The rich, meaty deliciousness of oxtail is hard to describe. Once you’ve tried it, however, you’ll want it again and again. The hardest step in this recipe is to find a source. We recommend trying your favorite butcher. When it’s ready to serve, you will be impressed with both the tender meat and the savory gravy. Please remember to have a crusty baguette on hand to mop up every drop.
What Does Oxtail Taste Like?
Oxtail really sets itself apart from other cuts of beef with a flavor and texture you truly won’t find elsewhere. It has an intensely rich, beefy flavor that’s also a little gamey. A lot of its taste comes from the bones and marrow, which release their flavors during the long cooking process. The meat of the oxtail is tender and after a long time cooking should almost melt in your mouth. The result is a luscious, velvety texture that coats the palate rather than fighting with it. Though just like any protein, the flavor and texture all depend on your cooking method and the ingredients used, such as red wine, herbs, and spices.
Green Chile Braised Oxtail
Description
The green chile adds a kick of heat to this savory dish.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 lb oxtail, 1-inch cut
- 1 onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 tbsp Hatch green chile, fresh or frozen
- 8 sprigs thyme
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 1/2 tsp cloves, whole
- 1 1/2 tsp allspice, whole
- Salt to taste
- 2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil into a cast-iron skillet with lid, or a Dutch oven, and brown both sides of oxtail over medium-high heat. You may need to work in 2 or more batches. Drain excess oil leaving just enough to sauté onions, garlic and thyme.
- After the onions, garlic, chiles, and thyme are sautéed, add tomato paste and sauté until toasty and brown. Deglaze your pan with the red wine and then return oxtails to the skillet and add 2 cups of beef broth to cover a quarter of the oxtails. Allow the liquid to come to a simmer. Put cloves and allspice into a sachet or tie in a cheesecloth, and submerge in liquid.
- Season with salt and ground pepper, cover, and put into a preheated 350-degree oven for roughly 2 hours or until the oxtails are very tender. Time can vary depending on the size of the oxtail.
Recipes and Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce
With Support from Buy Fresh Buy Local Western PA
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