Rabo Encendido (Cuban Oxtail Stew)

Trim and marinate

Trim any thick knobs of surface fat from the oxtail pieces — this keeps the finished sauce from turning greasy. Pat the meat dry, season with the salt and pepper, then toss with the citrus juice and half the garlic. Cover and marinate in the fridge, at least 30 minutes or overnight for deeper flavour.

• 2 kg oxtail
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 120 ml sour orange juice
• 3 cloves garlic

✅ Done when: the oxtail has marinated for at least 30 minutes and smells bright with citrus and garlic

Brown the oxtail

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over high heat. Lift the oxtail from the marinade and pat it dry again — wet meat steams instead of browning. Sear in batches without crowding the pot, 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Set the pieces aside; this step builds most of the stew's flavour.

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 kg oxtail (marinated)

✅ Done when: every piece of meat is deep mahogany-brown on all sides, not grey

Build the sofrito

Lower the heat to medium. In the same pot, cook the onion and both peppers in the rendered fat for about 8 minutes, until soft and golden. Add the remaining garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.

• 1 large onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 3 cloves garlic

✅ Done when: the vegetables are soft and golden and the garlic smells fragrant but is not browned

Deepen the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly — this cooks off its raw, tinny taste. Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon; let it bubble for 2 minutes.

• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 250 ml dry red wine

✅ Done when: the tomato paste has darkened and the wine has reduced slightly, with no raw alcohol smell

Simmer the stew

Return the browned oxtail and all its juices to the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, cumin, oregano, bay leaves and the whole chili. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally and skimming off excess fat from the surface, until the meat is tender enough to fall off the bone.

• 400 g crushed tomatoes
• 750 ml beef stock
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 whole hot chili

✅ Done when: the meat pulls away from the bone with no resistance and the sauce has thickened

Add the carrots

Add the carrot chunks, re-cover, and continue simmering for 30–40 minutes more, until the carrots are tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick, glossy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

• 2 carrots

✅ Done when: the carrots are fork-tender and the sauce is thick and glossy, not watery

Finish and serve

Discard the bay leaves and the whole chili (or leave the chili in and crush it slightly if you like it fiery). Taste and adjust the salt. Serve hot over white rice, scattered with fresh cilantro.

• 2 bay leaves (to discard)
• 1 whole hot chili (to discard or crush)
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro