Rabo Guisado (Stewed Puerto Rican Oxtail Recipe)

Tender Puerto Rican rabo guisado (stewed oxtail) simmered with sofrito, tomato paste & veggies. A hearty, slow-cooked dish perfect over rice.

Oxtail is my absolute favorite cut of meat. It’s rich in collagen and bone marrow, and when cooked low and slow, it becomes fall-off-the-bone tender. Growing up, I enjoyed Jamaican-style oxtails, Southern-style smothered oxtails, and this Puerto Rican version called Rabo Guisado. Rabo guisado is a hearty oxtail stew with a sofrito base, tomato paste, and root vegetables. It’s perfect for special occasions or when you’re craving a comforting meal that fills your kitchen with the flavors of Puerto Rico.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe uses classic Puerto Rican flavors like homemade sofrito, and achiote oil. It’s a different way to enjoy oxtail beyond Jamaican oxtails or Southern stewed oxtails. Slow cooking draws out the collagen, making the meat luscious and melt-in-your-mouth. It’s also a perfect dish to make ahead of time, because the flavors deepen overnight.

Substitutions & Additions

This recipe calls for tomato paste, but you can swap the tomato paste for ¼ cup tomato sauce, cooking it down to concentrate the flavor. You can try throwing in other root vegetables like yuca or calabaza (pumpkin; my personal favorite addition) for your own spin, just chop the the same size as the potatoes so everything cooks evenly.

Ingredient Tips

This recipe is pretty straightforward, but here are a few things you should know that will guarantee a successful outcome.

• Sofrito: I use my homemade sofrito recipe for every Puerto Rican dish I make. I don’t add any oil or salt into my sofrito because I want to have the freedom to season each dish I use it in to my liking. I freeze my freshly made sofrito in silicone tablespoon-size molds, and then once they’re frozen, I pop them into a freezer bag for easy use. It lasts for months and tastes way better than store-bought; however, if you don’t want to take the time out to make your own batch, store-bought will suffice!
• Oxtails need time. Collagen starts breaking down at 180°F, so let the oxtails simmer for at least 2½–3 hours on low heat. This ensures a tender, juicy texture. Don’t rush the cook time by cranking up the heat. Too high heat can dry out the meat, even in liquid.
• Skim off excess fat at the end of cooking time for a cleaner broth. Oxtails can produce a lot of excess grease because they’re such a fatty cut of meat. I like to make this the day before I’m serving it, so after I remove it from the refrigerator, I can easily remove the solid fat from the top of the stew and then reheat.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this Puerto Rican oxtail stew over arroz blanco (white rice) with slices of ripe avocado. This also pairs well with Tostones (fried green plantains).
• Pair with a crisp green salad or ensalada de aguacate for a complete meal.
• A sprinkle of fresh cilantro at the end brings out all the vibrant flavors of this dish.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Anyone who knows me knows that I love leftovers! This is a perfect dish to make ahead, especially if you plan on serving this at a family dinner or if you’re having friends over, or even if you’re planning on bringing this as your contribution to a potluck-style event!

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop over low heat or in a slow cooker until heated through. To keep leftovers from drying out, add a cup of water or stock when reheating to loosen the sauce and keep everything juicy.
• This stew actually tastes better the next day because the flavors have even more time to mingle and develop.

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