Chinese Braised Oxtail Stew recipe that’s rich, hearty, and easy to make. This slow-braised comfort food is tender, flavorful, and fall-apart delicious with minimal effort — perfect over rice or noodles.

Chinese Braised Oxtail Stew has been one of my all-time favorite comfort foods since childhood. My parents made this often growing up, and it’s a dish I could happily eat every single week. It’s incredibly rich, cozy, and deeply satisfying. When I finally asked them for the recipe, I was pleasantly surprised by how simple it is to make—this is truly a low-effort, high-reward kind of meal.

This is also one of those ugly delicious recipes, as Chinese braised oxtail stew is fall-off-the-bone yummy. But that’s exactly what makes it so good. The final dish is a pot of fragrant and incredibly flavorful stew that feels restorative.

Oxtail is naturally rich in collagen, and this slow-braised stew feels like one of those nourishing dishes that warms you from the inside out. It’s hearty, comforting, and good for the soul — like a big, cozy hug in a bowl.

One of the best things about this recipe is how forgiving it is. I almost always eyeball the ingredients, and it still turns out delicious every time. It’s a great recipe for both beginner and experienced home cooks because it’s very hard to mess up.

For best results, I highly recommend buying oxtail from Costco, where it’s sold in whole sections by the joint rather than cross-cut through the bone. Cross-cut oxtail can create small bone shards and small overall pieces, which isn’t ideal for this dish. When choosing oxtail, look for packages with larger, meatier pieces and avoid those with lots of small pieces and/or excessive surrounding fat. Oxtail is naturally fatty and varies in size, but selecting large, meatier cuts gives you better flavor and value — and prevents paying mostly for bone instead of meat.

Instructions

Place the oxtails in a large bowl and submerge in cold water. Soak for at least 1–2 hours to draw out the blood, preferably overnight in the refrigerator if time allows (highly recommended). If possible, change the water once or twice during soaking.

Once soaked, rinse the oxtails thoroughly and drain well. Set aside.

Prep your vegetables while the oxtail is soaking.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a 5.5 qt or larger Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.

Add the 2 roughly chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes until they begin to turn translucent.

Stir in the 8 small or 6 medium roughly chopped tomatoes and 1 tsp salt, and cook until the tomatoes start to break down and become soft and jammy.

Add 1/2 cup of ketchup and 2 tsp of soy sauce, and cook for another 1–2 minutes until everything is well combined and slightly thickened.

Add the oxtails to the pot and then add in 2 tbsp of cooking wine, 1 tsp of salt, and about 2 cups of water — just enough to mostly cover the oxtails. Stir well, making sure the meat is evenly coated and submerged. Bring everything to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Add in 3 small pieces of rock sugar, then cover and cook for 3 to 3.5 hours, until the oxtails are fork-tender and easily falling off the bone when pulled.

During cooking, stir every 15–20 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula to prevent sticking and ensure even braising.

After about 1 hour of simmering, add the 4 chopped carrots and stir to combine. Make sure the oxtails remain mostly submerged. At this point, taste the broth and adjust seasoning as needed — salt and sweetness may vary depending on your tomatoes and ketchup.

Continue simmering, covered, for the remaining 2 to 2.5 hours until the oxtails are fully tender and the stew has deepened in flavor.

Once desired tenderness is achieved, serve hot over rice or noodles and enjoy!