Oxtail Pasta
Tender, slow-cooked oxtails with a creamy, flavorful pasta—perfect for a hearty and indulgent meal. It's a bit labor intensive, but I'm told it's worth it.
- Prep time
- 5 hr
- Cook time
- 3 hr
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 Lb oxtails (rubbed with lime and trimmed of excess fat)
- 1/2 C jerk marinade
- 2 Tsp granulated garlic
- 1 Tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 Tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 Tsp ground allspice
- 2 Tsp kosher salt (divided)
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp water (for deglazing)
- 1 medium carrot (diced)
- 3 ribs celery (diced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 1 Tbsp browning sauce
- 6 C water
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 Tsp black pepper
- 2 1/2 Tsp light brown sugar (packed)
- 4 Tbsp salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 C baby bella mushrooms (sliced)
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream (*)
- 1 C parmesan cheese (grated*)
- 4 Oz mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 2 C frozen spinach thawed and drained
- 1 C cherry tomatoes (halved lengthwise)
- 1 Lb rigatoni pasta (reserve 1 cup of pasta water after draining)
- 1/2 Tsp kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
At least 5 hours before cooking, toss your oxtails in a bowl with the jerk marinade, granulated garlic, cumin, ginger, allspice, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Make sure they're thoroughly coated, cover the bowl, and refrigerate. Let them sit out for 30 minutes before cooking.
- 2
Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and drizzle in the vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the oxtails in a single layer—work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding. Sear the oxtails undisturbed for about 2 minutes per side until nicely browned all around.
- 3
Once all the oxtails are seared, remove them from the pot. If there's a lot stuck to the bottom of the pot, pour in a tablespoon of water to loosen it up, stirring well. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomato paste, stirring until it becomes fragrant.
- 4
Add the diced carrot, celery, and onion to the pot along with the browning sauce. Stir and let everything cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly and release their aromas.
- 5
Return the oxtails to the pot and pour in enough water to just cover them. Stir in the thyme, remaining salt, and black pepper. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, partially cover, and let the oxtails cook for about 3 hours, or until they're fork-tender and pulling away from the bone. If the liquid reduces too much, add water 1/2 cup at a time—just enough to keep most of the oxtails submerged.
- 6
While the oxtails finish cooking, get started on the pasta. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Toss in the minced garlic and sliced mushrooms, stirring until the garlic darkens slightly and the mushrooms release their liquid.
- 7
While the garlic and mushrooms cook, start boiling your pasta according to package instructions. Don’t forget to salt the water!
- 8
Once the garlic and mushrooms are cooked down, stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Let the parmesan melt into the sauce, then stir in the mozzarella, thawed spinach, and cherry tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer until slightly thickened.
- 9
While the sauce simmers and the pasta boils, use two forks (or your hands) to shred the oxtail meat from the bones. Keep an eye on your pasta so it doesn’t overcook!
- 10
Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water if the sauce needs to be loosened. Stir the pasta into the sauce, making sure it’s well-coated.
- 11
Gently fold the shredded oxtail meat into the pasta, stirring until everything is fully incorporated. Taste and add salt if needed. Finish with a crack of black pepper over the top. Dassit!