Oxtail Stew

Oxtail stew delivers great beef flavor. Oxtail is the culinary name for the tail of the beef critter. It's a tough cut of beef but its gelatinous connective tissue makes a moist, juicy stew.

The following recipes for oxtail stew may be either simmered in a pot on the stovetop or cooked in a covered casserole in the oven.

Old Fashioned Oxtail Stew Recipe

2 (3 lb. size) oxtails
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp salad oil
1 can (1 lb. 3 oz.) tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp. Salt
1 bay leaf
6 whole cloves
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 medium onion, quartered
2 medium potatoes, pared and quartered
2 medium carrots, pared and quartered
3/4 c. cubed celery

Trim the fat from the beef oxtails and wipe with damp paper towels. Cut into 2-inch pieces. Coat the oxtails well with flour. In hot oil in large kettle, over low heat, slowly brown the beef oxtails.

Add 2 cups water and bring to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Skim off any excess fat. Add the tomatoes, salt, bay leaf, cloves and pepper and bring to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours or until oxtails are almost tender.

Add the vegetables and simmer covered for 30 minutes longer or until the oxtails and vegetables are tender. This old-fashioned oxtail stew recipe will make 6 servings.

Basic Oxtail Stew Recipe

2 oxtails
5 to 6 oz. margarine or butter
4 big onions
3 leeks
4 big carrots
1 can tomatoes
Salt
Black pepper
Flour

Divide the oxtails at the joints, cutting away the fat.

Slice the vegetables finely (except the tomatoes) and cook slowly in half the butter in a casserole until the onions are transparent.

Coat the oxtails in seasoned flour. Brown in the remainder of the butter in a frying pan and add to the casserole with the vegetables. Deglaze the frying pan with a little water and pour the gravy into the casserole. Add the cut up tomatoes with the juice and add more water, if necessary, to cover the oxtails. Simmer about 2 1/2 hours.

Serve the oxtail stew with mashed potatoes.

Fancy Oxtail Stew Recipe

4 thick strips bacon, diced
5 to 6 lb. disjointed oxtails
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes
2 cans beef consommé, undiluted
2 cup Madeira
1 lb fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 medium onion, minced
12 carrots diagonally cut into 1-inch pieces
1 qt celery diagonally cut into 1-inch pieces
12 small white onions, peeled
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup flour

Fry the bacon until crisp in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Remove the bacon and reserve.

Dredge the beef oxtails in seasoned flour. Brown a few pieces at a time on all sides in drippings. Add more drippings or oil if needed.

Return all the beef oxtails to the pan.

Drain the tomatoes and save the liquid. Chop the tomatoes and set aside. Add the tomato liquid, consommé, Madeira, garlic and minced onion to beef oxtails. Heat to boiling. Lower the heat, cover and simmer 3 to 4 hours. Remove beef oxtails from the liquid. Cool and remove the fat and bones.

Chill and skim the fat from the cooking liquid. Add the vegetables and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp. Add the oxtail meat and bacon.

Blend the softened butter and flour until smooth. Stir into the stew and cook stirring until thickened.

Sauté the mushroom caps in butter. Turn the stew into a serving dish and garnish with the mushrooms.

Serve this oxtail stew with crusty bread and a salad for a complete meal.

Jamaican Oxtail Stew Recipe

1/3 cup Dried small white beans
1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
3 lb Beef oxtails
3 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 Medium Yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 Medium Tomato, diced
2 cups canned beef stock
2 cups Water (approximately)
2 Tbsp Freshly ground allspice
Salt to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground
Tabasco sauce to taste

Place beans in a small saucepan. Add 1 cup of the water and bring to a boil, covered, then turn off the heat. Allow to sit for 1 hour, covered and then drain.

Brown the oxtails well in the oil. Place the oxtails in a 6-quart stovetop casserole.

Add the garlic, onion and tomato. Add the beef stock and enough water so it just covers the contents of the pot. Add the allspice, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer for 3 1/2 hours, adding the drained beans after 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally.

Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce. This Jamaican oxtail stew recipe serves 4 to 5.

I like a thick sauce with beef stew. You can thicken the sauce in these oxtail stew recipes by removing the lid during the last hour of cooking and reducing the liquid.

Give Oxtail Stew a try. You'll be glad you did.