Roman Braised Oxtail Recipes

OXTAIL BRAISED WITH TOMATO AND CELERY (CODA ALLA VACCINARA)

Oxtail Braised With Tomato and Celery (Coda Alla Vaccinara) image

Ms. Hesser brought us this recipe for the classic Roman stew back in 2002 after she visited Rome with her family. Oxtails are a fatty and tough cut of meat, but here, a lengthy braise yields a rich, unctuous sauce seasoned with cinnamon, clove and marjoram. It's delicious by itself or served over a hearty pasta, like rigatoni. And don't be deterred by the large amount of celery the recipe calls for. It reduces to a flavorful pulpy slurry that will surprise you.

Provided by Amanda Hesser

Categories times classics

Time 3h30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 carrot, peeled, finely diced
1 small onion, peeled, finely diced
4 inner stalks celery, 1 finely diced, 3 sliced into 3-inch-long pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds oxtail (trimmed weight), severed at each joint into pieces about 3 inches long
Sea salt or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups white wine
3 sprigs fresh marjoram or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (28-ounce) can peeled Italian tomatoes, drained

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.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 795, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 56 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 46 grams, SaturatedFat 20 grams, Sodium 1197 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams

WINE-BRAISED OXTAIL

Wine-Braised Oxtail image

Don't be scared off by oxtail just because you may never have cooked it before. It's as meaty and rich as short ribs, and just as straightforward to prepare. In this hearty braise, the meat is simmered in wine with carrots and celeriac. Feel free to substitute other vegetables for those roots. For example: mushrooms, celery stalks, turnips, rutabaga, winter squash chunks, and sweet potatoes would all be happy additions to the pot. Or leave the vegetables out and serve the whole thing over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or polenta. Like all braises, it can be made at least four days ahead, and gets better as it sits.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories dinner, main course

Time 4h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

2 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, more as needed
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
5 pounds beef oxtails, patted dry
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 shallots, peeled, trimmed and sliced lengthwise 1/4-inch-thick
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
2 small or 1 large celeriac, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bottle (750 milliliters) dry red wine
1 cup chicken stock
5 parsley sprigs, plus 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
2 rosemary branches
2 bay leaves
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Torn celery leaves, for garnish (optional)

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine salt, pepper and allspice. Add oxtail to bowl and rub the mixture all over the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Heat an 8-quart Dutch oven, or a heavy soup pot with a lid, over medium-high heat. Add oil and warm through. Add as many oxtail pieces as you can fit in a single layer without overcrowding the pot. Sear, turning occasionally, until the meat is uniformly golden brown all over, including the sides. Transfer meat to a plate; repeat until you've browned all the oxtail.
Add shallot to the pan drippings and cook over medium heat until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add carrot and celery root and cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and two-thirds of the garlic (save the rest for garnish) and cook 1 minute.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pour wine and stock into pot. Bundle parsley sprigs, rosemary branches and bay leaves with kitchen twine and drop into pot. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook over medium heat until liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
Return oxtail to pot and bring to a simmer. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook, turning oxtails every 30 minutes, until meat is fork tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
Transfer oxtails to a plate. Spoon off fat from surface of pan juices and discard (there will be a lot of it). Toss oxtails with remaining pan gravy. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. In a small bowl, toss together chopped parsley, garlic, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Scatter mixture over oxtails and garnish with the celery leaves, if using, before serving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1210, UnsaturatedFat 37 grams, Carbohydrate 34 grams, Fat 75 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 76 grams, SaturatedFat 29 grams, Sodium 1276 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams