“The best oxtail in the world is meaningless if it doesn’t show up.”
– Anthony Bourdain
After two weeks without an oven, we’re back in business! Oh, happy day!
Can I say – life on AIP with no oven is a disaster!
To celebrate, I’ve made LM some Frenchie-inspired oxtail for dinner. I might even have even danced around the kitchen a little while I prepared it. Pretty sure nobody could see me… (Bella doesn’t count)
We recently picked up just over 1.5 kilos of happy oxtail from the lovely Lauren and Greg at Linga Longa Farm and I’ve been waiting for the just right reason to make it. Today was the day.
This recipe has my Dad’s name written all over it. He loves ox tail. Loves it with a capital L! But, then he pretty much loves any unctuous, slow-cooked melt-in-your-mouth numbers. Guess that’s where I get it from.
(Image by LM for JFC)
What is oxtail, you ask?
Oxtail is exactly what it sounds like it should be! – the tail of a cow or a steer.
It’s a bony yet gorgeously gelatin-rich meat, usually slow-cooked or braised as a stew or soup.
And, although I’m partial to the more traditional preparations of slow cooking when braising meat, it is entirely possible to take a shortcut by cooking this baby in a pressure cooker. It’s what I would have done if my oven fix-it man hadn’t turned up.
Like most of my cooking, this dish is really easy. It just involves pulling all the ingredients together, a bit of chopping and browning, before the oven does all the work. The apple cider adds another dimension. You could almost believe you’re in France…
And, for those of you worried about the alcohol content in the cider, after 2.5 hours of cooking, only five percent of the alcohol will still be present. (i) And, that means the amount of alcohol in an individual serving will be miniscule. The Paleo Mom has no issue with a little alcohol in cooking, but if you are still concerned, just substitute in some cold pressed apple juice for the cider.
…but mash would be a great alternative
(Image by LM for JFC)
Whatever you decide, one thing is for sure…
It will taste delicious!
- 1.5 kilos oxtail
- Beef tallow (or fat of choice)
- 3 rashers (strips) bacon
- 3 large carrots
- 2 large onions
- 2 Tablespoons tapioca starch
- 500ml bone broth (or good stock)
- 500ml apple cider
- ¼ teaspoon each - oregano, rosemary, thyme
- 3 cloves garlic
- bay leaf
- salt
- flat leaf parsley (for garnish)
- Heat the oven to 150C / 300 F.
- First up prepare all your vegetables. Peel and roughly chop your carrots. Peel and slice your onions. Peel your garlic and put aside for mincing.
- Pop a large casserole over a medium flame. Melt your fat.
- Brown your pieces of oxtail in batches. As each batch is nicely caramelised, pop it into a large bowl.
- Brown the bacon and carrots. Add them to the bowl with your meat.
- Now add your sliced onions to the casserole. Fry until softened and lightly caramelised.
- Turn the heat to low and add your tapioca starch. Stir and allow the remaining juices to soak up the flour.
- Add the stock and cider, and return the meat, bacon and carrots to the casserole. Add your herbs and bay leaf. Now, mince the garlic directly into the dish, as well.
- Pop on the lid and place the casserole in the oven. Walk away for three hours.
- (Optional) I like to remove the bones from my oxtail before serving. It's a little fiddly, but it saves dinner guests from having to do it.
- Skim off any fat from the surface and garnish with chopped parsley.
E N JO Y !
This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable
Yum! I might try it in the slow cooker as well.
I reckon it would go fabulously well in a slow cooker 🙂
That look SO good~! Even though it’s really hot outside!
It’s not hot here, Petra!
Better here than back in NZ, though. So cold there, it’s making the news in Sydney!
Not sure taking my shoes off to do my grounding (earthing) would be feasible if I was back there… 🙂
So happy you have your oven back and I 100% understand why Bella gets no oxtail – that stuff is addictive. Another brilliant recipe Jo, remind me why we aren’t neighbours? 😉
…do you think it may have anything to do with the fact that you are flying half way around the world to be an American? (sigh)
Travel safe, my friend.
looks delish!! Little typo that made me giggle in step #5 . I’m going to assume you meant “add” vs “ass”.
Jolaine – I did mean add! Thanks for pointing that wee error out to me. I’m glad someone was awake! 🙂
Ah what’s a couple consonants between friends? .
I do like the way you think! 🙂
Hi Jo sorry I missed you yesterday, going to try cooking the oxtail is apple cider vinegar the same as apple cider?
Cheers
Did you have a great birthday week?
Re: the oxtail, I’ve had a couple of people come back saying how much they love it. And, I don’t think they were using Linga Longa oxtail, so imagine how much better yours will taste?
Definitely do not sub ACV for apple cider. You could sub apple juice, though.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
thanks Jo will have to go to the shop and buy some tomorrow as we had a pack of oxtail left so my turn to cook. Birthday ok a bit boring really need a week off to clean the house very boring!
Give bella a cuddle for me
Cheers Lauren