Content

• Ingredients
• To step
• Method 1 of 3: On the stove
• Method 2 of 3: Stove and oven
• Method 3 of 3: Slow cooker
• Tips
• Necessities

Oxtail should be cooked slowly and evenly to become tender, but properly prepared oxtail will fall off the bone. Here are a few basic ways to prepare oxtail.

Ingredients

"For 4 to 6 servings"

• 1.8 kg oxtail, in slices of 4-5 cm.
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of salt
• 500 ml beef stock
• 60 ml balsamic vinegar
• 125-250 ml of red wine
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of fresh oregano
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of fresh tarragon
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of olive oil
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) all-purpose flour

To step

Method 1 of 3: On the stove

1. Combine the oxtail, salt, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, tarragon, and onion. Place these ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan.
2. Make sure the ingredients are under the liquid. Pour in enough beef stock and red wine to cover the ingredients.
   • Start with the beef stock and spice it up with the red wine.
   • If you still don't have enough moisture to cover the ingredients, add a little water or extra stock.
3. Stew the oxtail for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Bring to a boil over medium to high heat. After it starts to boil, stir the pan, put the lid on and reduce the heat to medium-soft. Let it simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
   • Stir the soup every 15 to 30 minutes to make sure the meat cooks evenly.
   • If the moisture is still boiling vigorously after reducing the heat, you may need to turn the heat down. The meat should simmer, without the moisture being vigorously boiling.
   • Remove the pan from the heat after the specified amount of time has elapsed.
4. Heat the olive oil and flour in a frying pan over medium heat. Heat the oil for 30 to 60 seconds before adding the flour. Stir continuously for three minutes.
   • You can also use vegetable oil, bacon fat, or margarine instead of olive oil.
5. Remove a liter of liquid from the pan. Add this liquid to the frying pan and stir continuously until a thick gravy forms.
   • You can also add a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce to the gravy to deepen the color.
   • The gravy can be flavored with extra salt, pepper and garlic powder if desired.
   • Remove the skillet from the heat.
6. Cover the oxtail with the gravy. Remove the oxtail from the pan and place the meat in the frying pan, then stir it into the gravy. Heat over medium to low temperature for five minutes.
7. Serve warm. Let the oxtail rest for three to five minutes before serving.

Method 2 of 3: Stove and oven

1. Salt the oxtail pieces. Rub the oxtail with enough salt to coat the meat on all sides. Let the meat salt in a glass bowl at room temperature for two hours, or in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Rinse off the salt. Use running water and scrub the salt off the meat with your fingers.
   • You have to remove almost all salt from the meat. Otherwise you will end up with an unbearably salty dish at the end.
3. Heat the oven and a heavy, oven-safe pan. The oven must be preheated to 180 degrees Celsius. Heat two tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil in the pan over medium heat.
   • Vegetable oil, margarine, or bacon fat can also be used in place of the olive oil.
   • The pot should be oven safe, as you will be transferring it directly from the stove to the oven. It must also have a lid.
4. Sauté the garlic in the pot. After the oil starts to smoke, fry the chopped garlic, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown.
5. Sear the oxtail. Add the oxtail slices, stirring, until brown on all sides.
6. Add the moisture and seasonings to the pan. Fill the pan with the beef stock and balsamic vinegar. Use enough red wine to cover the top of the meat by an inch. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, oregano and tarragon.
7. Place the pan in the oven and continue cooking. Cover the pan and place it in the preheated oven for three to four hours.
   • Check the oxtail regularly to make sure there is enough moisture left. If the volume starts to drop below the surface of the meat, add more wine.
   • The oxtail is ready when the meat starts to fall off the bone.
8. Sprinkle the onions on top if desired. Let it cook for another 30 minutes.
   • For a milder taste, replace the onion with two chopped leeks.
9. Serve the dish warm. Remove the bones from the oxtail prior to serving, or let your guests do this themselves.
   • If desired, make a gravy by stirring the flour into the cooking liquid and heating the liquid over medium heat on the stove. Let the liquid boil and thicken, adding more flour if necessary - serve with the oxtail.

Method 3 of 3: Slow cooker

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
   • Vegetable oil, bacon fat, or margarine can be used in place of olive oil.
2. Season the oxtail and sear the meat. Sprinkle the oxtail with enough salt to season it and flour the pieces of meat. Place in the skillet and cook for five to 10 minutes, or until evenly browned on all sides.
   • This step can be skipped, but searing the meat will add a significant amount of flavor to the final dish.
   • The flouring of the oxtail makes the meat a nicer brown.
3. Place the pieces of meat and other ingredients in a slow cooker. Place the oxtail in the slow cooker. Add balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme and onion. Pour in the stock and enough red wine to cover the meat about 1 inch (2.5 cm).
   • To make cleaning easier, you can spray the inside of the slow cooker with a non-stick cooking spray. You can also use a non-stick slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook the meat over low heat for eight hours. You can also cook the meat at a high temperature for three to four hours.
   • Do not stir the contents of the slow cooker or open the lid while it is cooking. You may need to increase the cooking time by 30 minutes just because of opening the pan for a few minutes.
5. Serve the dish warm. Turn off the heat and transfer the oxtail to a tray. Let the meat rest for three to five minutes before serving.

Tips

• If you are using dried herbs instead of fresh ones, reduce the amount from 1 tbsp (15 ml) to 1 tsp (5 ml). For the tarragon, decrease the amount from 2 tsp (10 ml) to 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml).
• A good wine to use for this recipe is Malena Garnacha, but any Spanish red wine is a suitable choice. You could also use red wine vinegar, but many cooks discourage the use of wine vinegar because it usually has a cheap, salty taste.
• If you don't want to use wine, you can replace it with an equal amount of extra beef stock.
• Have the butcher cut the oxtail into pieces when you buy the meat. Oxtail is usually pre-cut, but if not, it is advisable to have a professional butcher cut through the bone instead of trying to do it yourself.

Necessities

• Large, oven-proof stockpot
• Large skillet
• Large slow cooker
• Heat resistant serving spoon
• Meat tongs
• Large glass bowl