Oxtail. OK, this is a meat you may not know, haven’t tried, or maybe even scared to try? Don’t be. Oxtail is simply the tail of a cow. This cut does very well with a low and slow cooking method so it lends itself very well to a stew, braise, or a pressure cooker. Oxtail is very rich in gelatin so it is great for a rich soup base. Here is what to expect when you open your package of ox tail:
The Oxtail is cut into small sections to offer a larger cooking area for the meat and bone centers. So, let’s get into the cooking of this Oxtail stew.
Ingredients:
- Oxtail
- Herb Butter from the summer or fresh rosemary
- 2 leeks
- 4 celery stalks
- 4 carrots
- 4-5 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon of allspice
- 1 Tablespoon of corn starch
- 2 cups of diced summer tomatoes (from the freezer)
- 4 cups of beef stock
- 1 Jalapeño, small diced (more or less to your spice liking)
Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place an empty roasting pan in the oven to heat up. Season your oxtail with salt and pepper.
Place the oxtail in the heated pan and give a few swirls of olive oil. Turn the pieces to coat in oil. Place it back in the oven and let them go until they are roasted and golden brown. When you pull the oxtail out of the oven lower the temperature to 325 degrees.
This will take about 20 minutes so while that is roasting away you can prep the veggies.
Clean two leeks and cut them into about 2 inch chunks and add them to an oven proof large pot.
Chop the celery into the same size pieces and add to the pot.
Peel and chop the carrots and turn on a flame under the pot. I added a ball of Rosemary herb butter from the freezer to the pot. Cook until the butter is melted and the veggies are coated.
Add on the 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and the 1/4 teaspoon of allspice. Mix to coat all of the veggies.
Add the tomato with the juices and the diced jalapeño, stir well. Turn the heat up a bit and bring this to a simmer.
Using tongs, add the oxtail to the pot with the bay leaves. Nestle them into the veggies.
Add the beef stock to the pot and bring it to a simmer. Cover the pot and place it in the 325 degree oven and let it go for about 5 hours. This one needs an all day cook!
This is after about 2 hours…
After 5 hours pull out the oxtail and let it cools bit. Also remove the bay leaves.
Pull apart and separate the meat, adding it back to the stew.
Serve it over some rice and there you have it, oxtail Stew!