Braised Oxtails

Name: Braised Oxtails (Instant Pot)
Cook time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 lbs oxtails, trimmed slightly of fat; Coarse salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 ts smoked paprika; 1/2 ts garlic powder; Flour; 2 Tb peanut oil, more as needed; 1 medium onion, quartered; 6 cloves garlic, chopped; 1/2 ts brown sugar; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 ts dried thyme; 1/2 ts dried oregano; 1 cup red wine; 4 oz tomato sauce; 2 cups chicken stock, as needed; 1 Tb soy sauce; 1 Tb Worcestershire sauce; 1 ts balsamic vinegar

Braised oxtails cooked in an Instant Pot emerge silky and tender in 35 minutes—a fraction of the traditional 2–3 hour simmer time. The pressure-cooking method extracts deep, beefy flavor while collapsing the connective tissue into gelatin-rich, luxurious meat.

⚡Instant Pot

🏷️Pressure cooker 🏷️Instant pot 🏷️Braised 🏷️Beef 🏷️Oxtails Wine

🏷️

Total

Servings

4

Difficulty

Hard

Est. Cost

$34–$56

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From My Cooking Blog

Ingredients

3 lbs oxtails, trimmed slightly of fat
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 ts smoked paprika
1/2 ts garlic powder
Flour
2 Tb peanut oil, more as needed
1 medium onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 ts brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1/2 ts dried thyme
1/2 ts dried oregano
1 cup red wine
4 oz tomato sauce
2 cups chicken stock, as needed
1 Tb soy sauce
1 Tb Worcestershire sauce
1 ts balsamic vinegar

19 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Place oxtails in a large colander in the sink. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Carefully pour over oxtails, turning large pieces to coat. Rinse oxtails with cold water, washing away any impurities. Pat oxtails dry and place in large bowl.
2
Season oxtails liberally with salt and pepper, and the paprika and garlic powder. Dredge in flour.
3
Heat Instant Pot on Saute. When "Hot," add oil and heat to barely smoking. Brown oxtails in batches, turning to brown evenly. Remove browned pieces to a dish.
4
Add onion to Instant Pot and cook, stirring until slightly brown, adding more oil as needed. Add garlic, brown sugar, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine, and stir to deglaze pot. Bring to a boil and reduce slightly, about one minute. Add tomato sauce, one cup of stock, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Return to boil, nestle oxtails in pot, and add additional stock to barely cover oxtails.
5
Lock lid in place and cook on Manual for 35 minutes. Release with NR. Remove oxtails to serving platter. Reduce liquid slightly on Saute and defat. Correct seasonings and spoon over oxtails, serving with rice, polenta, or pasta.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Trim excess surface fat from oxtails before searing to prevent a greasy braise, but leave the fat attached to the bone for flavor and collagen extraction.
Sear the oxtails hard in batches until deeply browned (3–4 minutes per side) to build fond and caramelize the exterior for richer flavor.
Do a quick pressure release after cooking to avoid overcooking the meat, then switch to sauté mode to simmer and reduce the braising liquid to concentrate flavor.
Check the Instant Pot's sealing ring is clean and seated properly before pressurizing to ensure accurate cooking time.

Substitutions

Peanut oil → vegetable or canola oil (neutral, high smoke point)
Smoked paprika → Hungarian sweet paprika (milder, less smoke)
Brown sugar → honey or molasses (deeper caramel notes)

Storage & make-ahead

Store braised oxtails and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on stovetop over low heat.

Equipment

Instant Pot (6-quart or 8-quart) · Tongs or meat fork (for searing and removal)

Common Questions

Can you make this on the stovetop instead of an Instant Pot?

Yes. Sear the oxtails and aromatics in a heavy pot, then braise covered at a gentle simmer for 2–3 hours until fork-tender, checking liquid level occasionally.