Instructions

Oxtail benefits from presalting, which may be done up to three days ahead of cooking. To presalt, use one teaspoon salt to every pound meat. Cover loosely and refrigerate until one hour before cooking.

You will need a large saute pan to brown the oxtails and reduce the wine. You’ll also need a braising vessel of some sort to cook the stew. I used a Staub “Everyday” pan, which is 14 inches/35cm. I didn’t use the lid, but you might want to have one handy. Foil will work if you don’t have a lid.

Oxtail stew may be prepared atop the stove or in the oven.

One hour before cooking, remove oxtail from refrigerator.

If you plan to use the oven, preheat it to 325F/160C.

Set your braising vessel on an oven burner. Film braising vessel lightly with olive oil and turn burner to lowest heat. Add your bouquet garni or loose bay leaf/thyme sprig/rosemary.

Add the vegetables, onion, garlic, bacon, tomatoes, and tomato paste to the braising pan. Turn the heat up to medium low–you want a gentle simmer. Now turn your attention to browning the oxtails.

Open a window and turn on your oven fan. I keep a jar for discarding grease; once it’s full, I throw it in the garbage. If you have a better idea, do tell.

Set a large cast iron or stainless steel saute pan on the stove. Film it with olive oil, and turn the heat to medium high. Give it a few minutes to heat up. Carefully add the oxtails. Don’t crowd the pan.

A real chef would brown each face of the oxtail. I am not a real chef, and brown the top, bottom, and at least one side of each oxtail. The meat is ready to be moved when it releases from the pan. Once you’ve browned each piece, transfer it to the braising pan. Take care, as fat enjoys spattering.

Allow the pan of fat to cool completely before pouring off the fat. I try to clean up a bit now, mindful things are hot.

Deglaze the spattered pan with brandy, scraping up the fond. Pour in the wine, crank up the heat, and let it reduce until syrupy. I use the pan rivets as a visual guide; this takes about ten minutes. (See discussion and photos in post, above.)

Pour the reduced wine into the braising pan. Add salt and pepper to the stew. Using oven mitts, tuck it into the oven. No lid necessary.

Cook the oxtail for 2-3 hours, checking liquid level and meat browning. I turned my oxtails once. They needed no additional liquid. Cooking time will vary according to your oven and the type of pan. If your stew needs liquid–it really should not–you can add more wine, water, or broth.

Oxtails are done when the meat is fork tender and pulling away from bones.

You can serve the stew immediately, but it will improve enormously from an overnight rest.

Serve with the noodles discussed above, mashed potatoes, or your preferred starchy accompaniment: orzo, polenta, bread, or mashed potatoes. A green salad is nice, too.

Oxtail Stew keeps up to five days, refrigerated. The meat freezes well, but the vegetables would suffer.

Notes:

Oxtails are sold sliced–or jointed–in the United States. If you are purchasing a whole tail, ask the butcher to slice it for you.

I like wrapping spices in cheesecloth because they’re easy to find and remove at the end of cooking. But this isn’t necessary. You can just place your spices at the bottom of the pan and remind diners not to eat them. Or fish them out before serving.

This recipe is very flexible-feel free swap out the vegetables.

Oxtail stew may be prepared in a crock pot by following all the steps up to placing the stew in the oven–instead, place it the Crock-Pot insert, set the pot in the on the low setting, and cook for 6-10 hours, depending on your pot.

You may also prepare the stew on a stove burner. Use a low setting: you know your stove better than I do. I once made a stew by starting it on the stovetop and then moving it into the oven. Total cooking time was three hours. The stew was delicious.

Stews may also be “nursed” along: cook for two hours at 325F/160C for one day, and finish it the next by cooking it another ninety minutes to two hours at the same temperature.