Oxtail alla Siciliana: Grandma’s Revenge on Red Gravy

 If you’ve never cooked oxtail before, don’t worry — it looks scarier than your teenager’s laundry pile but tastes like heaven if you give it time. My Sicilian Aunts always said, “If it has bones, it has flavor.” They also said, “Marry someone who eats,” but that’s another post.

Now, most people throw oxtail into red gravy and call it a day. Not us. We’re Sicilian. We turn it into a full-blown family affair — loud, slow, and emotional. This is Oxtail alla Siciliana — the kind of dish that makes the house smell so good the neighbors suddenly remember you exist.

This recipe started on a Sunday when I decided to “keep it simple.” Three hours later I was knee-deep in tomato paste, wine bottles, and unsolicited advice from relatives who hadn’t cooked since the prohibition era!! 

But the result? Fork-tender oxtail in a sauce that hugs every piece of pasta like an Italian aunt at Christmas.  And if you're not Italian you'll never know how many hugs that is!

Ingredients

(Serves 10… because you never know who’s coming over. It could be me with my entire family, then you'll need more than servings for 10)

• 4–5 lbs oxtail, cut into sections

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, smashed like your last nerve

• 2 cups dry red wine (plus one glass for emotional support)

• 1 cup beef broth

• 3 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes

• A few sprigs fresh rosemary

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt & black pepper

• A splash of balsamic vinegar

• Chopped parsley and grated Pecorino for serving

  
  

  Directions

  1. Brown like you mean it.
     Heat olive oil in a big pot and sear those oxtails until they’re a deep, confident brown.
     (If your smoke alarm doesn’t chirp once, you’re not committed.)

  2. Add the crew.
     Toss in the onion, carrot, and garlic. Let them soften and gossip about the oxtail. Stir in the tomato paste and let it caramelize — we’re layering flavor, not feelings.

  3. Deglaze dramatically.
     Pour in the wine. Stir, scrape, and release those browned bits — the good stuff hiding on the bottom.
     Sip a little. Hydration is key.

  4. Simmer down.
     Add the tomatoes, broth, herbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and cook slowly for about 3 hours — just enough time for family drama to resolve itself.

  5. Finish with flair.
     When the meat falls apart, add a splash of balsamic vinegar for brightness. Shred the oxtail, return it to the pot, and stir it through.

     
     

     Serve It Like a Sicilian

     Spoon it over rigatoni or polenta, sprinkle with Pecorino, and eat it while standing because that's the only way a mom of 8 can eat....

     Pair it with Nero d’Avola or whatever red survived the cooking process.

     Leftovers? They make killer arancini tomorrow — because in a Sicilian kitchen, nothing goes to waste (except maybe patience).

     
     

     Final Thoughts

     This dish is everything I love about Sicilian cooking — humble ingredients, big flavors, and a lot of waiting around while the house fills with anticipation (and a little yelling). By the time it’s done, you’ve forgotten your stress, your kitchen smells like Nonna’s, I am Nonnie now, and everyone suddenly appears at the table like you summoned them with garlic.

     So go on — make it slow, make it loud, and make sure there’s bread to mop up every last drop.

     
     

     With LOVE and Sicilian Hugs, Lisa