browned oxtails back to the pot along with the diced celery root, minced Scotch bonnet chile, achiote paste, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, avocado leaf, diced tomatoes, and beef broth. Add enough water to cover the oxtails. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and braise for 2 to 3 hours until the oxtails are tender and beginning to pull away from the bone.
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Step 5.
While the oxtails braise, prepare the pumpkin fufu: Place the diced pumpkin in a medium pot and fill with enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 12 to 14 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl; mash with a potato masher or spoon and set aside.
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Step 6.
Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook until browned but not fully crispy, and most of the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of fat, keeping the bacon bits in the pan.
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Step 7.
Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the bacon and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Remove from heat and fold in the mashed pumpkin until uniform and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm, covered, on the stove until ready to serve.
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Step 8.
When the oxtails are tender, remove the avocado leaf. If the sauce is too soupy, remove the oxtails and set aside, then simmer the sauce alone until thickened. Serve the oxtails over the pumpkin fufu with the chunky sauce spooned over.