Braised Oxtail Stew

[QSis]

Originally Posted by grannyma

bought oxtail at the butchers this week and have been looking for a good recipe ...this one looks ideal ... will let you know in a few days when I have tried it.

I'm envious, granny! Nothing better than braised oxtails (we get "beef tails" around here) over egg noodles!!

Lee

[buckytom]

Originally Posted by WayneT

Bucky, do you get genuine Oxtails or Bullock tails in your part of the world.. In OZ there seems to be a shortage of Oxen, actually there is none. Maybe all the Oxen died after their tails were cut off. Anyway, they are still called Oxtails and they sound just like your description.

sorry so late...

i think we mostly get beef (steer) tails, but i know some spanish markets nearby really do sell ox tails.

[skilletlicker]

Originally Posted by buckytom

sorry so late...

i think we mostly get beef (steer) tails, but i know some spanish markets nearby really do sell ox tails.

I'm sorry for joining the conversation even later...

I usually have "oxtail" in the freezer but have always assumed they were they were the southern end of the same critters that steaks and hamburger came from. My understanding is that cattle trained as draft animals are called oxen. Some breeds may be more suitable than others but, as police dogs don't have to be German Shepherds, oxen don't have to be any particular breed of bovine. BT, do you any more information on why oxtails from the Spanish markets you mention are preferable and the animal they come from?

Originally Posted by Wayne T

Bucky, do you get genuine Oxtails or Bullock tails in your part of the world.

Wayne T, is a bullock generically a young bull or steer of any cattle breed? Searching the question leads mostly to sites about celebrities or folk stories.

Originally Posted by lyndalou

I've never seen oxtails in my supermarket.

My experience is that you are most likely to find it in stores specifically marketing to either the richest among us, or better yet, immigrants and families of modest means. The latter will probably have a lot butchered products that many chefs admire and many home cooks turn their noses up at.

Regarding Konditor's recipe in the opening post. Braising then chilling and removing the fat makes excellent sense to me, but if you are going to take that extra step what is the advantage of removing the excess fat first, especially if you save rendered fat for future use?