Don't be afraid of oxtail. Just knowing that it comes from the tail of a cow (it used to be the ox, but most oxtail sold in butcher's shops is from cow now) puts some people off. Have a sense of adventure and try it. Don't just stick with the same old foods. This recipe may sound intimidating, but this is really just great peasant food.
There's not a lot of meat on oxtail bones, so you might think it's not worth your time to make it. However, oxtail has a lot of muscle on it, which gets broken down when you braise it. The meat that is there falls apart and becomes gelatinous. That makes this oxtail so damned good. You only need a small amount to feel satisfied, so it's a dish rich in taste for not much price.
Plus, when you braise the oxtail, you can braise it in water or chicken stock and have a flavorful stock left over for other dishes. At Papillon, our wild mushroom raviolis bobbed in oxtail broth.
Making this recipe will take time, but that's where flavor is born. It's worth your time.
You could replace the oxtail with veal or venison shanks for osso buco, or with braised chicken legs. You could use any hearty pasta that will retain its shape in this dish.
Suggestions:
You could serve this over rice or mashed potatoes. If you want to make a stock with oxtail instead, that stock would make a hearty soup.
Recipe information
Yield
Feeds 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Preparing to braise
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the oxtails with salt and pepper.
Searing the oxtail
Step 2
Set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and pour in 2 tablespoons of the canola oil. Put the oxtails in the hot oil and cook until they are browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip them and get some color on the other side, about 5 minutes. Place the browned oxtails in a Dutch oven.
Sautéing the vegetables
Step 3
Drain the fat from the sauté pan. Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have browned and softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Toss in the sprigs of rosemary and thyme and cook until they are fragrant.
Making the braising liquid
Step 4
Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the goodness from the bottom. Cook until the wine is reduced by three-quarters of its volume, 7 to 8 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Pour the braising liquid over the oxtail in the Dutch oven. Cover the Dutch oven and slide it into the oven. Braise until the meat starts to fall of the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Taste a piece of the meat. Do you want more? You're done.
Cooking the fettuccine
Step 5
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Toss in the fettuccine and cook until it is a little less than al dente so that it will hold its shape. (Gluten-free pasta usually takes less time to cook than you think, especially when you are going by the manufacturer's directions on the box.)
Preparing to make the sauce
Step 6
Remove the oxtails from the sauce and set them aside. Strain the sauce into a large saucepan. Put the saucepan over medium heat and begin reducing the liquid.
Cutting the parsnips
Step 7
Meanwhile, slice the parsnips into small coins, starting from the thin end. When you reach halfway up the parsnip, slice it in half lengthwise. Continue cutting coins from the parsnip, the same size as those from the first half.
Sautéing the vegetables
Step 8
Set a small sauté pan over medium-high heat and pour in the olive oil. Toss in the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until softened and wilted. Throw in the parsnips and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and the parsnips are softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in the shallots and cook, stirring, until they are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped rosemary and cook until it is fragrant.
Making the sauce
Step 9
Spoon the sautéed vegetables into the stock in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce until it has thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the butter until it is incorporated into the sauce.
Finishing the dish
Step 10
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Pick the meat off the oxtails and drop it into the sauce. Taste the sauce and season it with salt and pepper.
Step 11
To serve, spoon the pasta into large bowls and grate the Parmesan cheese over the top.
