Slow Braised Red Wine Oxtail Food

SLOW BRAISED RED WINE OXTAIL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180º C. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep cast iron pot or oven-proof saucepan. Season the oxtail generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. Brown the meat in batches on both sides and then set aside. Add a little more oil to pot and sauté the onions until softened. Add the garlic, celery and carrots and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, herbs, lemon zest, sugar and tomatoes. Pour in the wine and allow to bubble up to lift all the meaty flavour at the bottom. Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock and water. Place the oxtail pieces back into the pot along with all the resting juices. Season lightly with salt. Cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Check the meat after 2 hours and add a little more water if necessary. Once the sauce is reduced and thickened, check the seasoning. In a small bowl, combine the parsley, olive oil, lemon zest and salt flakes. Serve the oxtail with the herb oil, mashed potatoes or polenta and steamed green beans.

BRAISED OXTAILS IN RED WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Simmer the red wine in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced by half. Meanwhile, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Dredge the oxtail in the seasoned flour, and shake off excess; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a roasting pan over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the oxtails from the pan and set aside. Turn the heat to medium-low and melt another 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Stir in the shallots, garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook and stir until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme, bay leaf, parsley, beef broth, and reduced red wine. Place the browned oxtail on top of the vegetables in a single layer, then bring to a boil.
• Cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil, then bake in preheated oven until the oxtail is very tender and nearly falling off the bone, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
• Once the oxtail is tender, remove the meat to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm. Strain the remaining braising liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until the sauce has reduced to 2 cups. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and pour over the oxtail to serve.

RED-WINE-BRAISED OXTAILS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a 4- to 6-quart heavy saucepan boil wine until reduced by about half (about 3 1/4 cups). Trim oxtails and pat dry. Season oxtails with salt and pepper. In a deep heavy ovenproof kettle just large enough to hold oxtails in one layer heat 1 tablespoon butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and brown half of oxtails on all sides, transferring to a bowl. Brown remaining oxtails in 1 tablespoon butter in same manner and transfer to bowl. Coarsely chop shallots, garlic, carrots, leeks, onion, and celery. Add vegetables to kettle and cook in 1 tablespoon butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened.
• Arrange oxtails over vegetables and add reduced wine, herbs, and enough broth to just cover oxtails. Bring liquid to a boil and braise oxtails, covered, in middle of oven 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until meat is very tender but not falling off the bone. Transfer oxtails with a slotted spoon to a bowl and keep warm. Pour braising liquid through a fine sieve into a large saucepan and discard solids. Boil liquid until thick, shiny, and reduced to about 1 3/4 cups and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter.
• Serve oxtails and sauce with celery root puree or mashed potatoes.

SLOW BRAISED OXTAIL

Steps:

• Remove all excess fat from the oxtail then debone leaving all the meat intact (bones can be used for stock.) Roll the oxtail back up with caul fat (optional) and tie with butchers twine about 1 inch apart. In a very hot roasting pan sear off the oxtail on all sides then remove. In the same pan roast off the mirepoix then add the red wine, reduce, and add the stock, bring to a simmer. Add the oxtail back in and cover with foil and place into a preheated 325-degree oven and braise for approximately 2 hours. When oxtail is tender remove pan from the oven and remove the oxtail and cool. Strain the braising liquid and reduce to a sauce consistency, check seasoning. Slice the oxtail into 2-inch logs, reheat in the sauce. Remove the butcher's twine, slice and serve.

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.

WINE BRAISED OXTAILS

Steps:

• In a 4- to 6-quart heavy saucepan boil wine until reduced by about half (about 3 1/4 cups).
• Trim oxtails and pat dry. Season oxtails with salt and pepper. In a large pot, just large enough to hold oxtails in one layer, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over moderately high heat and brown half of oxtails on all sides, transferring to a bowl. Brown remaining oxtails in 1 tablespoon olive oil in same manner and transfer to bowl.
• Add coarsely chopped shallots, garlic, carrots, leeks, onion, and celery to the pot just used to brown the oxtails and cook in 1 tablespoon olive oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened.
• Arrange oxtails over vegetables and add reduced wine, herbs, and enough broth to just cover oxtails.
• Bring liquid to a boil. Turn to a low heat and braise oxtails, covered, on the stove for 3 hours (you can also do this in the oven), or until meat is very tender.
• Transfer oxtails with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Pour braising liquid through a fine sieve into a large container and discard solids. Refrigerate overnight.
• Next day, skim the fat off the liquid. Combine the oxtails with the liquid in a large pot and simmer for another 2 to 3 hours.
• Serve with mashed potatoes.