Oxtails

[nonblonde007]

I have on my counter, oxtails defrosting that I purchased a couple of weeks ago. Out of curiosity and my, of late, obsesion with trying all things new. I have never tasted or cooked this cut of meat before and am a blank page just waiting to be written! I have read a few posts stating that they are truly delicious and satisfying in chewy, beefy goodness. I am eager to find out. I would rather not do a stew or soup, I have found plenty of recipes for those. I want to use my fingers, slurp from the bone, chew on all of the different textures and savor the meat for itself. So, how do I do this? I love savory, rich meat dishes, am not adverse to spicy or pungant, and realy have just about any needed spice or veg that I might need for most recipes. So, what is your favorite and how do you prepair it? All suggestions and discussion welcome!

[Dejah]

I have on my counter, oxtails defrosting that I purchased a couple of weeks ago...  I would rather not do a stew or soup... I want to use my fingers, slurp from the bone, chew on all of the different textures and savor the meat for itself... I love savory, rich meat dishes, am not adverse to spicy or pungant, and realy have just about any needed spice or veg that I might need for most recipes.  So, what is your favorite and how do you prepair it?  All suggestions and discussion welcome!

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Braising Chinese style with soya sauce, star anise, ginger, palm sugar, etc

Or, I would even attempt beef rendang if you don't want a stew or soup - just finger licking spicy sticky goodness.

Both of these methods require 3-4 hours of slow simmering that would allow for "slurping from the bone"

[Prawncrackers]

Hi Brenda, i love oxtail! It has a wonderful toothy gelatinous texture and deep flavour. Last cooked in a few months ago as it's definately a winter dish for me. The only way i know how to cook it is to slow braise as you would say a beouf bourguignon. It's quite messy to eat on the bone and it's probably better to strip the meat off after it's cooked.

Here's a pic of the last time i cooked it. I think i was attempting an alternative 'surf n turf' meal - Sea Bass, Oxtail & Kale:

I quite liked it, but the wife thought it was a bit of a weird combo...

[BrodeurR]

I have to third braising. Make sure to cook it a long time though. The first time I didn't cook it long enough, and although it was cooked through it was very hard to get off the bone. The second time I believe I braised it in a dark beer. Delicious!

[emsny]

And once you've braised it, let it cool, pick all the meat off the bones with your fingers, season it cunningly, and use it to stuff quickly blanched swiss chard or other sturdy leaves; make little parcels like stuffed cabbage, put them into a baking dish, top them with the braising liquid (defatted and checked for seasoning) and cook in the oven for, what, half an hour. Serve with mashed potatoes or, maybe, polenta. Sounds like a pain in the butt, but once it's braised the rest is clear sailing - and the hard work can be done in advance.

[BrodeurR]

And once you've braised it, let it cool, pick all the meat off the bones with your fingers, season it cunningly, and use it to stuff quickly blanched swiss chard or other sturdy leaves; make little parcels like stuffed cabbage, put them into a baking dish, top them with the braising liquid (defatted and checked for seasoning) and cook in the oven for, what, half an hour. Serve with mashed potatoes or, maybe, polenta. Sounds like a pain in the butt, but once it's braised the rest is clear sailing - and the hard work can be done in advance.

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I know what I'm doing the next time I come across some oxtails!

[nonblonde007]

MMMMMMMMM all those suggestions sound so good! Thank you. I think a slow braise somewhat like osso buco, with perhaps some anise and Oyster sause added? Then with the left-overs, ( broad assumption) wrapped in the swiss chard as above, or even lettuce leaves and fresh herbs. Havn't decided yet. Should I par-boil? I would hate to lose any of the flavor. How about marinating overnight?

[david coonce]

Marinating is unnecessary for something you braise like this; slow-cooking something is the best of both worlds - it marinates as it cooks. I cook it in beef stock, a little tomato paste, a handful of coarsely chopped fresh herbs from the garden, a couple smashed garlic cloves and a little red wine. About 4 hours, at 250. Then let it cool, take it off the bone, and stuff it into ravioli or as part of a ragout.

[Dejah]

For me, I'd leave the meat on the bone, then get all sticky and messy gnawing and chawing. That's half of the flavour!

[saucée]

If you want to stuff it into something, squid might be a good vehicle. It's a bit modish maybe, but it would work.

[bottomlesspit]

Rabo encendido (Cuban oxtail stew) is my favorite oxtail dish. Served over white rice with fried, ripe plantains on the side. That's yummy.

[KendallCollege]

Whenever I do a Turkey, for Thanksgiving, I always line the bird (in the roasting-pan) with a whole/segmented/seasoned/seared oxtail and some chicken stock.

I also like to do a mixed-braise of short-ribs and oxtails. A little chicken-stock. A little tomato-paste. Some marjoram. Juniper berries. Rosemary. All-spice. A ton of Garlic. Nuoc Mam (fish sauce). A few Bay Leaves.

