Saturday, January 22, 2011

Not for the Meat-Faint-of-Heart: Winter Oxtail Stew


Even though it appears that spring is making a guest appearance here in San Francisco (a 70 degree day in January!), I am doing an ode to winter with my mom's oxtail stew. She made this for New Year's Eve this year and it was divine - hearty and velvety. Mmmm...


Begin by browning 2-3 lbs of seasoned (w/ salt and pepper) oxtails in a large, well-loved pot with some olive oil. Remove the oxtails and place them aside. Throw in 4-5 chopped celery stalks and 4 chopped carrots. Cook for 5-10 minutes.
Replace the oxtails in the pot. Add in a head of garlic cloves, 2 cups good quality beef stock and 2 cups of red wine. Also add a couple bay leafs, 5 sprigs of fresh thyme and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 3 hours.

While the stew is cooking, oven roast some root veggies. Roughly chop 3 carrots and a couple of parsnips and turnips, maybe even some potatoes. Toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them out in a roasting pan and throw in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until tender and nicely caramelized.

Skim the fat off the top of the stew. Add in the roasted vegetables and cook on low for another 1/2 hour. Then dish up and sprinkle with some fresh parsley. Enjoy thoroughly.

This recipe was adapted from the original which you can find here.

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