THERE IS NOT A CUT OF BEEF RICHER WITH FLAVOR THAN OXTAIL. IT'S MOSTLY BONE AND GRISTLE WITH MORSELS OF MEAT NESTLED IN BETWEEN. IT'S THE BONE AND GRISTLE WHICH IMPART THE DEEPLY BEEFY TASTE. I POSTED A RECIPE IN FEBRUARY, 2012, BUT I'VE REVISED IT BECAUSE I HADN'T TRUSTED THE CUT TO GIVE ME THE RICHNESS I WANTED, SO I'D ADDED WINE AND STOCK WHEN ALL YOU REALLY NEED IS WATER. BRAISED WITH SOME AROMATIC VEGETABLES, CANNED TOMATOES AND A BOUQUET GARNIE, THIS STEW IS MORE PURELY OXTAILIAN THAN MY PREVIOUS VERSION. SO I URGE YOU TO GIVE IT A TRY. ASK YOUR BUTCHER FOR THE LARGEST PIECES. ONE PER PERSON SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT, BUT MAKE SOME EXTRA TO HEAT UP LATER IN THE WEEK. AS WITH ANY BRAISE, PREPARE IT A DAY OR TWO AHEAD SO YOU CAN EASILY REMOVE THE FAT AND ALLOW THE FLAVORS TO MELD AND MELLOW. IF YOU'VE GOT SQUEAMISH DINNER GUESTS, TELL THEM IT'S BEEF STEW. YOU WON'T BE LYING; JUST THE BEST BEEF STEW THEY'VE EVER EATEN.
PREHEAT OVEN TO 325º.
HEAT 4 TBSPS OF VEGETABLE OIL IN A LARGE DUTCH OVEN.
DRY THE OXTAILS AND BROWN ON ALL SIDES. DON'T CROWD THE PAN. REMOVE FROM THE POT. SALT AND PEPPER.
MEANWHILE, PEEL AND DICE THE ONION, CARROTS AND CELERY.
POUR OFF ALL BUT ONE TBSP OF FAT FROM THE POT. ADD 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER. STIR IN THE DICED VEGETABLES. SALT GENEROUSLY, REDUCE THE HEAT TO LOW AND COVER THE POT. SWEAT FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN ROUGHLY CHOP THE GARLIC CLOVES AND STIR IN WITH THE VEGETABLES.
TIE TOGETHER 4 LARGE SPRIGS OF THYME, 2 BAY LEAVES AND 10 PARSLEY STEMS WITH KITCHEN TWINE.
PEEL THE ZEST OFF HALF THE ORANGE AND SLICE INTO THIN STRIPS.
MEASURE OUT 1 CUP OF WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES. CRUSH WITH YOUR HANDS IN A BOWL.
ADD THE BOUQUET GARNIE CRUSHED TOMATOES TO THE POT. LAYER THE OXTAILS ON TOP, HOPEFULLY, IN ONE LAYER.
FILL THE POT WITH WATER BARELY TO COVER THE OXTAILS. BRING TO A BOIL. TOSS IN THE ORANGE PEEL AND 4 STAR ANISE.
PLACE THE POT IN THE OVEN WITH THE LID ASKEW. COOK FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS OR UNTIL THE MEAT IS EASILY PIERCED WITH A SHARP FORK.
TURN OFF THE HEAT AND ALLOW THE OXTAILS TO COOL IN THE OVEN.
WHEN COOL ENOUGH TO HANDLE, TILT THE POT SO YOU CAN LADLE OFF AS MUCH COOKING LIQUID AS POSSIBLE INTO A BOWL.
REFRIGERATE THE OXTAILS AND COOKING LIQUID OVERNIGHT.
MEANWHILE OR THE NEXT DAY, PREPARE THE VEGETABLES:
FILL YOUR SINK WITH COLD WATER.
BRING A SAUCE POT WITH WATER TO A BOIL.
MEANWHILE, USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE, SLICE A SLIVER OFF BOTH ENDS OF THE ONIONS.
