This Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew is hearty, mouthwatering, and incredibly tender! Melt-in-your-mouth beef loaded with potatoes, carrots, and peas, all smothered in an incredibly tasty stew broth, this Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew is a comforting, delicious meal any day of the week. The recipe includes step-by-step photos, a how-to video, and lots of tips.
Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew Recipe Highlights
Yes, Oxtail!! Are you intrigued? Keep reading to see how you can turn this underrated cut of meat into the most delicious beef stew ever.
I don’t know about you guys, but some days call for an extra dose of comfort. Luckily, this Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew recipe fits the comfort food bill big time.
This Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew is hearty, mouthwatering, and incredibly tender!
I mean… it’s a big pot of tender beef stew loaded with potatoes, carrots, and peas, all smothered in an incredibly tasty stew broth. Believe me…Few meals are as comforting as this.
What Is Oxtail?
Oxtail is nothing more than the tails of beef cattle. This underrated cut of meat is great for making soups and stews. It’s as meaty and rich as short ribs.
Many oxtail recipes are popular traditional dishes in South America. For example, in Venezuela, we use it to make soup: “Sopa de Rabo” and stews “Rabo Guisado”. Today, I’m sharing my tweaked version of the traditional Venezuelan stew recipe adapted to the busy lifestyle most of us have these days.
I love to make this recipe on a Sunday. I set my slow cooker Saturday night, then Sunday morning, after breakfast, I finish the stew. It doesn’t require anything all that difficult for the rest of the cooking time, so I can go on with the rest of my day, and at the end of the day, my family has a hearty and warm meal to enjoy.
There is nothing better than a big bowl of hearty beef stew to take the chill off during these cold winter months! Serve this comforting stew with some crusty bread or our favorite Easy Eggless Cornbread Muffins to soak up all the flavorful beefy sauce.
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Oil: To brown the oxtail. You can use olive oil, vegetable, or canola.
- Salt and black pepper: For flavor!
- Oxtail: You can substitute oxtail for beef short ribs on the bone or beef shank.
- Veggies: You will need leeks, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes, and frozen peas.
- Red wine: For a little depth of flavor, the alcohol will cook off.
- Canned tomatoes & tomato paste: You’ll use some tomatoes (canned and paste) to add a nice tang of sweetness.
- Beef or chicken stock: I usually use chicken stock when making a stew; in my opinion, it’s more flavorful. But you can use whatever you have handy. You can also use my homemade Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth.
- Worcestershire sauce: If you don’t have this, try balsamic vinegar.
- Herbs: You’ll need fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves.
- All-purpose flour: To thicken the sauce. Make this gluten-free and swap the flour for a cornstarch flurry.
- Parsley to garnish: This is optional.
Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Step 1 – Season and Brown The Oxtail
Salt and pepper the oxtail and add to the skillet, and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.
Step 2 – Add the Ingredients
Add leeks, onion, garlic, red wine, plum tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
Step 3 – Slow Cook
Cover and cook on low for 4 -6 hours or high for 2 -3 hours, or until the meat falls away from the bone.
Step 4 – Shred the Meat
Strip the meat from the bones and discard the bones and any excess fat.
Step 5 – Add Veggies
Add carrots, celery, and potatoes. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until vegetables are fork-tender. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Step 6 – Thicken the Stew
In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth. Stir in flour mixture into the slow cooker along with the frozen peas. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.
Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Why 3 Cooking Stages
I make this recipe in 3 cooking stages because the oxtail is a fatty cut of meat, and I like to remove large pieces of fat and the bones before adding the veggies, so it does not end up being a big greasy mess. If you don’t mind the extra fat, you can cook it all together from the beginning, about 6-8 hours on low. Then add the flour slurry and peas for the last 30 minutes of cooking. If you decide to make it in stages, like me, you can totally let the oxtail cook (step 5) overnight on low cooking mode. Then finish the stew the next day.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Store
Stew leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze
The stew can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the stew in the refrigerator and then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Oxtail is nothing more than the tails of beef cattle. This underrated cut of meat is great for making soups and stews. It’s as meaty and rich as short ribs.
It basically tastes like beef. It has extra fat and gelatin, so they produce an incredibly rich stock or stew. The meat, when stewed, has a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Back in the day, oxtail wasu0022throwawayu0022 meat, but it’s not the case anymore! Now, it is one of the higher-priced cuts of meat as more and more people are discovering how delicious it is. Due to its extra fat, and gelatin, they produce incredibly rich dishes.
First, brown the oxtail pieces in a skillet to lock down all the flavor. Then, place the oxtail in the slow cooker, along with broth and veggies, and cook until tender. The next step is to strip the meat and discard the excess fat. Finally, add some veggies, such as potatoes and carrots, and wait until the slow cooker do its magic.
Strictly speaking, meat doesn’t need to be browned before it’s added to the slow cooker, but it’s a step I find worth the effort. The caramelized surface of the meat will enhance the flavor of the finished dish.
More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love!
- Slow Cooker Easy Green Bean Casserole
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Bacon and Ham Breakfast Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Soup
- Slow Cooker Spicy Pork Carnitas
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Recipe Card 📖
Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 – 5 lb (2 – 2.5 kg) beef oxtail
- 2 medium leeks, sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) red wine
- 14.5 oz (1 can of 411 g) plum tomatoes
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) tomato paste
- 3 cups (720 ml) beef or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves (freah or dried)
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes
- ¼ cup (35 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup frozen peas (about 140 g)
- Fresh chopped parsley to garnish (optional)
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Season the oxtail with salt and pepper to taste. Sear the oxtail in the hot skillet on each side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.
