Raba Ecendido Recipe

Raba Ecendido Recipe

Raba Encendido is a popular Cuban dish made by slowly cooking oxtails with vegetables, wine, and tomato paste until the tough flesh is fork soft and all the fat and connective tissue have melted, producing a rich sauce. Long-grain white rice and soft maduros are typically served alongside it; the rice is useful for soaking up the mouthwatering sauce, and the fried sweet plantains go well with the savoury bits of beef. The name, which translates from Spanish as “tail on fire,” makes reference to the kind of meat, the spicy spice blend, and the cayenne pepper heat. The oxtail’s softness and the sauce’s velvety smoothness are the two elements that set a fantastic Rabo Encendido apart from a good one. A good Rabo Encendido only has one out of these two characteristics, it does not have both.

Over the years this dish has been my go-to dish whenever I have guests around. I always want them to have a firsthand taste of my magical oxtail stew. Of course, every home has its own variants on the meal; for instance, some people prefer to add ground allspice to the sauce. Whole cloves are what I prefer to use since they give each bite a warm, rich flavour. In order to give the sauce a brighter colour and greater depth, I also use sazón, a spice mixture that serves as the basis for many Latin American recipes.

You may have Rabo Encendido whenever you want, in my opinion. The only drawback is that it demands three to four hours of your time, which must be scheduled in advance. The oxtails are slowly braising for the majority of the lengthy cooking period, so don’t let that overwhelm you. During that time, they won’t require your supervision.

Normally, I would cook the braise entirely on the stovetop, but for this recipe, I moved it to a low oven for a number of reasons. Utilizing an oven ensures that the cooking temperature is consistent, making the recipes more dependable.

A low oven braise decreases the need for stirring since burning is less of a concern. Additionally, utilizing the oven contributes to the development of a richer flavour because the hot air that circulates around the oxtails encourages Maillard browning on their exposed surfaces.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds oxtails (900g), trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry
• Salt
• 1½ tablespoons (3/4 ounces; 23ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium-sized yellow onion, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 3 medium-sized cloves garlic, minced
• One 3-ounce can (about 85g) of tomato paste
• 1 cup (240ml) dry white wine
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon (about 4) whole cloves
• ¾ teaspoon sazón con achiote y culantro
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• Cooked long-grain rice and maduros, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and arrange the rack in the centre. Salt the oxtails all over. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until sizzling. Cook oxtails in batches to prevent crowding the pan, about 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned all over. Repeat with remaining oil and oxtails. Leave aside.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, green and red bell peppers, and garlic. Season moderately with salt, then simmer, turning constantly to avoid browning, until veggies have softened and onions are translucent, this takes about 5 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high, whisk in the tomato paste, and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Return the oxtails to the Dutch oven with any collected juices. Mix in the wine, bay leaves, cloves, sazón, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne until everything is well combined. Bring to a boil, then move to an oven and simmer until the oxtails are soft and starting to come off the bone, about 3 1/2 hours.
5. Return the Dutch oven to the burner, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce has reduced and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve with rice and maduros right away.