Oxtail Casserole Food

INSANELY GOOD OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7. Place a large roasting tray in the oven to preheat.
• Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven, then add the oxtail. Season and drizzle over a lug of olive oil, then toss to coat and place in the hot oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden and caramelized.
• Meanwhile, trim and halve the leeks and celery lengthways, then chop into rough 2cm chunks. Peel and chop the carrots into 2cm pieces, then place into a large ovenproof casserole pan over a medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Pick, roughly chop and add the thyme and rosemary leaves, then add the bay and cook for around 20 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring frequently.
• Meanwhile, remove the oxtail from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 170ºC/325ºF/gas 3.
• Add the cloves and flour to the veg, stirring well to combine, then pour in the tomatoes and porter (or wine, if using). Add the oxtail and any roasting juices, cover with the beef stock or 1 litre of cold water and stir well.
• Turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil, then pop the lid on and place in the hot oven for around 5 hours, or until the meat falls away from the bone, stirring every hour or so and adding a splash of water to loosen, if needed.
• Remove the pan from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes. Using rubber gloves, strip the meat from the bones and return to the pan, discarding the bones.
• Add a good splash of Worcestershire sauce, season to taste and enjoy with creamy mash and seasonal steamed greens.

OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2.
• Wash the oxtail pieces and pat dry with kitchen paper. Trim off as much excess fat as possible. Put the flour in a freezer bag and season well with salt and pepper. Put half the oxtail pieces into the seasoned flour, toss well to coat then set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining oxtail pieces.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan. Brown the oxtail over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning every now and then, until dark brown all over. You may need to add extra oil if the pan looks dry at any point during the browning step. Put the browned oxtail into a flameproof casserole dish. (You may need to do this in batches.)
• Return the frying pan to a low heat and add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Add a little extra oil if necessary. Cook gently for 10 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
• Tip the vegetables on top of the beef and add the thyme and bay leaves. Stir in the wine, beef stock and tomato purée. Season with salt and pepper, put the casserole on the heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook in the centre of the oven for 3 hours. Stir after 1½ hours, turning the oxtail in the sauce.
• After 3 hours, the meat should be falling off the bone and the sauce should be thick. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and transfer the oxtail pieces to a plate, set aside and keep warm.
• Skim any fat that has pooled on the surface of the sauce.
• Divide the oxtail pieces between six warmed plates and spoon over the sauce. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, if using, and serve with mashed potato and steamed vegetables.

OXTAIL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Brown meat all over in a little oil, in a large pot.
• Add onion and carrot and stir through oil.
• Add crushed garlic, stock, (almost to cover) tomatoes and paste, sugar, bouquet garni and salt and pepper.
• Cook on low for about 2 hours (till the meat is falling off the bones).
• (pressure cook 30 mins, or crockpot 8 hours) Leave to cool, skim off fat; thicken with cornflour mixed with a little water.
• Meat can be removed from bones, just reheat after you take off the fat, and pick up each bone with tongs, the meat will just fall off.
• If it doesn't, it ain't cooked.
• Serve with mashed potatoes and greens.

OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cover lima beans with water, cover with a towel and soak overnight.
• In a large pot, add oxtails, onions, scallions, garlic, thyme, red pepper, paprika, bay leaf, hot sauce, and gravy master and marinate at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.
• Add enough water to just cover the oxtails and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover and cook 2 hours. Every 30 minutes for 2 hours add 2 cups of water or broth, alternating, as necessary, to keep oxtails covered with liquid.
• At 2 hours, add the beans, tomato paste, and 2 more cups of beef broth and water, if needed. Bring to a boil then simmer uncovered 2 hours, skimming fat off top and stirring occasionally. In the last 1/2 hour of cook time, season with 2 tablespoons salt. Serve with rice.
• Rinse rice 3 times to remove starch. Put rice in a medium saucepan. Fill saucepan with enough water to cover the rice by 1/2-inch or measure by placing your thumb tip on the rice and filling the pot with water until the water reaches the middle of your thumbnail. Bring rice to a simmer, cover and cook until tender and liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand another 5 minutes, covered.
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings

OXTAIL STEW WITH DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Season the flour with salt and pepper, then toss the oxtail in it until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Working in batches, brown the meat really well on all sides. Remove from the pan, then add the veg and garlic and fry for 3-4 mins until starting to colour. Stir in the tomato purée and herbs. Tip the meat back into the pan, pour over the wine, then crumble in the stock cube. Season, cover the pan and braise in the oven for 3 hrs until the meat is meltingly tender. Can be cooked up to 2 days ahead. If you make it ahead, chill in the fridge and lift any fat off the top before reheating.
• To make the dumplings, tip the flour and basil (reserving a few leaves for a garnish) into a food processor with a generous pinch of salt, then blitz until the basil is finely chopped. Add the butter and blitz until it's the texture of breadcrumbs, then gradually add the egg whites until everything comes together. On a floured surface, roll the dumplings into small, walnut-size balls, then cover with a tea towel until ready to cook.
• To serve, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Simmer dumplings for 15 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon. While the dumplings are cooking, gently reheat the meat in the sauce. Serve a few chunks of meat in a soup bowl with a few dumplings, drizzled with olive oil and scattered with a few basil leaves.

SLOW COOKER OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook oxtail for 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer oxtail to a slow cooker.
• Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, tomato sauce, beef broth, red wine, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and paprika.
• Cook on Low for 7 hours. Add mushrooms and peas. Cook for 1 additional hour.
• Ladle into bowls and season with salt and pepper.