Tender and delicious instant pot oxtail cooked in a rich and complex Cuban based sauce with citrus, peppers, tomatoes and oregano. The instant pot is perfect for converting this normally slow cook braising recipe into a weeknight win.
When cooking oxtails most recipes rely on slow cooking the oxtails to fall off the bone tenderness, but believe it or not you can get as good of results if not better with a pressure cooker in a fraction of the time.
If you're looking for an easy, flavorful dinner option that still puts that homemade touch to the meal, then look no further than this delicious instant pot oxtail stew recipe.
Oxtails can seem intimidating to cook, however with our simple step-by-step instructions and using the power of your trusty Instant Pot pressure cooker, it’s never been easier or faster to whip up a warm bowl of comfort food!
Oxtails alone are just good as hell. This sauce though and the combination of aromatics elevates this pressure cooker oxtail stew and will have you trying to walk on the moon. Leeks + poblanos + carrots +red onions make for a great "mirepoix!" You'll definitely want to reserve some of the finished sauce for later use.
Instant Pot Oxtail Ingredients
The spice mix for the dish includes oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. I had sour oranges available but you can substitute a combination of lime and orange juice. Poblanos are the preferred green chili, but serrano or jalapenos work as well.
Oxtails alone are just good as hell. This sauce though and the combination of aromatics elevates this pressure cooker oxtail stew and will have you trying to walk on the moon. Leeks + poblanos + carrots +red onions make for a great "mirepoix!" You'll definitely want to reserve some of the finished sauce for later use.
For the Marinade/Sauce
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh Oregano
- Ground Cumin
- Bay leaves
- Orange Juice
- Lime juice
- Dry white wine
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
For Oxtails
- Olive oil or vegetable oil
- Beef oxtails
- Carrots
- Red onion
- Leeks
- Poblano pepper
- Diced Tomatoes - tomato paste can be substituted
- Habanero or scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
How to make oxtails in an Instant Pot (step by step)
Step 1: Marinate the oxtails
Mix together garlic, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, juice, wine, salt and pepper. Marinate the oxtails overnight. Flip the oxtails half-way through to ensure all parts of the oxtails are covered.
Step 2: Brown oxtail
Remove the oxtails from the marinade and pat dry them. Turn instant pot on using the "saute" settings. Saute at "more" and once display reads "hot" add the oil. Add the oxtails and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Step 3: Saute the vegetables
Add the onions, carrots, poblanos, and leeks and saute 3-4 minutes. Add half the spices half-way through. Cancel "saute."
Step 4: Add braising liquids
Add the marinade to the pot plus the habanero, bay leaf, remaining spices, and fresh herbs if using. Deglaze the pan by stirring with a wooden spoon.
Step 5: Cook oxtail
Add the browned oxtail to the instant pot. Close the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes. Remove the oxtails and turn the Instant Pot "saute" settings back on to reduce the sauce to a thicker consistency.
Serving Suggestions
I'm partial to oxtail and grits as a combo. The rich stew is absolutely delicious and gets absorbed by the creamy grits for something wonderful! These oxtails also taste great with rice or even mashed potatoes.
Serve instant pot oxtail and its sauce spooned right on top of the grits. Top with fresh chopped parsley and green onions.
Instant Pot Oxtail Cooking Tips
- Trim excess fat away from the oxtail. This will make for a more pleasant eating experience and mitigate the greasy factor in the broth.
- Season oxtail simply. Salt and pepper will suffice just fine.
- Brown the oxtails in the pan well to maximize flavor. Follow my guide for browning meat in an instant pot for best results
- De-glaze the pan with the marinade scraping up the brown bits from the oxtails
- The sauce is amazing, so be sure to reduce it down and store what you don't use in the fridge for later. I heated up a can of black beans in a pot and added a cup of the leftover sauce. They were delicious!
- For deeper beef flavor add beef broth and maybe Worcestershire sauce
- Reduce the sauce to a thicker consistency. Add corn starch if the sauce doesn't reach your preferred consistency. Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the starch with water giving it a good stir before adding it to the broth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Making Instant Pot Oxtail Soup
Do You Have To Clean Oxtails Before Cooking?
In my house cleaning oxtail or any meat before cooking is a must. I go with the Caribbean way of washing oxtail with citrus (lime juice) and water.
Why is oxtail so expensive?
Oxtail used to be a cheap cut, but in recent years it has become one of the more expensive cuts of meat out there. This has largely been driven by the popularity of oxtail with restaurant chefs. The luxurious taste and tender texture of oxtail is no longer a best kept secret. Demand has increased quite a bit given the new mainstream acceptance.
