Colas De Vaca
"Oxtails"
From the treasured pages of La Cosina en el Bolsillo No. 1
Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Colas De Vaca
"Después de aperdigarlas y cortadas en trozos, se ponen a cocer en una cacerola a fuego suave, con caldo, un vaso de vino blanco, jamón, un manojito de yerbas aromáticas, cebollas, zanahorias, nabos, sal, pimienta y rebanadas de limón sin cáscara ni pepitas. Cuando cocidas estén las colas, se sacan de la cazuela, se deja reducir el caldillo, se cuela y se le añaden dos o tres yemas de huevo para darle consistencia; se echan en él las colas y se ponen bajo un horno de campaña o de un comal para darle color."
English Translation
"After cleaning and cutting them into pieces, put them to cook in a saucepan over low heat with broth, a glass of white wine, ham, a small bunch of aromatic herbs, onions, carrots, turnips, salt, pepper, and slices of lemon without peel or seeds. When the oxtails are cooked, remove them from the pot, let the sauce reduce, strain it, and add two or three egg yolks to give it consistency; put the oxtails back in the sauce and place under a broiler or on a griddle to give them color."
Note on the Original Text
This recipe is written in a narrative style, common to cookbooks of the early 20th century: precise measurements are rare, and ingredients and instructions are presented in a continuous block, assuming prior kitchen knowledge. Spelling reflects the period’s usage; for example, 'cosina' for 'cocina.' The recipe expects the cook to adjust seasoning, quantities of liquid, and timing based on experience, reflecting an era when domestic cooks relied more on observation and intuition than exact instructions.
Title
La Cosina en el Bolsillo No. 1 (1913)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Era
1913
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful entry from the famed 'Cocina en el bolsillo' series, this charming 1913 volume artfully tucks a world of recipes into your pocket—ready to inspire delicious adventures at every turn!
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe comes from "La Cosina en el Bolsillo No. 1," published in 1913 and attributed to Antonio Vanegas Arroyo—a well-known Mexican publisher. The booklet is part of a numbered series designed to bring practical, affordable recipes to home cooks. These pocket-sized cookbooks were immensely popular in Mexico in the early 20th century, making recipes accessible to a wide public as urbanization and modern domestic sciences spread. Oxtail (colas de vaca) dishes have long been a tradition in both Spanish and Mexican cuisine, offering a thrifty yet luxurious dish as the tail transforms into a rich, gelatinous, flavorful stew when slowly cooked with humble vegetables, stock, and wine.
Back in 1913, a heavy earthenware or metal casserole would have been used for slow simmering over a wood or charcoal fire. The recipe mentions a 'cazuela' (a broad, shallow clay or metal pan) for cooking. Straining was typically done through a fine cloth or sieve, and reduction of sauce would occur over low, even heat, managed with skill. To finish, the dish might be browned under a 'horno de campaña' (a portable camp oven or a domed lid piled with coals), or over a 'comal' (a flat griddle set over the fire).
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Servings
6
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 3.3–4.4 lbs oxtails, cut into segments
- 1 quart beef stock
- 7 fl oz dry white wine
- 3.5 oz jamón serrano or prosciutto, diced
- 1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 turnip, sliced
- Salt, to taste
- Whole black peppercorns, to taste
- 2–3 slices lemon, peeled and deseeded
- 2–3 egg yolks
Instructions
- To recreate this dish today, start by acquiring fresh oxtails (about 3.3–4.4 lbs).
- Cut them into segments at the joints, then briefly sear them in a large heavy-bottomed pot.
- Add 1 quart of good beef stock, 7 fl oz of dry white wine, 3.5 oz of diced jamón serrano or prosciutto, a bouquet garni of parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, one large onion (sliced), two carrots (sliced), one turnip (sliced), salt and whole black peppercorns to taste, and two or three thin slices of lemon with no peel or seeds.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for about 3 hours, or until the oxtail is meltingly tender.
- Once the meat is cooked, remove the oxtail pieces and strain the cooking liquid, discarding the solids.
- Return the strained liquid to the pot and simmer to reduce until it forms a rich sauce.
- Lightly beat 2–3 egg yolks and temper by slowly adding some of the hot sauce, then whisk the tempered yolks into the pot off-heat for thickening (do not boil).
- Return oxtail to the pan to warm through.
- Finish under a hot grill or in a hot oven for a few minutes until lightly golden on top.
Estimated Calories
550 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing this dish takes about 20 minutes, which includes cutting and searing the oxtail and prepping vegetables. Cooking the oxtail until it is tender takes 3 hours. Each serving has about 550 calories. This recipe makes 6 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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