Oxtail Stew Roman Style Recipes

OXTAIL BRAISED WITH TOMATO AND CELERY (CODA ALLA VACCINARA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a deep, heavy casserole or pot that can fit all the oxtails in one layer, combine pancetta, carrot, onion and diced celery and enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan (about 3 tablespoons).
• Place pan over medium heat and cook until pancetta renders its fat, about 15 minutes. Season oxtails on all sides with salt and pepper, add to the casserole and brown well on all sides, turning them only after they've browned. Using tongs, remove oxtails from pan and place in a bowl. Set aside.
• Add the tomato paste to the vegetables in the casserole and cook, stirring, until paste caramelizes, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and mix. Heat to boiling and cook 3 minutes. Add marjoram, cloves and cinnamon and then tomatoes, squishing them between your fingers as they fall into the pan.
• Return oxtails to pan. Liquid must be as high as one-third of the ingredients. If not, add a little water. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover pan and place in oven. Braise for 1 1/2 hours, turning the oxtails now and then.
• Add the remaining celery, then continue cooking until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 30 to 60 minutes longer.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a large platter or in shallow bowls, making sure everyone gets a bit of the pulpy sauce and celery.

ROMAN BRAISED OXTAIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Set a roasting pan over medium heat. Peel and dice the carrot, onion, and half the celery (including leaves). Add oil to the roasting pan, followed by the vegetables and the pancetta. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are soft and pancetta begins to crisp up, 15 minutes.
• Season oxtail with salt and pepper on both sides. Nestle into the roasting pan alongside the vegetables in an even layer to brown. Brown 5 minutes per side, then continue cooking another 5 minutes.
• Remove oxtails to a platter. Add tomato paste to the roasting pan, and stir to deglaze, 1-2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add wine, and stir, making sure to scrape up all of the brown bits from the bottom, 1-2 minutes. Add tomato purée, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Place oxtails back in the pan in a single layer. Braise in the oven, uncovered, 1½ hours. (Oxtails will be braised for a total of 2 hours or more.)
• After 1½ hours, remove oxtails from oven. Slice remaining celery stalks (including leaves) into 3-inch-by-¼-inch strips. Add celery and marjoram. Turn oxtails over. Place back in the oven to braise for 30 minutes more.
• Oxtails are done when the meat is fork tender. To serve, place oxtails on a large platter with the sauce and the celery. Serve immediately.

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.

OXTAILS, ROMAN STYLE

Steps:

• Season oxtails with salt and pepper.
• Heat a 6 quart stove top covered casserole and add the oil and garlic.
• Saute for just a moment and add one third of the meat.
• Brown well on both sides and remove.
• Brown next third and then last third.
• Drain fat from the pot and return all the meat, along with all the other ingredients.
• Cover and simmer until very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• You may need to add a bit of water now and then if the mixture dries out.
• I add a can of chopped tomatoes at the end.

OXTAIL STEW, ROMAN STYLE

Steps:

• 1 In a large Dutch oven or other deep, heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil. Pat the oxtail dry and add to the pan only as many pieces as will fit comfortably in a single layer. Brown the pieces well on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the pieces to a plate. 2 Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. 3 Return the oxtail to the pan. Add the tomatoes, cloves, salt and pepper to taste, and water. Cover the pan and bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and coming away from the bones, about 3 hours. 4 Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the celery and cook 1 minute. Drain well. 5 Stir the chocolate into the pan with the oxtails. Add the celery, pine nuts, and raisins. Bring to a simmer. Serve hot. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.