James Martin Oxtail Stew Recipes

OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2.
• Wash the oxtail pieces and pat dry with kitchen paper. Trim off as much excess fat as possible. Put the flour in a freezer bag and season well with salt and pepper. Put half the oxtail pieces into the seasoned flour, toss well to coat then set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining oxtail pieces.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan. Brown the oxtail over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning every now and then, until dark brown all over. You may need to add extra oil if the pan looks dry at any point during the browning step. Put the browned oxtail into a flameproof casserole dish. (You may need to do this in batches.)
• Return the frying pan to a low heat and add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Add a little extra oil if necessary. Cook gently for 10 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
• Tip the vegetables on top of the beef and add the thyme and bay leaves. Stir in the wine, beef stock and tomato purée. Season with salt and pepper, put the casserole on the heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook in the centre of the oven for 3 hours. Stir after 1½ hours, turning the oxtail in the sauce.
• After 3 hours, the meat should be falling off the bone and the sauce should be thick. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and transfer the oxtail pieces to a plate, set aside and keep warm.
• Skim any fat that has pooled on the surface of the sauce.
• Divide the oxtail pieces between six warmed plates and spoon over the sauce. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, if using, and serve with mashed potato and steamed vegetables.

OXTAIL STEW WITH DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Season the flour with salt and pepper, then toss the oxtail in it until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Working in batches, brown the meat really well on all sides. Remove from the pan, then add the veg and garlic and fry for 3-4 mins until starting to colour. Stir in the tomato purée and herbs. Tip the meat back into the pan, pour over the wine, then crumble in the stock cube. Season, cover the pan and braise in the oven for 3 hrs until the meat is meltingly tender. Can be cooked up to 2 days ahead. If you make it ahead, chill in the fridge and lift any fat off the top before reheating.
• To make the dumplings, tip the flour and basil (reserving a few leaves for a garnish) into a food processor with a generous pinch of salt, then blitz until the basil is finely chopped. Add the butter and blitz until it's the texture of breadcrumbs, then gradually add the egg whites until everything comes together. On a floured surface, roll the dumplings into small, walnut-size balls, then cover with a tea towel until ready to cook.
• To serve, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Simmer dumplings for 15 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon. While the dumplings are cooking, gently reheat the meat in the sauce. Serve a few chunks of meat in a soup bowl with a few dumplings, drizzled with olive oil and scattered with a few basil leaves.

MAMA CHAN'S OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Place the oxtail and half the ginger coins in a large wide pot and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes. If foam forms on the surface, use a large wide spoon to spoon it off and discard.
• Carefully transfer the pieces with a slotted spoon or tongs to a colander and rinse under cold water. Place colander over a large bowl and set aside. Discard the water.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar together until combined. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large wide nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over high heat. Once shimmering, add the remaining ginger coins, the carrots and onions. Toss until the vegetables are well coated in the oil and slightly golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. This will prevent the carrots from breaking apart during braising. Transfer the vegetables to a 6-quart Instant Pot®.
• Return the skillet to high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of canola oil and heat until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ketchup and bring to a full boil, about 30 seconds. Add the blanched oxtail pieces. Toss until the oxtail is fully coated. Add the oyster sauce mixture to the skillet and toss until everything is coated and the sauce is syrupy. Let simmer until the sauce has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with more soy sauce if needed. Transfer to the pot with the carrots. Add 4 cups of water.
• Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high for 1 hour 30 minutes (see Cook's Note). After the pressure-cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release and wait until the quick-release cycle is complete (this should take about 2 minutes).
• Being careful of any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid. Skim up to 1/2 cup of fat from the top of the stew. Set to high sear/sauté and add the tomatoes. Let cook, uncovered, until the tomato quarters have softened and are falling apart, about 15 minutes. Serve with rice.

EASY OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Mix oxtail, water, broth, onion, garlic, onion salt, salt, and pepper together in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat down to a simmer, and cook until meat falls from the bone, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Stir potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, bell pepper, and green onions into the pot. Cover and let simmer until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.