Rabo Encendido
(rah-boh en-sen-dee-doh)
La Olla Mágica: Instant Pot Heritage
In Cuba, the pressure cooker was never a trendy gadget; it was an absolute survival tool. It was the magic pot that took the toughest, cheapest cuts of meat and beat them into submission, transforming them into Sunday-worthy feasts. Rabo Encendido—literally "tail on fire"—is the crown jewel of this tradition. Born from Spanish bullfighting scraps and adapted with a deeply savory Caribbean sofrito, this rich, gelatinous oxtail stew is a magnificent collision of history and necessity. The Instant Pot simply brings Abuela's four-hour weekend braise into the realm of a weeknight miracle.
Before you start
Mise en place is non-negotiable.
Have your sofrito completely diced and ready before the oxtails hit the hot oil. This saves you from a frantic scramble while trying to manage the screaming-hot sear.
Ingredients
- beef oxtails3 lb
- Sazón Completa1 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- yellow onion1 large
- green bell pepper1 med
- red bell pepper1/2 med
- garlic6 med clove
- vino seco or dry white wine1/2 cup
- tomato sauce8 oz
- tomato paste2 tbsp
- beef broth1 cup
- Sazón con Culantro y Achiote1 small packet
- ground cumin1 tsp
- dried oregano1/2 tsp
- dried bay leaves2 med
- hot sauce1 tsp
- Spanish manzanilla olives1/4 cup
- russet potato2 med
- carrot1 large
Method
- 01
Season and sear the oxtails.
Toss the meat with the complete seasoning, salt, and pepper. Set the Instant Pot to high sauté, add the oil, and deeply brown the oxtails in batches without crowding the pot. Remove the meat and leave the rendered fat behind.
- 02
Build the sofrito.
Toss the diced onion and bell peppers into the hot beef fat, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift those browned bits. Cook until soft, then stir in the garlic for thirty seconds until intensely fragrant.
- 03
Deglaze and build the braise.
Pour in the vino seco. Scrape the pot completely clean so you don't trigger a burn warning later. Stir in the tomato sauce, paste, broth, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, hot sauce, and sazón.
- 04
Pressure cook the stew.
Submerge the oxtails and any rested juices back into the liquid. Seal the pot and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes.
- 05
Incorporate the vegetables.
Allow a 15-minute natural pressure release, then carefully vent the remaining steam. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, and olives. Reseal and cook on high pressure for another 5 to 8 minutes until the potatoes yield effortlessly to a fork.
- 06
Skim the fat and serve.
Quick-release the final pressure. Oxtails are loaded with rich fat that will pool at the top of the sauce; meticulously skim and discard it with a ladle. Serve piping hot over a mountain of white rice.
Notes
Leave the fat on for the braise.
Oxtails are incredibly rich, and leaving the fat on the cuts protects the meat while heavily flavoring the broth. The trick is to do the work at the end—you must skim the excess oil off the top of the finished sauce so it doesn't weigh the dish down.
Let it rest.
Like all great peasant stews, this dish tastes twice as good the next day when the complex flavors have had time to properly marry in the fridge.
From Cook Cuban in America.