A Bit About Roman Coda alla Vaccinara Recipe | Roman Oxtail Stew
Coda alla Vaccinara is traditional Roman stew which is as old as the ancient district it came from. Born in Rome, this dish made from the tail of an ox, braised and served with vegetables. But don’t let the simplicity or even strangeness of this plate deter you. With its slow cooked, fall-off-the-bone meat and rich, savory and sweet flavors, Coda alla Vaccinara is not something to turn one’s nose up at.
This dish is similar to numerous other traditional Roman plates that were served to the poor; originally this cut of Roman Oxtail, also known as a “fifth quarter” or offal was usually left over after all the prime cuts of meat were taken by the wealthier classes of people. The offal was given to the vaccinari, or the humble slaughterhouses, who would in turn sell to local osterias (a simple restaurant that serves wine and affordable dishes), and it was from those osterias that this delicious dish was born.
Ingredients for Coda alla Vaccinara Recipe
- 2.5 lbs of oxtail
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/3 lb guanciale (pork cheek), pancetta, or bacon
- Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
- 2.5 lbs chopped tomatoes
- 2 glasses dry white wine
- 4 cloves
- Pine nuts (to taste)
- Raisins (to taste)
- Unsweetened cacao (to taste)
- Salt and Pepper
- Hot Water
Preparation for Coda alla Vaccinara Recipe
Preparation time: around 4 hours
Step 1, make sure to wash and dry the oxtail and chop it into large pieces. Heat the oil and chopped guanciale (pork cheek) in a large, heady-bottomed pot, then brown the pieces of oxtail in the hot oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic clove, 4 cloves, and salt and pepper (to taste).
Next, add all of the dry white wine and cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook the stew for at least 3 hours on low heat until the meat is tender and almost falling off the bone. Make sure that the pieces of oxtail are always covered with sauce; if the sauce becomes dry, keep adding water.
Near the end of the cooking time, blanch the chopped celery for a couple of minutes. Then, sautè the celery along with a small amount of the sauce the oxtail was cooking in, a handful of pine nuts, raisins, and a small amount of cacao to taste. Simmer the celery sauce for a few minutes at medium-low heat. Once the celery is tender, add this sauce to the main dish.
This cultural dish should be eaten with your hands! Serve with bread to soak up all the wonderful leftover sauce.
Quick Tip: Ask your butcher to chop the oxtail into pieces to save on preparation time!