Oxtail Ragu
Recipe from Ed Kernan
This dish is made delicious by the time it takes to prepare it. But don’t worry! Despite being a weekend project, this is by no means labor intensive. It’s like passive income for your taste buds. With time being a Main Ingredient, the primary skill you can bring to the table is a little bit of patience. Allow the meat to break down into shredded bliss. Give the flavors a long while to mature and marry. With all the lead time, this is the perfect dish to add to a dinner party menu. When the time comes, pair it with pasta, gnocchi, a chunk of fresh bread, and you’ll have everyone thanking you.
24 hours
5 hours
4 appetizer servings
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 3 pounds oxtail
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cooking oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 stalk of celery, diced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- One 14 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1 fresh bay leaf
Directions
Day One:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Season the oxtail all over with salt and pepper. Place the Titanium Always Pan® Pro on the stove over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl to coat. To sear the oxtail, place them in the pan but don’t overcrowd. It may be necessary to sear in batches. Sear oxtail until dark brown on all sides. Once all the oxtail is seared, set them aside, and pour out the fat in the pan.
Step 2
Add another 1–2 tablespoons of oil to the pan that was used to sear the oxtail, and add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, on medium heat until they have softened. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Then add in the canned tomatoes. Stir the tomatoes to thoroughly mix all the ingredients. Stir in wine, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4
Stir in stock. Place the oxtail back in the pan, along with the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then place the lid on the pan and place the pan in the oven.
Step 5
Cook in the oven until the meat on the oxtail is fork tender, about 3 hours.
Step 6
When oxtail is tender, remove the pan from the oven, and place on the stove top to cool.
Step 7
Once cooled to room temperature, place oxtail in a baking dish and pour braising liquid over them. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day Two:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Remove the oxtail from the refrigerator. Scrape off the layer of fat that has solidified on the top. Place the baker, with oxtail and braising liquid, in the oven to reheat for 20–30 minutes.
Step 2
Remove the oxtail from the oven. Carefully pull the meat from the bones, discarding the fatty sinew. Set collected meat aside.
Step 3
Place a fine strainer in a bowl and pour braising liquid over it. Use a flat spatula to press the solids through the strainer. Try to press through as much as possible.
Step 4
Heat the pressed braising liquid in your Titanium Always Pan® Pro on medium heat. Add the oxtail meat. Bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve over Gnocchi if desired.