Can you make this recipe in a slow cooker or crockpot?
Yes this recipe is easiliy convertible to a slow cooker. Crockpots aren't my thing but if you go down this path just be sure to brown the oxtail first before adding to the crockpot. The browning adds some caramelization which is a big flavor add. Slow cookers don't get hot enough to create this so you'll need to use a separate pan.
What are good substitutes for beef oxtail?
I make a similar beef stew recipe using beef short ribs or chuck roast. Beef shanks could also work pretty well in this instant pot recipe.
For similar instant pot recipes you might like, try these:
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
Instant Pot Creole Cabbage w/ Andouille Sausage
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
Instant Pot Brown Stew Chicken
Instant Pot Collard Greens w/ Smoked Brisket
Make This Recipe
This recipe for Instant Pot Oxtail is fall-off-the-bone delicious and so easy to make! The pressure cooker does all the work for you, resulting in a flavorful and comforting meal that the whole family will love.
Serve this dish over rice or mashed potatoes for a complete meal. Don't have an Instant Pot? No problem! This recipe can also be made in a slow cooker. So what are you waiting for? Give this recipe a try tonight!
If you make this tender oxtail recipe or any other from the site, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.
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Equipment
- instant pot
Ingredients
For the Marinade/Sauce
- 6 cloves Garlic diced
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 cup OJ
- 1 Lime juiced
- 1 cup Dry white wine
- ½ tablespoon Kosher Salt
- ½ tablespoon Black Pepper
For Oxtails
- 1 tablespoon oil coconut, olive, or ghee
- 2 lbs beef oxtails
- 1 whole Carrot diced
- 1 medium red onion diced
- ½ cup Leeks whites only, thinly sliced round wise
- 1 large poblano diced
- 8 oz diced Tomatoes canned
- 1 habanero pepper (optional) small slits cut into the sides
Instructions
Make the marinade
- Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Make the oxtails
- Place oxtails in a large glass bowl or ziplock bag. Add the marinade to the oxtails and refrigerate overnight. Flip halfway through the marinating process if oxtails aren’t fully covered.
- Remove oxtails from the refrigerator. Remove from marinade (reserve the marinade). Dry the oxtails fully with a paper towel and set aside to reach room temperature.
- Turn on Instant Pot via “more” Saute settings. Once the display reads “Hot” add oil. Add oxtails and brown on all sides. Remove oxtails and set aside.
- Add the vegetables (carrots, leeks, onions, poblanos) to the pot and sauté 3-4 minutes.
- Add beef back with marinade submerging them as much as possible. Add bay leaf, habanero and fresh herbs if using. Pressure cook on high 40 minutes, then naturally release for 20 minutes.
- Remove oxtails then add tomatoes and cook down until sauce thickens (about 10 minutes).
Notes
- If you don't have sour oranges, use a combination of lime and orange juice.
- Brown the oxtails in the pan well to maximize flavor. Follow my guide for browning meat in an instant pot for best results
- De-glaze the pan with the marinade scraping up the brown bits from the oxtails
- The sauce is amazing, so be sure to reduce it down and store what you don't use in the fridge for later. I heated up a can of black beans in a pot and added a cup of the leftover sauce. They were delicious!
TK
Tuesday 28th of June 2022
Just made this using the meat/stew setting on my IP. Absolutely delicious with some cilantro/lime rice! A few comments, the marinade (Mojo) needs a higher ratio of lime juice to orange juice. I've always been told that its closer to 2/3 cup of Lime juice to 1/3 cup of OJ. I only had two limes, so I also used the zest from the limes in order to help get the necessary tartness. Lemons and grapefruit can also work in a pinch.
Marwin Brown
Tuesday 28th of June 2022
Thank u! Glad you liked it and I like your adjustments. I gotta get around to using that meat/stew setting lol!
Hayley
Monday 23rd of August 2021
The flavours you have used for the sauce look delicious! Such a great idea to use your instant pot
Tammy
Saturday 21st of August 2021
This dish is incredibly flavorful! There is so much going on here and I'm excited to try it. I haven't had ox tails in years. My uncle used to make an ox tail sauce...I'm going to make this in his honor. Thank you for the delicious recipe.
Sara LaFountain
Saturday 21st of August 2021
I never knew you could make oxtails in the instant pot. I am going to have to give this method a try.
Veronika
Saturday 21st of August 2021
This is such an interesting recipe, I would love to try it! I've never had oxtails before and wonder how they taste ;)