🍽️ My Roman Braised Oxtail

📝 Intro

Saucy tomato beef flavoured with white wine and chocolate, What not to love about this dish !!!

🧂 Ingredients

• 330g Oxtail (veal tail), cut into pieces
• 830g Peeled tomatoes
• 23g Lard
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• Cloves, to taste
• 85ml White wine
• Fine salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Water, as needed

🌿 Celery Sauce

• 133g White celery, chopped
• 17g Raisins, soaked
• 10g Dark chocolate, grated

👨‍🍳 Preparation

1. Sear the Oxtail: In a large pan, melt the lard with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the oxtail pieces and brown them on all sides.
2. Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped onions and minced garlic to the pan. Cook until the onions are translucent.
3. Deglaze: Add the cloves and pour in the white wine. Let it simmer until the alcohol evaporates.
4. Add Tomatoes: Stir in the peeled tomatoes. If needed, add water to ensure the meat is covered. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Simmer: Cover the pan and let it simmer on low heat for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add water if the sauce reduces too much.
6. Prepare Celery Sauce:
   • Boil the chopped celery in water for 10–15 minutes until tender.
   • Drain and blend the celery with a bit of its cooking water to create a purée.
   • In a separate pan, combine the celery purée with the soaked raisins and grated dark chocolate. Cook over low heat until the chocolate melts and the sauce is well combined.
7. Combine Sauces: Add a ladle of the oxtail cooking sauce to the celery mixture. Stir well, then pour the celery sauce back into the oxtail pan. Mix to combine and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
8. Serve: Once the meat is tender and the flavors have melded, adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot.

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Note: This adaptation maintains the rich, hearty essence of the traditional Roman dish while aligning with your preferences.

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⏱ Details

• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 3 hours (slow simmering for tenderness and depth of flavor)
• Total Time: Approx. 3 hours 30 minutes
• Difficulty: Intermediate
  Requires patience and attention to detail, especially for balancing the celery-chocolate sauce.

🎥 Watch the Video

Here you can watch it !!!

https://youtu.be/et-n83VaCsI

💡 Notes & Tips

🔥 Browning is Key

Take your time browning the oxtail pieces in lard — this builds the foundational flavor of the dish. Don’t rush it; good caramelization means deeper flavor.

🍷 Wine Matters

Use a dry white wine with good acidity (like a Frascati or Trebbiano). Avoid sweet or overly oaky wines, as they can clash with the tomato and chocolate notes.

🧅 Sauce Depth

To enhance the umami, consider adding:

• A touch of anchovy paste during the onion sauté (Roman trick).
• A splash of beef or veal stock instead of water if you want a richer sauce.

🍫 Chocolate Balance

Use bittersweet dark chocolate (70–80%) — avoid milk chocolate. It should round out the sauce, not sweeten it. Think of it like seasoning, not dessert.

🌿 Rest Before Serving

Let the dish rest 15–20 minutes off the heat before serving. The flavors meld better, and the sauce thickens slightly.

🍞 Serve With…

• Rustic crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
• Or creamy polenta — it makes a luxurious, traditional pairing.
• Steamed greens like chicory or broccolini cut the richness nicely.

🥶 Even Better Next Day

Like many braised dishes, it tastes even better reheated the next day. Store in the fridge overnight, then gently rewarm — the collagen will set and melt beautifully again.