Oxtail & Potato Stew in Tomato Sauce

This is a Southern country stew that uses oxtails for backbone and a can of tomato sauce plus stewed tomatoes for body. Diced potatoes, onion, celery, and carrots cook down together, and the corn goes in once they’re nearly tender so it stays sweet and crisp.

The stew is built to flex. If you want it heartier, stir in elbow macaroni when you add the corn. If you like okra, slide it in at the very end so it doesn’t go slimy from over-cooking. The tomato sauce keeps everything binding together into a stew rather than a soup.

Serve it the right way. Hot cornbread on the side soaks up the tomatoey broth, or a stack of saltine crackers crumbled on top works just as well. This is the kind of pot that tastes better the next day.

Chef Tips

• Cut the potatoes evenly. Mismatched sizes mean some break apart while others stay underdone.
• Add the corn and tomato sauce only when the root vegetables are almost tender. Throwing them in at the start dilutes the flavor.
• Hold the okra until the very end. Five minutes is enough to heat it through without turning it slick.
• Salt at the finish, not the start. Tomato products and oxtail both contribute sodium and you can easily overshoot.

Variations

• Swap the canned tomatoes for fire-roasted tomatoes for a smokier base.
• Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or a few dashes of hot sauce for Cajun-leaning heat.
• Stir in a handful of fresh thyme or a bay leaf during the simmer for a more aromatic finish.