- Add leeks, onion, garlic, red wine, plum tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 -6 hours or high for 2 -3 hours, or until the meat falls away from the bone. Note: you can also cook overnight on low.
- Strip the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and remove any excess fat.
- Add carrots, celery, and potatoes. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until vegetables are fork-tender. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth ultil no lumps. Stir in flour mixture into the slow cooker along with the frozen peas. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rumba Meats. All opinions are entirely my own.
The recipe was originally posted in November 2017, and video and more tips were added in January 2022. Updated again in September 2022 to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe.
Hello I’m going to try out your recipe but my question is what can I substitute for the red wine?
Hello Jacquie! You can use just more stock. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Try white wine or a rose then you half way there 👍
This looks so delicious. Colombian Oxtail is by far my favorite dish. My entire household loves it, however, one of my household members is alergic to tomatoes. Can i make this without the tomatoes? Will it still come out ok?
Hello LKela! I haven’t tried it without the tomatoes, but I think it could work. In that case, I would suggest adding a cup or so more of stock. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Can you cut the reciipe in half?
Hello, I cut the recipe in half. It was tasty but was not so appealing to the eyes. lol
I think that was because it was over cooked.
Hello Valerie! I’m glad you enjoyed the taste. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
Hello Valerie! Yes, you can =) Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Hi! I do not have a slow cooker. Can I cook it over the stove? If so, is the cooking time and heat remains the same? Thank you!
But I do have a energy saving thermal cooker with warmer, this (https://www.takahi.com.sg/products/details/energy-saving-thermal-cooker-with-warmer-size-6-0-litre-2-5-litre). Not sure if I can use the same slow cooker method for this?
I am sorry, Estella, but I am not familiar with this cooker.
Hello Estella! Yes, you can cook this recipe over the stove. I would recommend cooking over medium-low heat, covered, for 2-3 hrs, or until the or until the meat falls away from the bone. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Hi there. So I’ve started this the night before and I am in step 5 – will leave it on low overnight as I sleep. My question is can I add the carrots and peas in the morning and leave it as I go to work? I am away for about 8 hours I am not sure if this overkill or not? I will take your direction on this of course. If not I can wake up in the middle of the night and add them then just switch it off when I go to work.
Hello Sam! Yes, you can definitely do that. After cooking it overnight, and before you leave to work, remove the bones and big pieces of fat and add the veggies. Make sure your slow cooker is set to LOW. Thanks so much for trying my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
I made those oxtails and shared it with family and friends everyone said they were delicious.
Hello Dennis! So glad everyone enjoyed it. Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
Tried this recipe. The first stage went okay but once I put the veggies in it didn’t work. After 3.5 hours on high the potatoes we’re still rock hard. I ended up taking everything out and putting it on the stove top. With the meat removal and the fat straining and all the rest of it, this recipe is much too complex. I use the crock pot for simple no-fuss recipes. Would love to see a version that doesn’t require multiple cooking phases.
Hello David! I also like no-fuss recipes, however, in this case, the oxtail is a fatty cut of meat and I like to remove large pieces of fat and the bones before adding the veggies so it does not end up being a big greasy mess. If you don’t mind the extra fat you can cook all together from the beginning, about 6-8 hours on low. I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. Thanks for trying my recipe though.
Hi. Trying to make this recipe. What do I do with the leeks. You just say “add leeks”. Do I chop them up or what? I can’t see any leeks in the photos of the finished stew.
Hello David! Thank you for letting me know that omission. The leeks must be sliced (white and light green parts only). After the cooking process the leeks fall apart, you can’t see them but they definitely enhance the taste.
Hi there sorry for the late reply! The oxtail was an absolute hit and came out so yummy. Now I will have to make it all the time for my bf ?
Sounds like you nailed it, Sam! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know! =)
The best recipe I could find but it was worth all the searching. Absolutely delicious and the photos would encourage anyone to try it.keep up the good work Oriana.
Ken
Hello Ken! Wow… what a compliment! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know.
This is a very flavorful recipe. I tried to get to the step where I could drain the fat and separate the meat from the bone. After six hours, I finally had to transfer the stew to our metal slow cooker, because our old crock pot would not get hot enough to cook the meat enough to get it off of the bone. I learned a lesson that the newer crockpots cook at a higher temperature than crockpots made over ten years ago. After the transfer, I was able drain the fat and separate the meat from the bone. I chose your recipe because it had a tomato/beef base and the photo presentation looked great. My husband enjoyed the stew.
Hello Donna! Thank you so much for trying my recipe, and I’m SO GLAD you and your husband enjoyed it!!
This has been a part of my family since I could remember. Yes it was a throw away, but not to slaves on plantations. And so it was with my family and others here in the south. Probably the most tasty cut of the cow.
I agree, Eldrick! Thanks so much for stopping by.
I prepared this twice in two weeks and my wife and kids love it. The second time, I added cinnamon stick, star anise and a tbsp of dark soya sauce to give it a more asian flavour. The taste of the stew is so good that I want to ask if I can use other cuts of meat because oxtail cost alot in my country and seems like I am paying a lot for the bones. Thank you
Hello Jerome! Thanks so much for trying my recipe. Yes, you can use a cheaper cut such chuck, rump roast or eye round roast. Hope this help!