Preparation time: 1/2 hour preparation, 4 hours of slow cooking, plus sitting overnight and then reheating.
Yes, oxtails really are from the
tail of an ox (well, maybe not an ox per se, but a beef steer's tail).
They have a deliciously rich and distinctive flavor. Like most stews, oxtail stew is best slow cooked for several hours. My father remembers growing up during the Depression that oxtails were considered food for people without much money (of which he was one). You could get them for pennies a pound. Now they are considered choice - hard to come by and expensive. He figures that the "gourmandes" finally caught on and have driven the prices up, much to his regret.
3 lbs oxtails with separated joints
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cups stock
1 cup water
2 cups of red wine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 to 3 cups chopped vegetables - carrots, celery, parsnips, turnips
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup tomato paste
Seasoning - salt and pepper, a pinch of thyme, one bay leaf
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Season oxtails with salt and pepper. Sear in a 5 or 6 quart dutch oven (or other tightly covered casserole dish) on all sides until golden brown. You may need to sear the oxtails in separate batches. Add 1/4 cup of the chopped onion, cook until translucent.
2 In a separate pan, heat stock, water, and wine together. Add stock mixture to meat in casserole pan. Add a teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to simmer.
3 Place in oven and cook, covered, for 3 hours. Remove from oven, add vegetables, the rest of the onion, raisins, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf. Return to the oven and cook for another hour.
4 Remove from oven, let sit for a few minutes, and skim as much fat as you can from the surface.
Serves 4-6.
Does anyone have.....
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