DUMP THEM INTO THE BOILING WATER AND BOIL FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. DRAIN AND DUMP INTO THE SINK FULL OF COLD WATER.
GIVE THEM A MINUTE TO COOL. SQUEEZE THEM OUT OF THEIR SKINS.
TRIM AND PEEL OR SCRUB THE CARROTS.
MELT 2TBSPS OF BUTTER IN A SAUCEPAN LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE ONIONS AND CARROTS IN ONE LAYER. SALT GENEROUSLY.
POACH THE VEGETABLE TILL THEY'RE A TAD UNDERDONE. DRAIN AND ADD THEM TO THE POT WITH THE OXTAILS.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO SERVE, HEAT THE DUTCH OVEN ON A LOW FLAME.
GARNISH THE STEW WITH CHOPPED PARSLEY.
SERVES 6 TO 8.
Ingredients
Directions
PREHEAT OVEN TO 325º.
HEAT 4 TBSPS OF VEGETABLE OIL IN A LARGE DUTCH OVEN.
DRY THE OXTAILS AND BROWN ON ALL SIDES. DON'T CROWD THE PAN. REMOVE FROM THE POT. SALT AND PEPPER.
MEANWHILE, PEEL AND DICE THE ONION, CARROTS AND CELERY.
POUR OFF ALL BUT ONE TBSP OF FAT FROM THE POT. ADD 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER. STIR IN THE DICED VEGETABLES. SALT GENEROUSLY, REDUCE THE HEAT TO LOW AND COVER THE POT. SWEAT FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN ROUGHLY CHOP THE GARLIC CLOVES AND STIR IN WITH THE VEGETABLES.
TIE TOGETHER 4 LARGE SPRIGS OF THYME, 2 BAY LEAVES AND 10 PARSLEY STEMS WITH KITCHEN TWINE.
PEEL THE ZEST OFF HALF THE ORANGE AND SLICE INTO THIN STRIPS.
MEASURE OUT 1 CUP OF WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES. CRUSH WITH YOUR HANDS IN A BOWL.
ADD THE BOUQUET GARNIE CRUSHED TOMATOES TO THE POT. LAYER THE OXTAILS ON TOP, HOPEFULLY, IN ONE LAYER.
FILL THE POT WITH WATER BARELY TO COVER THE OXTAILS. BRING TO A BOIL. TOSS IN THE ORANGE PEEL AND 4 STAR ANISE.
PLACE THE POT IN THE OVEN WITH THE LID ASKEW. COOK FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS OR UNTIL THE MEAT IS EASILY PIERCED WITH A SHARP FORK.
TURN OFF THE HEAT AND ALLOW THE OXTAILS TO COOL IN THE OVEN.
WHEN COOL ENOUGH TO HANDLE, TILT THE POT SO YOU CAN LADLE OFF AS MUCH COOKING LIQUID AS POSSIBLE INTO A BOWL.
REFRIGERATE THE OXTAILS AND COOKING LIQUID OVERNIGHT.
MEANWHILE OR THE NEXT DAY, PREPARE THE VEGETABLES:
FILL YOUR SINK WITH COLD WATER.
BRING A SAUCE POT WITH WATER TO A BOIL.
MEANWHILE, USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE, SLICE A SLIVER OFF BOTH ENDS OF THE ONIONS.
DUMP THEM INTO THE BOILING WATER AND BOIL FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. DRAIN AND DUMP INTO THE SINK FULL OF COLD WATER.
GIVE THEM A MINUTE TO COOL. SQUEEZE THEM OUT OF THEIR SKINS.
TRIM AND PEEL OR SCRUB THE CARROTS.
MELT 2TBSPS OF BUTTER IN A SAUCEPAN LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE ONIONS AND CARROTS IN ONE LAYER. SALT GENEROUSLY.
POACH THE VEGETABLE TILL THEY'RE A TAD UNDERDONE. DRAIN AND ADD THEM TO THE POT WITH THE OXTAILS.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO SERVE, HEAT THE DUTCH OVEN ON A LOW FLAME.
GARNISH THE STEW WITH CHOPPED PARSLEY.
SERVES 6 TO 8.