Go Back
Rabo Guisado Puerto Rican Oxtail Stew

Rabo Guisado (Puerto Rican Oxtail Stew)

Rabo Guisado or oxtail stew is a savory Caribbean dish that features fall-off-the-bone, tender beef, in a rich sauce infused with sofrito, herbs, and spices. Paired with sides like arroz blanco, or arroz con gandules, tostones, and avocado, this dish is a complete delicacy.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure cooker 6 quart

Ingredients
  

  • 5 lbs oxtail cut at the joint
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar for rinsing the oxtail
  • 1-2 tsp granulated sugar for browning the oxtail

Marinade

  • 4 tsp achiote oil see notes
  • 1/2 cup sofrito
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 8 cloves garlic crushed (reserve 1 clove for the end)
  • 2 tsp Adobo Loisa
  • 2 tsp Sazón Loisa
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Stew

  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 1 cubanelle pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup Recaito Loisa (can sub with sofrito)
  • 1 cup red wine Cabernet, Pinot Noir, or Merlot
  • water enough to cover oxtail
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp beef or chicken bouillon Better than Bouillon
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4-5 culantro leaves (recao)

Instructions
 

Clean the oxtail

  • Clean the oxtail thoroughly by rinsing with plenty of cold water. Trim off any excess fat and place them in a bowl. Add the white vinegar and allow to soak for 5-10 minutes. Drain, rinse again, and set aside.

Marinate the oxtail

  • In a large mixing bowl, add achiote oil, sofrito, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crushed garlic, Loisa adobo and sazón, garlic powder, ground oregano, and ground black pepper.
  • Add in the oxtail and toss to coat with the marinade. Cover and allow to marinate for at least one hour, or overnight.

Cook the oxtail

  • Place a large pan over medium high heat and add granulated sugar. Brown the oxtail in the caramelized sugar about 4 minutes on each side. This can be done in batches.
  • Once browned, remove oxtail and set aside.
  • In a pressure cooker, add achiote oil, onions, peppers, and recaito. Cook until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the oxtail and pour in the remaining marinade. Add the wine, tomato sauce, and bouillon. 
  • Add enough water to cover the oxtail. Bring to a boil.
  • Add bay leaves and culantro leaves. Cover and cook for about 30-45 minutes at medium heat.
  • Once the oxtail is fall-off-the-bone tender, remove the aromatics and skim the excess fat collected at the top.
  • Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning, if necessary. If you prefer a smooth sauce, strain the sauce and return it to the pot. If the sauce is too thin, add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. *See notes.
  • Optional: add 1 small clove of raw, crushed garlic. Stir well.
  • Serve with your sides of choice and enjoy!

Video

Notes

How to make achiote oil:
     Aceite de Achiote (Annatto Oil)   
 
TIPS:
If the broth is too watery, thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Mix equal parts of cornstarch and cold water. Start with 1 tablespoon of corn starch + 1 tablespoon of water. Add it to the broth and stir while the flame is on medium. The heat will help the cornstarch thicken the broth nicely. This is usually enough but add a little more slurry, if necessary.
Use drinking wine, not cooking wine. Cooking wine contains salt and additives that can ruin the flavors of this dish. Drinking wine will enhance the flavors and take this dish to a new level! I recommend dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot.
If you prefer onions and peppers with texture, add them in 15 minutes before the end of cooking time. Otherwise, they will soften and disintegrate into the sauce. 
If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can cook this dish in a caldero or Dutch oven. It will take about 2 hours for the oxtail to become tender.
Once the oxtail is fall-off-the-bone tender, remove the aromatics (culantro, bay leaves) and skim the excess fat collected at the top. Oxtail is very fatty, so you'll want to "clean" the sauce by removing the excess fat.
Optional: add 1 small clove of raw, crushed garlic once the oxtail is cooked. In my opinion, this elevates the flavors of this dish to new heights! Stir well and remove from heat. Serve with your sides of choice and enjoy!
 
Loisa Discount:
For this recipe I used Loisa sofrito, recaito, adobo and sazón. Loisa products are made with clean ingredients, without fillers or harmful dyes. Use my code madewithsazon for 10% off your order!