[melonpan]

BRAISED.

in red wine.

with carrots, onions and celery.

but right now its too hot to cook oxtails.

[Peter Green]

We like using them in miyok guk, a Korean soup.

The oxtail is boiled for a few hours with kelp (miyok).

And then there're the "usuals". Garlic, chopped spring onion, sesame seeds, and sesame oil.

The oxtails are nice and greasy, and you pick (or suck) the meat away from the bone.

[Domestic Goddess]

Peter, I didn't know you could do that. Wouldn't the miyok (kelp) get slimy with all the boiling?

[Peter Green]

Peter, I didn't know you could do that. Wouldn't the miyok (kelp) get slimy with all the boiling?

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It does, although it's thick enough that there's a slight crunch in it, too. But that's part of what we like. The fat on the oxtails oozes out with everything, and you could almost skate on top of the soup.

I always have a lot of rice with miyok guk to take up the greasiness, which leads to dinner table controversy as Yoonhi and the kids consider me a heathen for putting my rice into my soup.

[nonblonde007]

Every recipe I have found and picture I have seen suggests a gooey sausy dish. Is oxtail something that cannot be crisped? Is there something to the texture or componants in this cut that doesn't allow for searing or frying for a crispy outer layer?

[Live It Up]

I think the reason that most oxtail recipes are saucy and not crispy is that braising or boiling is really necessary to make them palatable. Also, once you've done that you've created a very flavorful liquid, so you would want to use that in the dish. However, I believe in Molto Italiano Batali has a recipe for oxtails in which you braise them, then remove the meat from the bones and recrisp it. I'll have to check when I get home to see if I'm imagining things.

The last time I made oxtails I made them curried Jamaican style. They were some of the best oxtails I've ever made.

[jackal10]

USe he braising liquid for Oxtail soup, and the meat in any number of ways, such as ravioli.

I guess you could set it in a terrrine, cube it, egg and breadcrumb and fry them if you must, but to my mind crispy is alien to oxtail

[dls]

Oxtail Daube. Courtesy of Paula Wolfert and Recipe Gullet. If I were ever in one of those "Last Meal" situations, this just might be the one.

[percyn]

My favorite is either "Red Cooked Oxtail" (Chinese style braise) or a ravioli made with braised oxtail. A recipe of the "red cooked" version can be found here (substitute the oxtail for the pork shoulder).

[Henry dV]

I love Oxtail, try using it in ravioli or tortellini but reducing the braise media to a few spoonfuls, this then exudes into the pasta from within..............I am now wanting to give it another go, MMmmmmm.

[CtznCane]

Oxtails are one of my absolute favorite dishes. It is not a meat that can be 'crisped.' If a good chuck roast is a vehicle for braising then oxtails have to be the filet mignon of braises. I like to use a good rich beef stock along with red wine (and a touch of tomato paste) for my braise. One last minute touch which adds a lot is adding watercress right at the end before serving.

[david coonce]

Every recipe I have found and picture I have seen suggests a gooey sausy dish.  Is oxtail something that cannot be crisped?  Is there something to the texture or componants in this cut that doesn't allow for searing or frying for a crispy outer layer?

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It's sort of like crisping pulled pork or braised short ribs; the joy of oxtails is in the tender, falling-off-the-bone-ness of them, and, as others have pointed out, this cut of meat is impossible to cook any other way than braising. Certainly you could braise it for a long time and then try to pan-fry or saute, but I don't think the results would be spectacular. It's just not that kind of meat. You have to listen to your ingredients and treat them the way they want to be treated.

[David Ross]

I prepare oxtails like most of the other suggestions-slowly braised. The meat is deliciously beefy and tender when slow-braised, and if you have left-overs, which is rare, shred the meat and stuff it into little pockets of pasta and you have 'Oxtail Ravioli.'

I start by choosing oxtail from the larger end of the tail so to speak. I dust them with flour and sear them in olive oil in a Le Cresuet pot to get them nice and brown on both sides.

Then I remove the oxtails from the pot and add a bit more oil. I add carrots, celery, onions and garlic cloves. Let the vegetables saute for a few minutes, then deglaze with red wine.

Then add whole peppercorns, fresh thyme sprigs, a bit of salt, some whole black peppercorns and I add some crushed juniper berries. If I am out of juniper berries I might add some whole cloves or a tangerine peel. Add some beef stock and cover the pot. Chuck the pot in a low oven at 250. Yes, that sounds low, but I let the oxtails braise for at least 6 hours on the low heat.

Carefully take out the oxtails from the braising liquid, then drain the vegetables out of the liquid. I return the braising liquid to the stovepot and boil it down to reduce it to a gravy.

I serve the braised oxtails with either mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles with poppy seeds. Serve the delicious braising gravy on the side. God I wish Fall was here. This is a classic cold-weather dish.

By the way, I use the same basic recipe for Pot Roast. Delicious.