Braised Oxtail Stew

[Konditor]

Oxtail makes a most succulent stew. I advise you to prepare this dish over two days. On the first, braise the meat, then chill it. On the second day, lift off the congealed fat, add vegetables, then simmer until tender.

1 large jointed oxtail (about 2 lb)
¼ cup flour
1 tsp salt + freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 oz. each butter & oil
2 rashers of bacon, sliced
1 cup chopped onions
about 1½ cups chopped leeks (I use white & green tender part)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
good pinch of crushed dried marjoram
24 fl. oz. rich beef stock
12 fl. oz. tomato juice
3 large carrots
2 white turnips

Trim excess fat from oxtail. Combine flour, salt & pepper in paper bag and shake oxtail in this mixture. In saucepan, brown oxtail in melted butter & oil. Remove meat from pan. Add bacon, sauté for 3 minutes. Mix in onions, leeks, garlic and chopped onions; cook gently for about 8 minutes.

Return oxtail to pan along w/ bay leaf, marjoram, stock & tomato juice. Stir to all ingredients well. Cover & braise in moderate oven for about 2 hours, or until tender. Remove fat according to method, above.

Remove bay leaf and purée vegetables gravy or pass through a food mill. Place oxtail in clean saucepan.

Scrape & thinly slice the carrots; peel turnips & cut into 2-inch chunks. Mix into sauce & simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary. Yield: 4 generous servings.

 

[debthecook]

Around me they cut up the oxtail into too many pieces. I like it very much, spanish style, but there are too many bones in it. Do they cut up the tail into many pieces around where you are too?

 

[lyndalou]

I've never seen oxtails in my supermarket. Any substitutions that would work as well?

 

[buckytom]

maybe someone who is a butcher around here could answer better, but oxtails are usually cut into 2 to 4 inch hunks. they are mostly bone and carteledge, but boy are they tasty...

 

[kitchenelf]

lyndalou - shortribs would be the closest substitute I can think of.

 

[WayneT]

I like the idea of the 1 1/2 cups of Leeks. This is a similar recipe to one I had but lost due to a computer crash and re-format. No backup, silly me. Something to try and really sets it off is add 1 cinnamon stick. I tried this as I eat a lot of Vietnamese beef soup, Pho, cinnamon features in this and boy does it go well in Oxtail soup/stew. Funny how different countries name dishes, even though it is a stew we always call it oxtail soup. I will try your recipe both ways.

 

[WayneT]

maybe someone who is a butcher around here could answer better, but oxtails are usually cut into 2 to 4 inch hunks. they are mostly bone and carteledge, but boy are they tasty...

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.

 

[Barbara L]

I've never seen oxtails in my supermarket. Any substitutions that would work as well?

We've used neck bones when we couldn't get oxtails.

Barbara

 

[Michael Cook]

I've never seen oxtails in my supermarket. Any substitutions that would work as well?

shanks, shoulder, and cheeks all have lots of collegen, should be similar in effect.

 

[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.

 

[QSis]

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]

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]

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?

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.

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?